The Downstairs Girl

Mrs. Payne asks Jo to weigh in on if a common horse can participate in a horse race. Jo replies any horse can be trained to be great. Caroline is happy with Jo’s answer since it means Thief—who hasn’t been bred to race—can participate in the upcoming races.

Miss Saltworth and Miss Pepper—whom Jo privately calls “Salt” and “Pepper”—visit Caroline and discuss the new Miss Sweetie column in the Focus. Jo is astonished to learn the Bells published her piece advising ladies to ask men out to the race. Meanwhile, Mrs. Payne asks Jo to fetch the newspaper from Mr. Payne’s study.

Jo is overjoyed to see her column announced in the Focus and brings back the paper to Mrs. Payne. Mrs. Payne likes the progressive advice of the column and resolves to buy several copies of the Focus to discuss at a meeting of the Atlanta Belles, a women’s society.

Later, Jo rides Sweet Potato and dreams of the next columns she will write. Jo comes across Merritt and his new Arabian horse, Amir. Merritt complains to her that his fiancée, “Jane Bentley of Boston” (98), is boring. Though Merritt is harmless, Jo decides to stay away from him as she believes it was his interest in her that got her fired last time.