must sit still all you can and keep your back out of sight.
The front is all right. I shall have a new ribbon for my hair, and
Marmee will lend me her little pearl pin, and my new slippers are
lovely, and my gloves will do, though they aren't as nice as I'd like."

"Mine are spoiled with lemonade, and I can't get any new ones,
so I shall have to go without," said Jo, who never troubled herself
much about dress.

"You must have gloves, or I won't go," cried Meg decidedly.
"Gloves are more important than anything else. You can't dance
without them, and if you don't I should be so mortified."

"Then I'll stay still. I don't care much for company dancing.
It's no fun to go sailing round. I like to fly about and cut capers."

"You can't ask Mother for new ones, they are so expensive, and
you are so careless. She said when you spoiled the others that she
shouldn't get you any more this winter. Can't you make them do?"

"I can hold them crumpled up in my hand, so no one will know
how stained they are. That's all I can do. No! I'll tell you how
we can manage, each wear one good one and carry a bad one. Don't
you see?"