The Project Gutenberg EBook of Eight Cousins, by Louisa M. Alcott

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Title: Eight Cousins

Author: Louisa M. Alcott

Posting Date: December 6, 2008 [EBook #2726]
Release Date: July, 2001

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK EIGHT COUSINS ***

Produced by David Reed

EIGHT COUSINS

By Louisa M. Alcott

Preface

The Author is quite aware of the defects of this little story, many of
which were unavoidable, as it first appeared serially. But, as Uncle
Alec's experiment was intended to amuse the young folks, rather than
suggest educational improvements for the consideration of the elders,
she trusts that these shortcomings will be overlooked by the friends of
the Eight Cousins, and she will try to make amends in a second volume,
which shall attempt to show The Rose in Bloom.

L.M.A.

Chapter 1--Two Girls

Rose sat all alone in the big best parlor, with her little handkerchief
laid ready to catch the first tear, for she was thinking of her
troubles, and a shower was expected. She had retired to this room as a
good place in which to be miserable; for it was dark and still, full of
ancient furniture, sombre curtains, and hung all around with portraits
of solemn old gentlemen in wigs, severe-nosed ladies in top-heavy caps,
and staring children in little bob-tailed coats or short-waisted frocks.
It was an excellent place for woe; and the fitful spring rain that
pattered on the window-pane seemed to sob, "Cry away: I'm with you."

Rose really did have some cause to be sad; for she had no mother, and
had lately lost her father also, which left her no home but this with
her great-aunts. She had been with them only a week, and, though the
dear old ladies had tried their best to make her happy, they had not
succeeded very well, for she was unlike any child they had ever seen,
and they felt very much as if they had the care of a low-spirited
butterfly.

They had given her the freedom of the house, and for a day or two
she had amused herself roaming all over it, for it was a capital old
mansion, and was full of all manner of odd nooks, charming rooms, and
mysterious passages. Windows bro