An Old-fashioned Girl | Page 3

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Prepared by David Reed [email protected] or [email protected]

An Old-fashioned Girl
by Louisa M. Alcott

Preface
AS a preface is the only place where an author can with propriety
explain a purpose or apologize for shortcomings, I venture to avail
myself of the privilege to make a statement for the benefit of my
readers. As the first part of "An Old-Fashioned Girl" was written in
1869, the demand for a sequel, in beseeching little letters that made
refusal impossible, rendered it necessary to carry my heroine boldly
forward some six or seven years into the future. The domestic nature of
the story makes this audacious proceeding possible; while the lively
fancies of my young readers will supply all deficiencies, and overlook
all discrepancies.
This explanation will, I trust, relieve those well-regulated minds, who
cannot conceive of such literary lawlessness, from the bewilderment
which they suffered when the same experiment was tried in a former
book.
The "Old-Fashioned Girl" is not intended as a perfect model, but as a
possible improvement upon [Page] the Girl of the Period, who seems
sorrowfully ignorant or ashamed of the good old fashions which make
woman truly beautiful and honored, and, through her, render home
what it should be,-a happy place, where parents and children, brothers
and sisters, learn to love and know and help one another.
If the history of Polly's girlish experiences suggests a hint or insinuates
a lesson, I shall feel that, in spite of many obstacles, I have not entirely
neglected my duty toward the little men and women, for whom it is an
honor and a pleasure to write, since in them I have always found my

kindest patrons, gentlest critics, warmest friends.
L. M. A.

Contents

Chapter 1.
Polly Arrives
Chapter 2.
New Fashions
Chapter 3.
Polly's Troubles
Chapter 4.
Little Things
Chapter 5.
Scrapes
Chapter 6.
Grandma
Chapter 7.
Good-by
Chapter 8.
Six Years Afterward
Chapter 9.
Lessons
Chapter 10.
Brothers and Sisters
Chapter 11.
Needles and Tongues
Chapter 12.
Forbidden Fruit
Chapter 13.
The Sunny Side
Chapter 14.
Nipped in the Bud
Chapter 15.
Breakers Ahead

Chapter 16.
A Dress Parade
Chapter 17.
Playing Grandmother
Chapter 18.
The Woman Who Did Not Dare
Chapter 19.
Tom's Success

An Old-fashioned Girl

CHAPTER I
POLLY ARRIVES
"IT 'S time to go to the station, Tom."
"Come on, then."
"Oh, I 'm not going; it 's too wet. Should n't have a crimp left if I went
out such a day as this; and I want to look nice when Polly