wishI’dprintedthewholeornotatall，forIdohatetobesomisjudged。“
Herfamilyandfriendsadministeredcomfortandcommendationliberally。Yetitwasahardtimeforsensitive，high-spiritedJo，whomeantsowellandhadapparentlydonesoill。Butitdidhergood，forthosewhoseopinionhadrealvaluegaveherthecritismwhichisanauthor’sbesteducation，andwhenthefirstsorenesswasover，shecouldlaughatherpoorlittlebook，yetbelieveinitstill，andfeelherselfthewiserandstrongerforthebuffetingshehadreceived。
“Notbeingagenius，likeKeats，itwon’tkillme，“shesaidstoutly，“andI’vegotthejokeonmyside，afterall，forthepartsthatweretakenstraightoutofreallifearedenouncedasimpossibleandabsurd，andthescenesthatImadeupoutofmyownsillyheadarepronounced`charminglynatural，tender，andtrue’。SoI’llcomfortmyselfwiththat，andwhenI’mready，I’llupagainandtakeanother。“
Likemostotheryoungmatrons，Megbeganhermarriedlifewiththedeterminationtobeamodelhousekeeper。Johnshouldfindhomeaparadise，heshouldalwaysseeasmilingface，shouldfaresumptuouslyeveryday，andneverknowthelossofabutton。Shebroughtsomuchlove，energy，andcheerfulnesstotheworkthatshecouldnotbutsucceed，inspiteofsomeobstacles。Herparadisewasnotatranquilone，forthelittlewomanfussed，wasover-anxioustoplease，andbustledaboutlikeatrueMartha，cumberedwithmanycares。Shewastootired，sometimes，eventosmile，Johngrewdyspepticafteracourseofdaintydishesandungratefullydemandedplainfare。Asforbuttons，shesoonlearnedtowonderwheretheywent，toshakeherheadoverthecarelessnessofmen，andtothreatentomakehimsewthemonhimself，andseeifhisworkwouldstandimpatientandclumsyfingersanybetterthanhers。
Theywereveryhappy，evenaftertheydiscoveredthattheycouldn’tliveonlovealone。JohndidnotfindMeg’sbeautydiminished，thoughshebeamedathimfrombehindthefamiliarcoffeepot。