“I don’t truckle, and I hate being patronized as much as you do!” returned Amy indignantly, for the two still jangled when such questions arose.  “The girls do care for me, and I for them, and there’s a great deal of kindness and sense and talent among them, in spite of what you call fashionable nonsense.  You don’t care to make people like you, to go into good society, and cultivate your manners and tastes.  I do, and I mean to make the most of every chance that comes.  You can go through the world with your elbows out and your nose in the air, and call it independence, if you like.  That’s not my way.”

When Amy had whetted her tongue and freed her mind she usually got the best of it, for she seldom failed to have common sense on her side, while Jo carried her love of liberty and hate of conventionalities to such an unlimited extent that she naturally found herself worsted in an argument.  Amy’s definition of Jo’s idea of independence was such a good hit that both burst out laughing, and the discussion took a more amiable turn.  Much against her will, Jo at length consented to sacrifice a day to Mrs. Grundy, and help her sister through what she regarded as ‘a nonsensical business’.

The invitations were sent, nearly all accepted, and the following Monday was set apart for the grand event.  Hannah was out of humor because her week’s work was deranged, and prophesied that “ef the washin’ and ironin’ warn’t done reg’lar, nothin’ would go well anywheres”.  This hitch in the mainspring of the domestic machinery had a bad effect upon the whole concern, but Amy’s motto was ’Nil desperandum’, and having made up her mind what to do, she proceeded to do it in spite of all obstacles.  To begin with, Hannah’s cooking didn’t turn out well.  The chicken was tough, the tongue too salty, and the chocolate wouldn’t froth properly.  Then the cake and ice cost more than Amy expected, so did the wagon, and various other expenses, which seemed trifling at the outset, counted up rather alarmingly afterward.  Beth got a cold and took to her bed.  Meg had an unusual number of callers to keep her at home, and Jo was in such a divided state of mind that her breakages, accidents, and mistakes were uncommonly numerous, serious, and trying.

If it was not fair on Monday, the young ladies were to come on Tuesday, an arrangement which aggravated Jo and Hannah to the last degree.  On Monday morning the weather was in that undecided state which is more exasperating than a steady pour.  It drizzled a little, shone a little, blew a little, and didn’t make up its mind till it was too late for anyone else to make up theirs.  Amy was up at dawn, hustling people out of their beds and through their breakfasts, that the house might be got in order.  The parlor struck her as looking uncommonly shabby, but without stopping to sigh for what she had not, she skillfully made the best of what she had, arranging chairs over the worn places in the carpet, covering stains on the walls with homemade statuary, which gave an artistic air to the room, as did the lovely vases of flowers Jo scattered about.