Mrs Jo had read something on the subject and asked each of the dozen girls sitting about the room, what she intended to do on leaving college.
The answers were as usual: 'I shall teach, help mother, study medicine, art,' etc.; but nearly all ended with: 'Till I marry.' 'But if you don't marry, what then ?' asked Mrs Jo, feeling like a girl again as she listened to the answers, and watched the thoughtful, gay, or eager faces.
'Be old maids, I suppose.

Horrid, but inevitable, since there are so many superfluous women,' answered a lively lass, too pretty to fear single blessedness unless she chose it.
'It is well to consider that fact, and fit yourselves to be useful, not superfluous women.

That class, by the way, is largely made up of widows, I find; so don't consider it a slur on maidenhood.' 'That's a comfort! Old maids aren't sneered at half as much as they used to be, since some of them have grown famous and proved that woman isn't a half but a whole human being, and can stand alone.' 'Don't like it all the same.

We can't all be like Miss Nightingale, Miss Phelps, and the rest.' So what can we do but sit in a corner and look on ?' asked a plain girl with a dissatisfied expression.
'Cultivate cheerfulness and content, if nothing else.

But there are so many little odd jobs waiting to be done that nobody need "sit idle and look on", unless she chooses,' said Mrs Meg, with a smile, laying on the girl's head the new hat she had just trimmed.
'Thank you very much.