Produced by David Edwards, Ernest Schaal, and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive) LITTLE WOMEN LETTERS FROM THE HOUSE OF ALCOTT [Illustration: _Frontispiece._ ORCHARD HOUSE, THE ALCOTT HOMESTEAD.] LITTLE WOMEN LETTERS FROM THE HOUSE OF ALCOTT SELECTED BY JESSIE BONSTELLE AND MARIAN DEFOREST [Illustration] BOSTON LITTLE, BROWN, AND COMPANY 1914 _Copyright, 1914_, BY JOHN S. P. ALCOTT. _All rights reserved_ Published, September, 1914 Set up and electrotyped by J. S. Cushing Co., Norwood, Mass., U.S.A. Presswork by S. J. Parkhill & Co., Boston, Mass., U.S.A. FOREWORD NEXT to the joy of giving to the Alcott-loving public "Little Women" as a play, is the privilege and pleasure of offering this book of letters, revealing the childhood and home life of the beloved Little Women. May they bring help and happiness to many mothers and inspiration and love to many children. CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE I. THE "REALLY, TRULY" TRUE 1 II. THE ALCOTT BOY; THE ALCOTT MAN 10 III. THE ALCOTT CHILDREN 28 IV. THE ALCOTT BABY BOOK 39 V. LETTERS AND CONVERSATIONS WITH CHILDREN 59 VI. THE MOTHER'S INFLUENCE 98 VII. CHILDREN'S DIARIES 122 VIII. GIRLHOOD AND WOMANHOOD 140 IX. FRIENDSHIPS AND BELIEFS 162 CHRONOLOGY 195 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Orchard House, the Alcott Homestead _Frontispiece_ PAGE A. Bronson Alcott at the age of 53, from the portrait by Mrs. Hildreth 54 Facsimile of Mr. Alcott's Letter to Louisa, Nov. 29, 1839 82 Facsimile of Mr. Alcott's Letter to Louisa, June 21, 1840 86