For Anna
1840
beauty or duty
which
loves Anna best?
a
Question
from her
father
Christmas Eve
Dec. 1840
Concordia.
For Louisa, the father's message was this:
For Louisa
1840
Louisa loves—
What?
(Softly)
fun
Have some then,
Father
says.
Christmas Eve, Dec. 1840
Concordia.
For the baby of the household, the father's love message took poetic form:
For Abba
1840
For Abba
Babe fair,
Pretty hair,
Bright eye,
Deep sigh,
Sweet lip,
Feet slip,
Handsome hand,
Stout grand,
Happy smile,
Time beguile,
All I ween,
Concordia's Queen.
Almost without the dates, one could keep track of the development of the Alcott girls through their father's letters. This one demonstrates his gift of teaching by the use of suggestion:
For Anna
1842
A Father's Gift
to his
Daughter
on her
Eleventh Birthday.
Concordia
16th March
1842