Produced by Chris Whitehead, Heather Clark, Barry Abrahamsen and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This book was produced from scanned images of public domain material from the Google Books project.) PROVERB STORIES. BY LOUISA M. ALCOTT, AUTHOR OF “SILVER PITCHERS,” “LITTLE WOMEN,” “AN OLD-FASHIONED GIRL,” “LITTLE MEN,” “EIGHT COUSINS,” “ROSE IN BLOOM,” “UNDER THE LILACS,” “JACK AND JILL,” “WORK, A STORY OF EXPERIENCE,” “MOODS, A NOVEL,” “HOSPITAL SKETCHES,” “AUNT JO’S SCRAP-BAG.” ---------- LONDON: SAMPSON LOW, MARSTON, SEARLE, & RIVINGTON, CROWN BUILDINGS, 188 FLEET STREET. 1882. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ PREFACE. BEING forbidden to write anything at present I have collected various waifs and strays to appease the young people who clamor for more, forgetting that mortal brains need rest. As many girls have asked to see what sort of tales Jo March wrote at the beginning of her career, I have added “The Baron’s Gloves,” as a sample of the romantic rubbish which paid so well once upon a time. If it shows them what _not_ to write it will not have been rescued from oblivion in vain. L. M. ALCOTT. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ CONTENTS. ------- PAGE KITTY’S CLASS DAY 5 AUNT KIPP 26 PSYCHE’S ART 55 A COUNTRY CHRISTMAS 84 ON PICKET DUTY 124 THE BARON’S GLOVES 156 MY RED CAP 251 WHAT THE BELLS SAW AND SAID 271 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ PROVERB STORIES. ------- KITTY’S CLASS DAY. “A stitch in time saves nine.” ------- “O PRIS, Pris, I’m really going! Here’s the invitation—rough paper—Chapel—spreads—Lyceum Hall—everything splendid; and Jack to take care of me!” As Kitty burst into the room and performed a rapturous _pas seul_, waving the cards over her head, sister Priscilla looked up from her work with a smile of satisfaction on her quiet face.