It was a comfortable old room, though the carpet was faded and the furniture very plain and Christmas roses bloomed in the windows and a pleasant atmosphere of home-peace filled the room. Meg was sixteen, and she was very pretty with large eyes, brown hair, a sweet mouth and white hands. Fifteen-year-old Jo was very tall, thin and brown. She had a decisive mouth, a comical nose and sharp? grey eyes and long, thick hair. Elizabeth - or Beth was a rosy, smooth-haired, bright-eyed girl of thirteen, with a shy manner. Amy was a most important person - in her own opinion at least. A regular snow-maiden, with blue eyes and yellow hair curling on her shoulders, pale and slender, and carrying herself like a young lady mindful of her manners. The clock struck six; and Beth put a pair of slippers down to warm. Somehow the sight of the old shoes had a good effect upon the girls; for mother was coming, and everyone brightened to welcome her. Meg stopped lecturing and lighted the lamp, Amy got out of the armchair without being asked, and Jo forgot how tired she was as she sat up to hold the slippers nearer to the fire. Jo said that mother had to have a new pair of shoes and Beth said that she would get her mother some new slippers with her money. Amy cried that she would. Meg said that she was the oldest, but Jo cut in with a decided and sais that she was the man of the family then that papa was away, and she should provide the slippers for mother. Then Bess said that they would get their mother something for Christmas.