After various lesser mishaps, Meg was finished at last, and by the united exertions of the entire family Jo’s hair was got up and her dress on.  They looked very well in their simple suits, Meg’s in silvery drab, with a blue velvet snood, lace frills, and the pearl pin.  Jo in maroon, with a stiff, gentlemanly linen collar, and a white chrysanthemum or two for her only ornament.  Each put on one nice light glove, and carried one soiled one, and all pronounced the effect “quite easy and fine”.  Meg’s high-heeled slippers were very tight and hurt her, though she would not own it, and Jo’s nineteen hairpins all seemed stuck straight into her head, which was not exactly comfortable, but, dear me, let us be elegant or die.

“Have a good time, dearies!” said Mrs. March, as the sisters went daintily down the walk.  “Don’t eat much supper, and come away at eleven when I send Hannah for you.”  As the gate clashed behind them, a voice cried from a window . . .

“Girls, girls!  Have you you both got nice pocket handkerchiefs?”

“Yes, yes, spandy nice, and Meg has cologne on hers,” cried Jo, adding with a laugh as they went on, “I do believe Marmee would ask that if we were all running away from an earthquake.”

“It is one of her aristocratic tastes, and quite proper, for a real lady is always known by neat boots, gloves, and handkerchief,” replied Meg, who had a good many little ‘aristocratic tastes’ of her own.

“Now don’t forget to keep the bad breadth out of sight, Jo.  Is my sash right?  And does my hair look very bad?” said Meg, as she turned from the glass in Mrs. Gardiner’s dressing room after a prolonged prink.

“I know I shall forget.  If you see me doing anything wrong, just remind me by a wink, will you?” returned Jo, giving her collar a twitch and her head a hasty brush.

“No, winking isn’t ladylike.  I’ll lift my eyebrows if any thing is wrong, and nod if you are all right.  Now hold your shoulder straight, and take short steps, and don’t shake hands if you are introduced to anyone.  It isn’t the thing.”

“How do you learn all the proper ways?  I never can.  Isn’t that music gay?”

Down they went, feeling a trifle timid, for they seldom went to parties, and informal as this little gathering was, it was an event to them.  Mrs. Gardiner, a stately old lady, greeted them kindly and handed them over to the eldest of her six daughters.  Meg knew Sallie and was at her ease very soon, but Jo, who didn’t care much for girls or girlish gossip, stood about, with her back carefully against the wall, and felt as much out of place as a colt in a flower garden.  Half a dozen jovial lads were talking about skates in another part of the room, and she longed to go and join them, for skating was one of the joys of her life.  She telegraphed her wish to Meg, but the eyebrows went up so alarmingly that she dared not stir.  No one came to talk to her, and one by one the group dwindled away till