- Beth March: You're old enough now to leave off boyish tricks and behave better, Josephine. Now you are so tall and turn up your hair, you must remember you're a young lady.
- Jo March: No, l'm not. And if turning up my hair makes me so, l'll wear it down till l'm a hundred!
- [first lines]
- Marmee March: So you're going to Washington?
- Old Man: Yes, ma'am; my son is sick in the hospital there.
- Marmee March: Oh, this will be an anxious Christmas for you.
- Marmee March: [finding him a coat] I think this one will do; let's try this. Is it your only son?
- Old Man: No, ma'am. I had four; two were killed, one is a prisoner.
- Marmee March: [deeply moved] You've done a great deal for your country, sir.
- Old Man: Oh, not a mite more than I ought, ma'am. I'd go myself if I was any use. Thank you for the overcoat.
- Marmee March: Wait a minute...
- Marmee March: [giving him some money] I hope you find him better.
- Old Man: Thank you, ma'am. God bless you; merry Christmas. Merry Christmas!
- Marmee March: Merry Christmas!
- [last lines]
- Prof. Bhaer: Oh, please, please... just, just one moment, before... I have a wish to ask you something. Would you... Oh, I-I... I have no courage to think that... but, but, but, could I dare hope that... I? I... I know I, I shouldn't make so free as to ask. I have nothing to give, but my heart so full and... and these empty hands.
- Jo March: [taking his hands in hers] Not empty now.
- Prof. Bhaer: Oh, heart's dearest!
- [they embrace]
- Jo March: [drawing him into the house] Welcome home!
- Amy March: l'm sure neither of you suffer as l do. You don't have to go to that nasty old Davis' school with impertinent girls who laugh at you and label your father 'cause he isn't rich.
- Jo March: ''*Libel*.'' Libel. Don't say ''label'' as if Papa were a pickle bottle.
- Amy March: I know what I mean. And you needn't be statirical about it.
- [Jo suppresses a laugh at Amy's mispronunciation]
- Amy March: It's proper to use good words and improve your vocabillary.
- Aunt March: Did you clean Polly's cage today?
- Jo March: Yes, Aunty.
- Aunt March: Did you wash those teacups and put them away carefully?
- Jo March: Yes, Aunty.
- Aunt March: You didn't break any?
- Jo March: No, Aunty.
- Meg March: l'm sure Marmee would approve if l got some new gloves. l've darned my old ones until l can hardly get them on. She always says a real lady is known by her neat gloves and boots.
- Meg March: lf Jo is a tomboy and Amy's a goose, what am l, please?
- Beth March: You're a dear and nothing else.
- Jo March: We're three ungrateful wretches who don't deserve you.
- Marmee March: Do you remember how you used to play "Pilgrim's Progress" when you were little things?
- Jo March: l can see us all now with your ragbags tied over our backs for burdens.
- Marmee March: You have real burdens now, instead of ragbags.
- Beth March: Amy, your absurd words are as bad as Jo's slang. Your airs are funny now, but you'll grow into an affected little goose unless you take care.
- Marmee March: l have a treat for you.
- Meg March: A letter from Father?
- Jo March: Three cheers for Father!
- Marmee March: "Give them all my dear love and a kiss. Tell them l know they will remember all l said to them: that they will be loving children to you, will do their duty faithfully, fight their bosom enemies bravely, and conquer themselves so beautifully that when l come back to them, l may be fonder and prouder than ever of my little women."
- Amy March: l - I am a selfish girl, but l'll truly try to be better and not waste my time in school, so that Father may not be disappointed in me.
- Jo March: l'll try and be what he loves to call me, "a little woman", and not be rough and wild, and do my duty here at home instead of always wanting to go to war to help Father.
- Beth March: l'm not going to be envious anymore, if l can help it.
- Marmee March: Now, we'll save the rest till after tea, for it's such a lovely long letter. l know everybody must be hungry.
- Jo March: l give you leave to look as much as you like. l wish instead of just peeping, you'd come over and see us. We'd have jolly times together.
- Jo March: The boy put it into his head, l know he did. He looks like a capital fellow and l'm dying to get acquainted. l'm going to, too.
- Jo March: My sister, Meg, sent you some of her blancmange. lt's soft and will slide down easily without hurting your throat.
- Marmee March: Hold your tongue, Miss Baby.
- Jo March: l'll be as prim as l can be and not get into any scrapes, if l can help it.
- Jo March: You see, l have a bad trick of standing in front of the fire and l scorched my frock and l burned this one.
- Jo March: He'd better keep away from me or l'll tell him what l think of him - trying to break up other people's happiness and spoil all their fun.
- Laurie: lt doesn't spoil any fun. lt makes it twice as good. You'll find out when someone falls in love with you. Soft summer day. Sun setting through the trees. Your lover's arms stealing around you.
- Jo March: l'd like to see anybody try it.
- Laurie: Would you?
- Laurie: You'll be sorry. l was going to tell you something very plummy. A secret. All about people you know - and such fun.
- Marmee March: I want to carry away a picture in my mind of my brave little women to take to Father. Goodbye, my darlings.
- Marmee March: Meg, dear, watch over your sisters. Be patient, Jo. Don't do anything rash. Beth, dear, help all you can. Amy, be obedient.
- Aunt March: I'm only thinking of your own good, Margaret. You should make a rich match to help your family. This rude person has no money! No position in life.
- Meg March: Oh, but that doesn't mean he never will have.
- Aunt March: Oh! So he's counting on *my* money. He knows you've got rich relatives.
- Marmee March: Don't be surprised, dear. Mothers have to have sharp eyes - especially when their daughters keep their troubles to themselves.