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And three years went by。 Three precious years。 Carrie still taught
school； and hated it。 Eva kept house more and more complainingly as
prices advanced and allowance retreated。 Stell was still Babe； the family
beauty。 Emily's hair； somehow； lost its glint and began to look just plain
brown。 Her crinkliness began to iron out。
〃Now； look here！〃 Jo argued； desperately； one night。 〃We could be
happy； anyway。 There's plenty of room at the house。 Lots of people
begin that way。 Of course； I couldn't give you all I'd like to； at first。
But maybe； after a while〃 No dreams of salons； and brocade； and
velvet…footed servitors； and satin damask now。 Just two rooms； all their
own； all alone； and Emily to work for。 That was his dream。 But it
seemed less possible than that other absurd one had been。
Emily was as practical a little thing as she looked fluffy。 She knew
women。 Especially did she know Eva； and Carrie； and Babe。 She tried
to imagine herself taking the household affairs and the housekeeping
pocket… book out of Eva's expert hands。 So then she tried to picture
herself allowing the reins of Jo's house to remain in Eva's hands。 And
everything feminine and normal in her rebelled。 Emily knew she'd want
to put away her own freshly laundered linen； and smooth it； and pat it。
She was that kind of woman。 She knew she'd want to do her own
delightful haggling with butcher and grocer。 She knew she'd want to
muss Jo's hair； and sit on his knee； and even quarrel with him； if necessary；
without the awareness of three ever…present pairs of maiden eyes and ears。
〃No！ No！ We'd only be miserable。 I know。 Even if they didn't
object。 And they would； Jo。 Wouldn't they？〃
His silence was miserable assent。 Then； 〃But you do love me。 don't
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you； Emily？〃
〃I do； Jo。 I love youand love youand love you。 But； Jo； Ican't。〃
〃I know it； dear。 I knew it all the time； really。 I just thought； maybe；
somehow〃
The two sat staring for a moment into space； their hands clasped。
Then they both shut their eyes with a little shudder； as though what
they saw was terrible to look upon。 Emily's hand； the tiny hand that was
so unexpectedly firm； tightened its hold on his； and his crushed the absurd
fingers until she winced with pain。
That was the beginning of the end； and they knew it。
Emily wasn't the kind of girl who would be left to pine。 There are
too many Jos in the world whose hearts are prone to lurch and then thump
at the feel of a soft； fluttering； incredibly small hand in their grip。 One
year later Emily was married to a young man whose father owned a large；
pie… shaped slice of the prosperous state of Michigan。
That being safely accomplished； there was something grimly
humorous in the trend taken by affairs in the old house on Calumet。 For
Eva married。 Married well； too； though he was a great deal older than
she。 She went off in a hat she had copied from a French model at Field's；
and a suit she had contrived with a home dressmaker； aided by pressing on
the part of the little tailor in the basement over on Thirty…first Street。 It
was the last of that； though。 The next time they saw her； she had on a hat
that even she would have despaired of copying； and a suit that sort of
melted into your gaze。 She moved to the North Side （trust Eva for that）；
and Babe assumed the management of the household on Calumet Avenue。
It was rather a pinched little household now； for the harness business
shrank and shrank。
〃I don't see how you can expect me to keep house decently on this！〃
Babe would say contemptuously。 Babe's nose； always a little inclined to
sharpness； had whittled down to a point of late。 〃If you knew what Ben
gives Eva。〃
〃It's the best I can do； Sis。 Business is something rotten。〃
〃Ben says if you had the least bit of〃 Ben was Eva's husband； and
quotable； as are all successful men。
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〃I don't care what Ben says；〃 shouted Jo； goaded into rage。 〃I'm
sick of your everlasting Ben。 Go and get a Ben of your own； why don't
you； if you're so stuck on the way he does things。〃
And Babe did。 She made a last desperate drive； aided by Eva； and
she captured a rather surprised young man in the brokerage way； who had
made up his mind not to marry for years and years。 Eva wanted to give
her her wedding things； but at that Jo broke into sudden rebellion。
〃No； sir！ No Ben is going to buy my sister's wedding clothes；
understand？ I guess I'm not brokeyet。 I'll furnish the money for her
things； and there'll be enough of them； too。〃 Babe had as useless a
trousseau； and as filled with extravagant pink…and… blue and lacy and frilly
things； as any daughter of doting parents。 Jo seemed to find a grim
pleasure in providing them。 But it left him pretty well pinched。 After
Babe's marriage （she insisted that they call her Estelle now） Jo sold the
house on Calumet。 He and Carrie took one of those little flats that were
springing up； seemingly overnight； all through Chicago's South Side。
There was nothing domestic about Carrie。 She had given up teaching
two years before； and had gone into social…service work on the West Side。
She had what is known as a legal mindhard； clear； orderlyand she made
a great success of it。 Her dream was to live at the Settlement House and
give all her time to the work。 Upon the little household she bestowed a
certain amount of grim； capable attention。 It was the same kind of
attention she would have given a piece of machinery whose oiling and
running had been entrusted to her care。 She hated it； and didn't hesitate
to say so。
Jo took to prowling about