FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   63   64   65   66   67   68   69   70   71   72   73   74   75   76   77   78   79   80   81   82   83   84   85   86   87  
88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   103   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   >>   >|  
d and milk for breakfast, that they might carry their nicely prepared meal to a poor woman, with six children, who called them _Engel-kinder_, much to Louisa's delight. Now they improvised a stage, and produced real plays, while the neighbors looked in and enjoyed the fun. Louisa was especially fond of reading Shakespeare, Goethe, Emerson, Margaret Fuller, Miss Edgeworth, and George Sand. As early as eight years of age she wrote a poem of eight lines, _To a Robin_, which her mother carefully preserved, telling her that "if she kept on in this hopeful way, she might be a second Shakespeare in time." Blessings on those people who have a kind smile or a word of encouragement as we struggle up the hard hills of life! At thirteen she wrote _My Kingdom_. When, years afterward, Mrs. Eva Munson Smith wrote to her, asking for some poems for _Woman in Sacred Song_, Miss Alcott sent her this one, saying, "It is the only hymn I ever wrote. It was composed at thirteen, and as I still find the same difficulty in governing my kingdom, it still expresses my soul's desire, and I have nothing better to offer." "A little kingdom I possess Where thoughts and feelings dwell, And very hard the task I find Of governing it well; For passion tempts and troubles me, A wayward will misleads, And selfishness its shadow casts On all my words and deeds. "How can I learn to rule myself, To be the child I should, Honest and brave, and never tire Of trying to be good? How can I keep a sunny soul To shine along life's way? How can I tune my little heart To sweetly sing all day? "Dear Father, help me with the love That casteth out my fear; Teach me to lean on Thee, and feel That Thou art very near: That no temptation is unseen, No childish grief too small, Since Thou, with patience infinite, Doth soothe and comfort all. "I do not ask for any crown, But that which all may win; Nor try to conquer any world Except the one within. Be Thou my guide until I find, Led by a tender hand, Thy happy kingdom in myself, And dare to take command." Louisa was very imaginative, telling stories to her sisters and her mates, and at sixteen wrote a book for Miss Ellen Emerson, entitled _Flower Fables_. It was not published till six years later, and then, being florid in style, did not bring her any fame. She was now anxious to earn her support. She
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   63   64   65   66   67   68   69   70   71   72   73   74   75   76   77   78   79   80   81   82   83   84   85   86   87  
88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   103   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

Louisa

 

kingdom

 

telling

 
governing
 
thirteen
 

Shakespeare

 
Emerson
 

casteth

 

patience

 

infinite


temptation
 

unseen

 

childish

 

Father

 

Honest

 
sweetly
 

nicely

 

comfort

 

Flower

 
entitled

Fables

 
published
 

stories

 

imaginative

 

sisters

 

sixteen

 

anxious

 
support
 

florid

 

command


conquer

 

prepared

 

breakfast

 

Except

 

tender

 

soothe

 

shadow

 

struggle

 

neighbors

 

encouragement


looked

 

people

 

Munson

 

afterward

 

Kingdom

 

Blessings

 
Margaret
 

Goethe

 

Fuller

 

George