An evening with John over the account books usually produced a temporary lull in the culinary enthusiasm , and a frugal fit would ensue , during which the poor man was put through a course of bread pudding , hash , and warmed-over coffee , which tried his soul , although he bore it with praiseworthy fortitude . Before the golden mean was found , however , Meg added to her domestic possessions what young couples seldom get on long without , a family jar . Fired a with housewifely wish to see her storeroom stocked with homemade preserves , she undertook to put up her own currant jelly . John was requested to order home a dozen or so of little pots and an extra quantity of sugar , for their own currants were ripe and were to be attended to at once . As John firmly believed that ` my wife ' was equal to anything , and took a natural pride in her skill , he resolved that she should be gratified , and their only crop of fruit laid by in a most pleasing form for winter use . Home came four dozen delightful little pots , half a barrel of sugar , and a small boy to pick the currants for her . With her pretty hair tucked into a little cap , arms bared to the elbow , and a checked apron which had a coquettish look in spite of the bib , the young housewife fell to work , feeling no doubts about her success , for had n't she seen Hannah do it hundreds of times ? The array of pots rather amazed her at first , but John was so fond of jelly , and the nice little jars would look so well on the top shelf , that Meg resolved to fill them all , and spent a long day picking , boiling , straining , and fussing over her jelly . She did her best , she asked advice of Mrs. Cornelius , she racked her brain to remember what Hannah did that she left undone , she reboiled , resugared , and restrained , but that dreadful stuff would n't ` jell ' . She longed to run home , bib and all , and ask Mother to lend her a hand , but John and she had agreed that they would never annoy anyone with their private worries , experiments , or quarrels . They had laughed over that last word as if the idea it suggested was a most preposterous one , but they had held to their resolve , and whenever they could get on without help they did so , and no one interfered , for Mrs. March had advised the plan . So Meg wrestled alone with the refractory sweetmeats all that hot summer day , and at five o'clock sat down in her topsy-turvey kitchen , wrung her bedaubed hands , lifted up her voice and wept . Now , in the first flush of the new life , she had often said , `` My husband shall always feel free to bring a friend home whenever he likes . I shall always be prepared . There shall be no flurry , no scolding , no discomfort , but a neat house , a cheerful wife , and a good dinner . John , dear , never stop to ask my leave , invite whom you please , and be sure of a welcome from me . '' How charming that was , to be sure ! John quite glowed with pride to hear her say it , and felt what a blessed thing it was to have a superior wife . But , although they had had company from time to time , it never happened to be unexpected , and Meg had never had an opportunity to distinguish herself till now . It always happens so in this vale of tears , there is an inevitability about such things which we can only wonder at , deplore , and bear as we best can .
If John had not forgotten all about the jelly , it really would have been unpardonable in him to choose that day , of all the days in the year , to XXXXX a friend home to dinner unexpectedly .
Fired bore bring feel pick reboiled resolved said wept wrung