Eight Cousins
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"Eight Cousins, or The Aunt-Hill" was published in 1875 by American novelist Louisa May Alcott. It is the story of Rose Campbell, a lonely and sickly girl who has been recently orphaned and must now reside with her maiden aunts, the matriarchs of her wealthy Boston family. When Rose's guardian, Uncle Alec, returns from abroad, he takes over her care. Through his unorthodox theories about child-rearing, she becomes happier and healthier while finding her place in her family of seven boy cousins and numerous aunts and uncles. She also makes friends with Phebe, her aunts' young housemaid, whose cheerful attitude in the face of poverty helps Rose to understand and value her own good fortune.

Preface

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

  Louisa May Alcott1.

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