NELLY'S HOSPITAL.—PAGE 54
AUNT JO's SCRAP-BAG.
Volume III.
CUPID AND CHOW-CHOW, ETC.
BY LOUISA M. ALCOTT,
AUTHOR OF "LITTLE WOMEN," "AN OLD-FASHIONED GIRL,"
"LITTLE MEN," "HOSPITAL SKETCHES."
BOSTON:
ROBERTS BROTHERS.
1896
Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1873, by
LOUISA M. ALCOTT
In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington.
UNIVERSITY PRESS : JOHN WILSON & SON,
CAMBRIDGE.
CONTENTS.
I. Cupid and Chow-Chow
II. Huckleberry
III. Nelly's Hospital
IV. Grandma's Team
V. Fairy Pinafores
VI. Mamma's Plot
VII. Kate's Choice
VIII. The Moss People
IX. What Fanny Heard
X. A Marine Merry-making
AUNT JO'S SCRAP-BAG.
I.
CUPID AND CHOW-CHOW.
(With Illustrations by Addie Ledyard)
Mamma began it by calling herrosy, dimpled, year-old babyCupid, and as he grew up thename became more and moreappropriate, for the pretty boyloved every one, every one lovedhim, and he made thoseabout him fond of one another, like a regular littlegod of love.
Especially beautiful and attractive did he look ashe pranced on the door-steps one afternoon whilewaiting the arrival of a little cousin. Our Cupid'scostume was modernized out of regard to the prejudicesof society, and instead of wings, bandage, bowand arrow, he was gorgeous to behold in smallbuckled shoes, purple silk hose, black velvetknickerbockers, and jacket with a lace collar, which, withhis yellow hair cut straight across the forehead, andfalling in long, curling love-locks behind, made himlook like an old picture of a young cavalier.
It was impossible for the little sprig to help beinga trifle vain when every one praised his comeliness,and every mirror showed him a rosy face, with bigblue eyes, smiling lips, white teeth, a cunning nose,and a dimple in the chin, not to mention the goldenmane that hung about his neck.
Yes, Cupid was vain; and as he waited, he pranced,arranged the dear buckled shoes in the first position,practised his best bow, felt of his dimple, and smiledaffably as he pictured to himself the pleasure andsurprise of the little cousin when he embraced herin the ardent yet gentle way which made his greetingsparticular