THE LOUISA ALCOTT READER _A Supplementary Reader for the Fourth Year of School_ By Louisa M. Alcott [Illustration: "Lily rocked and ate till she finished the top of the little tree."] CONTENTS. I. A CHRISTMAS DREAM II. THE CANDY COUNTRY III. NAUGHTY JOCKO IV. THE SKIPPING SHOES V. COCKYLOO VI. ROSY'S JOURNEY VII. HOW THEY RAN AWAY VIII. THE FAIRY BOX IX. A HOLE IN THE WALL X. THE PIGGY GIRL [Illustration: She actually stood in "a grove of Christmas trees."] I. A CHRISTMAS DREAM, AND HOW IT CAME TRUE. "I'm so tired of Christmas I wish there never would be another one!" exclaimed a discontented-looking little girl, as she sat idly watching her mother arrange a pile of gifts two days before they were to be given. "Why, Effie, what a dreadful thing to say! You are as bad as old Scrooge; and I'm afraid something will happen to you, as it did to him, if you don't care for dear Christmas," answered mamma, almost dropping the silver horn she was filling with delicious candies. "Who was Scrooge? What happened to him?" asked Effie, with a glimmer of interest in her listless face, as she picked out the sourest lemon-drop she could find; for nothing sweet suited her just then. "He was one of Dickens's best people, and you can read the charming story some day. He hated Christmas until a strange dream showed him how dear and beautiful it was, and made a better man of him." "I shall read it; for I like dreams, and have a great many curious ones myself. But they don't keep me from being tired of Christmas," said Effie, poking discontentedly among the sweeties for something worth eating. "Why are you tired of what should be the happiest time of all the year?" asked mamma, anxiously. "Perhaps I shouldn't be if I had something new. But it is always the same, and there isn't any more surprise about it. I always find heaps of goodies in my stocking. Don't like some of them, and soon get tired of those I do like. We always have a great dinner, and I eat too much, and feel ill next day. Then there is a Christmas tree somewhere, with a doll on top, or a stupid old Santa Claus, and children dancing and screaming over bonbons and toys that break, and shiny things that are of no use. Really, mamma, I've had so many Christmases all alike that I don't think I _can_ bear another one." And Effie laid herself flat on the sofa, as if the mere idea was too much for her. Her mother laughed at her despair, but was sorry to see her little girl so discontented, when she had everything to make her happy, and had known but ten Christmas days. "Suppose we don't give you _any_ presents at all,--how would that suit you?" asked mamma, anxious to please her spoiled child.