Gossip

           InorderthatwemaystartafreshandgotoMeg’sweddingwithfreeminds,itwillbewelltobeginwithalittlegossipabouttheMarches.Andhereletmepremisethatifanyoftheeldersthinkthereistoomuch‘lovering’inthestory,asIfeartheymay(I’mnotafraidtheyoungfolkswillmakethatobjection),IcanonlysaywithMrs.March,"WhatcanyouexpectwhenIhavefourgaygirlsinthehouse,andadashingyoungneighborovertheway?"

           Thethreeyearsthathavepassedhavebroughtbutfewchangestothequietfamily.Thewarisover,andMr.Marchsafelyathome,busywithhisbooksandthesmallparishwhichfoundinhimaministerbynatureasbygrace,aquiet,studiousman,richinthewisdomthatisbetterthanlearning,thecharitywhichcallsallmankind‘brother’,thepietythatblossomsintocharacter,makingitaugustandlovely.

           Theseattributes,inspiteofpovertyandthestrictintegritywhichshuthimoutfromthemoreworldlysuccesses,attractedtohimmanyadmirablepersons,asnaturallyassweetherbsdrawbees,andasnaturallyhegavethemthehoneyintowhichfiftyyearsofhardexperiencehaddistillednobitterdrop.Earnestyoungmenfoundthegray-headedscholarasyoungatheartasthey;thoughtfulortroubledwomeninstinctivelybroughttheirdoubtstohim,sureoffindingthegentlestsympathy,thewisestcounsel.Sinnerstoldtheirsinstothepure-heartedoldmanandwerebothrebukedandsaved.Giftedmenfoundacompanioninhim.