Rose in Bloom by Louisa May Alcott

himself, and though he had never alluded to the timely warning,

neither forgot.

“Yes, I think of it.?

“How will you begin??

“Do my best all-round keep good company, read good books, love

good things, and cultivate soul and body as faithfully and wisely as

I can.?

“And you expect to succeed, do you??

“Please God, I will.?

The quiet energy of Mac’s last words produced a momentary

silence. Charlie thoughtfully studied the carpet; Archie, who had

been absently poking the fire, looked over at Mac as if he thanked

him again, and Steve, forgetting his self-conceit, began to wonder

if it was not possible to improve himself a little for Kitty’s sake.

Only a minute, for young men do not give much time to thoughts

of this kind, even when love stirs up the noblest impulses within

them. To act rather than to talk is more natural to most of them, as

Charlie’s next question showed, for, having the matter much at

heart, he ventured to ask in an offhand way as he laughed and

twirled his cue: “Do you intend to reach the highest point of

perfection before you address one of the fair saints, or shall you

ask her to lend a hand somewhere short of that??

“As it takes a long lifetime to do what I plan, I think I shall ask

some good woman ‘to lend a hand’ when I’ve got anything worth

offering her. Not a saint, for I never shall be one myself, but a

gentle creature who will help me, as I shall try to help her, so that

we can go on together and finish our work hereafter, if we haven’t

time to do it here.?

If Mac had been a lover, he would not have discussed the subject

in this simple and sincere fashion, though he might have felt it far

more deeply, but being quite heart-free, he frankly showed his

interest and, curiously enough, out of his wise young head

unconsciously gave the three lovers before him counsel which they

valued, because he practiced what he preached.

“Well, I hope you’ll find her!” said Charlie heartily as he went back

to his game.

“I think I shall.” And while the others played, Mac lay staring at

the window curtain as contentedly as if, through it, he beheld “a

dream of fair women” from which to choose his future mate.

A few days after this talk in the billiard room, Kitty went to call

upon Rose, for as she was about to enter the family she felt it her

duty to become acquainted with all its branches. This branch,

however, she cultivated more assiduously than any other and was

continually running in to confer with “Cousin Rose,” whom she

considered the wisest, dearest, kindest girl ever created. And Rose,

finding that, in spite of her flighty head, Kitty had a good heart of

her own, did her best to encourage all the new hopes and

aspirations springing up in it under the warmth of the first genuine

affection she had ever known.

“My dear, I want to have some serious conversation with you upon

a subject in which I take an interest for the first time in my life,”

began Miss Kitty, seating herself and pulling off her gloves as if

the subject was one which needed a firm grasp.

“Tell away, and don’t mind if I go on working, as I want to finish

this job today,” answered Rose, with a long-handled paintbrush in

her hand and a great pair of shears at her side.

“You are always so busy! What is it now? Let me help I can talk

faster when I’m doing something,” which seemed hardly possible,

for Kitty’s tongue went like a mill clapper at all hours.

“Making picture books for my sick babies at the hospital. Pretty

work, isn’t it? You cut out, and I’ll paste them on these squares of

gay cambric then we just tie up a few pages with a ribbon and

there is a nice, light, durable book for the poor dears to look at as

they lie in their little beds.?

“A capital idea. Do you go there often? How ever do you find the