The next day was fine, and Meg departed in style for a fortnight of novelty and pleasure.  Mrs. March had consented to the visit rather reluctantly, fearing that Margaret would come back more discontented than she went.  But she begged so hard, and Sallie had promised to take good care of her, and a little pleasure seemed so delightful after a winter of irksome work that the mother yielded, and the daughter went to take her first taste of fashionable life.

The Moffats were very fashionable, and simple Meg was rather daunted, at first, by the splendor of the house and the elegance of its occupants.  But they were kindly people, in spite of the frivolous life they led, and soon put their guest at her ease.  Perhaps Meg felt, without understanding why, that they were not particularly cultivated or intelligent people, and that all their gilding could not quite conceal the ordinary material of which they were made.  It certainly was agreeable to fare sumptuously, drive in a fine carriage, wear her best frock every day, and do nothing but enjoy herself.  It suited her exactly, and soon she began to imitate the manners and conversation of those about her, to put on little airs and graces, use French phrases, crimp her hair, take in her dresses, and talk about the fashions as well as she could.  The more she saw of Annie Moffat’s pretty things, the more she envied her and sighed to be rich.  Home now looked bare and dismal as she thought of it, work grew harder than ever, and she felt that she was a very destitute and much-injured girl, in spite of the new gloves and silk stockings.

She had not much time for repining, however, for the three young girls were busily employed in ‘having a good time’.  They shopped, walked, rode, and called all day, went to theaters and operas or frolicked at home in the evening, for Annie had many friends and knew how to entertain them.  Her older sisters were very fine young ladies, and one was engaged, which was extremely interesting and romantic, Meg thought.  Mr. Moffat was a fat, jolly old gentleman, who knew her father, and Mrs. Moffat, a fat, jolly old lady, who took as great a fancy to Meg as her daughter had done.  Everyone petted her, and ‘Daisey’, as they called her, was in a fair way to have her head turned.

When the evening for the small party came, she found that the poplin wouldn’t do at all, for the other girls were putting on thin dresses and making themselves very fine indeed.  So out came the tarlatan, looking older, limper, and shabbier than ever beside Sallie’s crisp new one.  Meg saw the girls glance at it and then at one another, and her cheeks began to burn, for with all her gentleness she was very proud.  No one said a word about it, but Sallie offered to dress her hair, and Annie to tie her sash, and Belle, the engaged sister, praised her white arms.  But in their kindness Meg saw only pity for her poverty, and her heart felt very heavy as she stood by herself, while the others laughed, chattered, and flew about like gauzy butterflies.  The hard, bitter feeling was getting pretty bad, when the maid brought in a box of flowers.  Before she could speak, Annie had the cover off, and all were exclaiming at the lovely roses, heath, and fern within.