23 Little Women Read By Stephanie Poppins

Following the female stoic theme, this novel focuses on love, family, morality, and personal growth.
Meg, the eldest, is drawn to marriage and domestic life.
Jo, the headstrong and tomboyish one, pursues her passion for writing.
Beth, the quiet and gentle one, finds solace in music and is tragically affected by illness.
Amy, the youngest and most artistic, navigates her path, ultimately finding success in the art world.

In this episode, a game produces an argument.

Transcript

Welcome to Sleep Stories with Steph,

Your go-to podcast that offers you a calm and relaxing transition into a great night's sleep.

It is time to relax and fully let go.

There is nothing you need to be doing now and nowhere you need to go.

Close your eyes and feel yourself sink into the support beneath you and let all the worries of the day drift away.

This is your time and your space.

Take a deep breath in through your nose and let it out with a long sigh.

There is nothing you need to be doing now and nowhere you need to go.

Happy listening.

Chapter 12 Camp Lawrence Beth was postmistress.

For being most at home,

She could attend to it regularly and dearly liked the daily task of unlocking the little door and distributing the mail.

One July day she came in with her hands full and went about the house leaving letters and parcels like the penny post.

Here's your posy,

Mother.

Dory never forgets that,

She said,

Putting the fresh nosegay in the vase that stood in Marmie's corner.

Miss Meg March,

One letterer and a glove,

Continued Beth,

Delivering the article to her sister,

Who sat near her mother,

Stitching wristbands.

Why,

I left a pair over there and here's only one,

Said Meg,

Looking at the grey cotton glove.

Didn't you drop the other in the garden?

No,

I'm sure I didn't.

There was only one in the office.

I hate to have odd gloves.

Never mind.

The other may turn up.

My letter is only a translation of the German song I wanted.

I think Mr.

Brook did it.

For this isn't Laurie's writing.

Mrs.

March glanced at Meg,

Who was looking very pretty in her gingham morning gown,

With the little curls blowing about her forehead,

And very womanly as she sat sewing at her little work table,

Full of tiny white rolls.

So unconscious of the thought in her mother's mind as she sewed and sung,

While her fingers flew and her thoughts were busied with girlish fancies as innocent and fresh as the pansies in her belt,

That Mrs.

March smiled and was satisfied.

Two letters for Dr.

Joe,

A book and a funny old hat,

Which covered the whole post office stuck outside,

Said Beth,

Laughing as she went into the study.

What a sly fellow Laurie is.

I said I wish bigger hats were the fashion,

Because I burn my face every hot day.

And he said,

Why mind the fashion,

Wear a big hat and be comfortable.

I said I would if I had one,

And he sent me this to try me.

Then Joe read her letters.

One from her mother made her cheeks glow and her eyes fill,

For it said.

My dear,

I write a little word to tell you with how much satisfaction I watch your efforts to control your temper.

You say nothing about your trials,

Failures or successes,

And think perhaps no one sees them,

But the friend whose help you daily ask,

If I may trust the well-worn cover of your guidebook.

I too have seen them all,

And heartily believe in the sincerity of your resolution,

Since it begins to bear fruit.

Go on,

Dear Joe,

Patiently and bravely,

And always believe no one sympathises more tenderly with you than your loving mother.

That does me good,

Called Joe,

That's worth millions of money and pecks of praise.

Oh,

Mommy,

I will try,

I will keep on trying and not get tired,

Since I have you to help me.

Joe wet her little romance with a few happy tears,

For she had thought no one saw and appreciated her efforts to do good.

And this assurance was doubly precious,

Doubly encouraging,

Because unexpected.

In a big dashing hand,

In another letter,

Laurie wrote,

Dear Joe,

Watto,

Some English girls and boys are coming to see me tomorrow,

And I want to have a jolly time.

If it's fine,

I'm going to pitch my tent in Long Meadow and row up the whole crew to lunch and croquet,

Have a fire,

Make messes,

Gypsy fashion and all sorts of larks.

They're nice people,

And like such nice things,

Books will go to keep them busy.

Keep us boys steady,

And Kate Fall will play propriety for the girls.

I want you all to come.

Can't let Beth off at any price,

And nobody should worry her.

Don't bother about rations,

I'll see to that,

And everything else.

Only do come,

There's a good fellow.

In a tearing hurry,

Yours ever,

Laurie.

Here's richness,

Cried Joe,

Flying in to tell the news to Meg.

Of course we can go,

Mother,

It'll be such a help to Laurie,

For I can row,

And Meg see to the lunch,

And the children will be useful in some way.

I hope the pawns are not fine grown-up people,

Said Meg.

Do you know anything about them,

Joe?

Only there's four of them.

Kate's older than you,

Fred and Frank twins are about my age,

And a little girl,

Grace,

Who's nine or ten.

Laurie knew them abroad,

And like the boys,

I fancied from the way he primmed up his mouth in speaking.

Though he didn't admire Kate much.

I'm so glad my French print is clean,

It's just the thing,

And so becoming,

Observed Meg,

Complacently.

Have you anything decent,

Joe?

Scarlet and grey boating suit good enough for me.

I shall row and tramp about,

So I don't want any starch to think of.

You'll come,

Betty?

If you won't let any of the boys talk to me.

Not one boy.

I'd like to please Laurie,

And I'm not afraid of Mr.

Brooke.

He's so kind,

But I don't want to play or sing or say anything.

I'll work hard and not trouble anyone,

And you'll take care of me,

Joe.

So I'll go.

That's my good girl.

You do try to fight off your shyness,

And I love you for it.

Fighting faults isn't easy,

As I know,

And a cheery word kinda gives a lift.

Thank you,

Mother.

Joe gave the thin cheek a grateful kiss,

More precious to Mrs.

March than if it had given back the rosy roundness of her youth.

I had a box of chocolate drops and the picture I wanted to copy,

Said Amy,

Showing her mail.

And I got a note from Mr.

Lawrence asking me to come over and play to him tonight before the lamps alighted,

Added Beth.

Now let's fly around and do double duty today,

So we can play tomorrow with free minds,

Said Joe,

Preparing to replace her pen with a broom.

When the sun peeped into the girls' room early the next morning to promise them a fine day,

He saw a comical sight.

Each had made such preparation for the fate to seem necessary and proper.

Meg had an extra row of little curl papers across her forehead.

Joe had copiously anointed her afflicted face with cold cream.

Beth had taken Joanna to bed with her to atone for the approaching separation,

And Amy had capped the climax by putting a clothespin on her nose to uplift the offending feature.

It was one of the kind artist's shoes to hold the paper on their drawing boards,

Therefore quite appropriate and effective for the purpose.

This funny spectacle appeared to amuse the sun,

For he burst out with such radiance that Joe woke up and roused all her sisters by a hearty laugh at Amy's adornment.

Sunshine and laughter were good omens for a pleasure party.

Soon a lively bustle began in both homes.

Beth,

Who was ready first,

Kept reporting what went on next door.

There goes the man with the tent,

She said.

I see Mrs Barker,

Doing the lunch in a hamper and great basket.

Now Mr Lawrence is looking up at the sky in the weather.

I wish he would go.

There's Laurie,

Looking like a sailor.

Oh,

Percy me,

There's a carriage full of people.

A tall lady,

A little girl,

And two dreadful boys.

One's lame,

Poor thing,

He's got a crutch.

Laurie didn't tell us that.

Be quick,

Girls,

It's getting late.

Why,

I do declare there's Ned Moffat.

Look,

Meg,

Isn't that the man who bowed to you one day when you were shopping?

So it is.

How queer he should come.

I thought he was back at the mountains.

There's Sally,

I'm glad she's got back in time.

Am I all right,

Joe?

Cried Meg in a flutter.

A regular daisy.

Hold up your dress and put your hat straight.

You look sentimental tipped that way and it'll fly off at the first puff.

Come on,

Then.

Joe,

You're not going to wear that awful hat,

Are you?

It's too absurd.

You shall not make a guy of yourself,

Demonstrated Meg,

As Joe tied down with a red ribbon a broad-brimmed,

Old-fashioned leg horn that Laurie had sent for a joke.

I just will,

Though,

For it's capital.

So shady,

Light and big,

It'll make great fun and I don't mind being a guy if I'm comfortable.

And with that,

Joe marched straight away and the rest followed.

A bright little band of sisters,

All looking their best in summer suits with happy faces under the jaunty hat brims.

Laurie ran to meet and present them to his friends in the most cordial manner.

The lawn was the reception room and for several minutes a lively scene was enacted there.

Meg was grateful to see Miss Kate,

Though twenty who's dressed with a simplicity American girls would do well to imitate.

And she was much flattered by Mr Ned's assurances that he came especially to see her.

Joe understood why Laurie primmed up his mouth when speaking of Kate for that young lady had a stand-off don't-touch-me air which contrasted strongly with the free and easy demeanour of the other girls.

Beth took an observation of the new boys and decided the lame one was not dreadful at all,

But gentle and feeble and she would be kind to him on that account.

Amy found Grace a well-mannered,

Merry little person and after staring dumbly at one another for a few minutes they suddenly became very good friends.

Tents,

Lunch and croquet utensils had been sent on beforehand and the party was soon embarked.

Laurie and Joe rowed one boat,

Mr Brooke and Ned the other whilst Fred Vaughan,

The rioter's twin,

Did his best to upset both by paddling about in a wary,

Like a disturbed water bug.

Joe's funny hat deserved a word of thanks.

It was of general utility.

It broke the ice in the beginning by producing a laugh created quite a refreshing breeze,

Flapping to and fro as she rowed.

Kate looked rather amazed at Joe's proceedings especially as she exclaimed,

Christopher Columbus,

When she lost her awe.

My dear fellow,

Did I hurt you?

Said Laurie,

When he tripped over her feet in taking his place.

But after putting up her glass to examine the queer girl several times Miss Kate decided she was odd but rather clever and smiled upon Joe from afar.

Meg in the other boat was delightfully situated face to face with the rowers who both admired the prospect and feathered their oars with uncommon skill and dexterity.

Mr Brooke was a grave,

Silent young man with handsome brown eyes and a pleasant voice.

Meg liked his quiet manners and considered him a walking encyclopedia of useful knowledge.

He never talked much,

But he looked at her a good deal and she felt sure he did not regard her with aversion.

Ned,

Being in college,

Of course put on all the airs which freshmen think it their bound and duty to assume.

He was not very wise,

But very good-natured and altogether an excellent person to carry on a picnic.

Sally Gardner was absorbed in keeping her white piquet dress clean and chattering with a ubiquitous Fred who kept Beth in constant terror by his pranks.

It was not far to Long Meadow but the tent was pitched and the wickets down by the time they arrived.

A pleasant green field with three wide-spreading oaks in the middle and a smooth strip of turf at the croquet.

Welcome to Camp Lawrence,

Said the young host as they landed with exclamations of delight.

Brooke is commander-in-chief,

I'm commissary general the other fellows are staff officers and you,

Ladies,

Are company.

The tent is for your special benefit and that oak is your drawing room this is the mess room and the third is the camp kitchen.

Now let's have a game before it gets hot,

Then we'll see about dinner.

Frank,

Beth,

Amy and Grace sat down to watch the game played by the other eight.

Mr.

Brooke chose Meg,

Kate and Fred Laurie took Sally,

Jo and Ned The Englishers played well but the Americans played better and contested every inch of the ground as strongly as if the spirit of 76 inspired them.

Jo and Fred had several skirmishes and once narrowly escaped high at words.

Jo was through the last wicket and had missed the stroke which failure ruffled her a good deal.

Fred was close behind and his turn came before hers he gave a stroke,

His ball hit the wicket and stopped an inch on the wrong side.

No one was very near and running up to examine he gave it a sly nudge with his toe which put it just an inch on the right side.

I'm through,

Now Miss Jo I'll settle you and get in first cried the young gentleman swinging his mallet for another blow.

You pushed it,

I saw you,

It's my turn now said Jo sharply.

Upon my word I didn't,

Rolled a bit perhaps but that's allowed,

So stand off please and let me have a go at the stake.

We don't cheat in America,

But you can if you choose said Jo angrily.

Yankees are a good deal the most tricky everybody knows there you go,

Returned Fred,

Croquetting her ball far away.

Jo opened her lips to say something rude but checked herself in time,

Cut it up to her forehead and stood a minute hammering down a wicket with all her might while Fred hit the stake and declared himself out with much exultation.

Jo went off to get her ball and was a long time finding it among the bushes but she came back looking cool and quiet and waited her turn patiently.

It took several strokes to regain the place she'd lost and when at last she got there the other side had nearly won Kate's ball was the last but one and lay near the stake.

Bye George,

It's all up with us.

Goodbye Kate,

Miss Jo owes me one so you're finished cried Fred excitedly.

Yankees have a trick of being generous to their enemies said Jo with a look that made the lad redden especially when they beat them.

Kate's ball untouched,

She had won the game by a clever stroke.

At this Laurie threw up his hat then remembering it wouldn't do to exult over the defeat of his guests he stopped in the middle of a cheer to whisper good for you Jo,

He did cheat,

I saw him you can't tell him so but he won't do it again take my word for it.