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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.
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 star