Literary Lessons

           FortunesuddenlysmileduponJo,anddroppedagoodluckpennyinherpath.Notagoldenpenny,exactly,butIdoubtifhalfamillionwouldhavegivenmorerealhappinessthendidthelittlesumthatcametoherinthiswise.

           Everyfewweeksshewouldshutherselfupinherroom,putonherscribblingsuit,and‘fallintoavortex’,assheexpressedit,writingawayathernovelwithallherheartandsoul,fortillthatwasfinishedshecouldfindnopeace.Her‘scribblingsuit’consistedofablackwoolenpinaforeonwhichshecouldwipeherpenatwill,andacapofthesamematerial,adornedwithacheerfulredbow,intowhichshebundledherhairwhenthedeckswereclearedforaction.Thiscapwasabeacontotheinquiringeyesofherfamily,whoduringtheseperiodskepttheirdistance,merelypoppingintheirheadssemi-occasionallytoask,withinterest,"Doesgeniusburn,Jo?"Theydidnotalwaysventureeventoaskthisquestion,buttookanobservationofthecap,andjudgedaccordingly.Ifthisexpressivearticleofdresswasdrawnlowupontheforehead,itwasasignthathardworkwasgoingon,inexcitingmomentsitwaspushedrakishlyaskew,andwhendespairseizedtheauthoritwaspluckedwhollyoff,andcastuponthefloor.Atsuchtimestheintrudersilentlywithdrew,andnotuntiltheredbowwasseengailyerectuponthegiftedbrow,didanyonedareaddressJo.