Hon. Mrs Norton, with a pen in her hand and a rapt expression of
countenance, likewise a diadem and pearl necklace.

Keeping his gravity with an effort, Teddy pointed to a very bad
portrait of Mrs Jo, which hung behind the door, and afforded her much
amusement, it was so dismal, in spite of a curious effect of light
upon the end of the nose and cheeks as red as the chair she sat in.

'This was taken for my mother; but it is not very good,' he said,
enjoying the struggles of the girls not to look dismayed at the sad
difference between the real and the ideal. The youngest, aged twelve,
could not conceal her disappointment, and turned away, feeling as so
many of us have felt when we discover that our idols are very
ordinary men and women.

'I thought she'd be about sixteen and have her hair braided in two
tails down her back. I don't care about seeing her now,' said the
honest child, walking off to the hall door, leaving her mother to
apologize, and her sisters to declare that the bad portrait was
'perfectly lovely, so speaking and poetic, you know, 'specially about
the brow'.

'Come girls, we must be goin', if we want to get through today. You
can leave your albums and have them sent when Mrs Bhaer has written a
sentiment in 'em. We are a thousand times obliged. Give our best love
to your ma, and tell her we are so sorry not to see her.' Just as
Mrs. Erastus Kingsbury Parmalee uttered the words her eye fell upon
a middle-aged woman in a large checked apron, with a handkerchief
tied over her head, busily dusting an end room which looked like a
study.