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 did n'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 . The lunch looked charming , and as she surveyed it , she sincerely hoped it would taste well , and that the borrowed glass , china , and silver would get safely home again . The carriages were promised , Meg and Mother were all ready to do the honors , Beth was able to help Hannah behind the scenes , Jo had engaged to be as lively and amiable as an absent mind , and aching head , and a very decided disapproval of everybody and everything would allow , and as she wearily dressed , Amy cheered herself with anticipations of the happy moment when , lunch safely over , she should drive away with her friends for an afternoon of artistic delights , for the ` cherry bounce ' and the broken bridge were her strong points . Then came the hours of suspense , during which she vibrated from parlor to porch , while public opinion varied like the weathercock . A smart shower at eleven had evidently quenched the enthusiasm of the young ladies who were to arrive at twelve , for nobody came , and at two the exhausted family sat down in a blaze of sunshine to consume the perishable portions of the feast , that nothing might be lost . `` No doubt about the weather today , they will certainly come , so we must fly round and be ready for them , '' said Amy , as the sun woke her next morning . She spoke briskly , but in her secret soul she wished she had said nothing about Tuesday , for her interest like her cake was getting a little stale . `` I ca n't get any lobsters , so you will have to do without salad today , '' said Mr. March , coming in half an hour later , with an expression of placid despair . `` Use the chicken then , the toughness wo n't matter in a salad , '' advised his wife . `` Hannah left it on the kitchen table a minute , and the kittens got at it . I 'm very sorry , Amy , '' added Beth , who was still a patroness of cats . `` Then I must have a lobster , for tongue alone wo n't do , '' said Amy decidedly . `` Shall I rush into town and demand one ? '' asked Jo , with the magnanimity of a martyr .
`` You 'd come bringing it XXXXX under your arm without any paper , just to try me .
arrangement breakfasts carriages glass home honors magnanimity salad soul weather