Just fancy how horrid ! -- and led her to the recitation platform , and made her stand there half an hour , holding the slate so everyone could see . '' `` Did n't the girls laugh at the picture ? '' asked Jo , who relished the scrape . `` Laugh ? Not one ! They sat still as mice , and Susie cried quarts , I know she did . I did n't envy her then , for I felt that millions of carnelian rings would n't have made me happy after that . I never , never should have got over such a agonizing mortification . '' And Amy went on with her work , in the proud consciousness of virtue and the successful utterance of two long words in a breath . `` I saw something I liked this morning , and I meant to tell it at dinner , but I forgot , '' said Beth , putting Jo 's topsy-turvy basket in order as she talked . `` When I went to get some oysters for Hannah , Mr. Laurence was in the fish shop , but he did n't see me , for I kept behind the fish barrel , and he was busy with Mr. Cutter the fish-man . A poor woman came in with a pail and a mop , and asked Mr. Cutter if he would let her do some scrubbing for a bit of fish , because she had n't any dinner for her children , and had been disappointed of a day 's work . Mr. Cutter was in a hurry and said ` No ' , rather crossly , so she was going away , looking hungry and sorry , when Mr. Laurence hooked up a big fish with the crooked end of his cane and held it out to her . She was so glad and surprised she took it right into her arms , and thanked him over and over . He told her to ` go along and cook it ' , and she hurried off , so happy ! Was n't it good of him ? Oh , she did look so funny , hugging the big , slippery fish , and hoping Mr. Laurence 's bed in heaven would be ` aisy ' . '' When they had laughed at Beth 's story , they asked their mother for one , and after a moments thought , she said soberly , `` As I sat cutting out blue flannel jackets today at the rooms , I felt very anxious about Father , and thought how lonely and helpless we should be , if anything happened to him . It was not a wise thing to do , but I kept on worrying till an old man came in with an order for some clothes .
He XXXXX down near me , and I began to talk to him , for he looked poor and tired and anxious . ''
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