And, children, the little book made Louisa famous. It was so sweet and
funny and sad and real,--like our own lives,--that everybody wanted to
read it. Everybody bought it, and much money came from it. After so many
years, little Louisa's wish came true: she bought a nice house for her
family; she sent one of her sisters to Europe, to study; she gave her
father books; but best of all, she was able to see to it that the
beloved mother, so tired and so ill, could have rest and happiness.
Never again did the dear mother have to do any hard work, and she had
pretty things about her all the rest of her life.

Louisa Alcott, for that was Louisa's name, wrote many beautiful books
after this, and she became one of the most famous women of America. But
I think the most beautiful thing about her is what I have been telling
you: that she loved her mother so well that she gave her whole life to
make her happy.




MY KINGDOM


The little Louisa I told you about, who wrote verses and stories in her
diary, used to like to play that she was a princess, and that her
kingdom was her own mind. When she had unkind or dissatisfied thoughts,
she tried to get rid of them by playing they were enemies of the
kingdom; and she drove them out with soldiers; the soldiers were
patience, duty, and love. It used to help Louisa to be good to play
this, and I think it may have helped make her the splendid woman she was