Work: A Story of Experience

Work: A Story of Experience

The Project Gutenberg EBook of Work: A Story of Experience, by
Louisa May Alcott (#11 in our series by Louisa May Alcott)
Copyright laws are changing all over the world. Be sure to check the
copyright laws for your country before downloading or redistributing
this or any other Project Gutenberg eBook.
This header should be the first thing seen when viewing this Project
Gutenberg file. Please do not remove it. Do not change or edit the
header without written permission.
Please read the "legal small print," and other information about the
eBook and Project Gutenberg at the bottom of this file. Included is
important information about your specific rights and restrictions in how
the file may be used. You can also find out about how to make a
donation to Project Gutenberg, and how to get involved.
**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts**
**eBooks Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since
1971**
*****These eBooks Were Prepared By Thousands of
Volunteers!*****
Title: Work: A Story of Experience
Author: Louisa May Alcott
Release Date: December, 2003 [EBook #4770] [Yes, we are more than
one year ahead of schedule] [This file was first posted on March 15,
2002]
Edition: 10

Language: English
Character set encoding: ASCII
*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK, WORK: A
STORY OF EXPERIENCE ***

This etext was produced by Charles Aldarondo.

WORK:
A STORY OF EXPERIENCE.
BY
LOUISA M. ALCOTT,
AUTHOR OF "LITTLE WOMEN," "LITTLE MEN," "AN
OLD-FASHIONED GIRL," "HOSPITAL SKETCHES," ETC.
"An endless significance lies in work; in idleness alone is there
perpetual despair."--CARLYLE.
BOSTON:
1901.

TO
MY MOTHER,
WHOSE LIFE HAS BEEN A LONG LABOR OF LOVE, THIS
BOOK IS GRATEFULLY INSCRIBED
BY
HER DAUGHTER.

CONTENTS.
I. CHRISTIE II. SERVANT III. ACTRBSS IV. GOVERNESS V.
COMPANION VI. SEAMSTRESS VII. THROUGH THE MIST VIII.
A CURE FOR DESPAIR IX. MRS. WILKINS'S MINISTER X.
BEGINNING AGAIN XI. IN THE STRAWBERRY BED XII.
CHRISTIE'S GALA XIII. WAKING UP XIV. WHICH? XV.
MIDSUMMER XVI. MUSTERED IN XVII. THE COLONEL XVIII.
SUNRISE XIX. LITTLE HEART'S-EASE XX. AT FORTY

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS,
FROM DRAWINGS BY SOL EYTINGE.
"How doth the little busy bee" Christie Aunt Betsey's Interlarded
Speech Mrs. Stuart. Hepsey Christie as Queen of the Amazons Mr.
Philip Fletcher Mrs. Saltonstall and Family "No, I thank you" Helen
Carrol Mrs. King and Miss Cotton The Rescue "C. Wilkins, Clear
Starcher" Lisha Wilkins Mrs. Wilkins' "Six Lively Infants" Mr. Power
Mrs. Sterling David and Christie in the Greenhouse Mr. Power and
Christie in the Strawberry Bed A Friendly Chat Kitty. "One Happy
Moment" David "Then they were married" "Don't mourn, dear heart,
but WORK" "She's a good little gal; looks consid'able like you" "Each
ready to do her part to hasten the coming of the happy end"

WORK:
A STORY OF EXPERIENCE.

CHAPTER I.
CHRISTIE.

CHRISTIE.
"AUNT BETSEY, there's going to be a new Declaration of
Independence."
"Bless and save us, what do you mean, child?" And the startled old lady
precipitated a pie into the oven with destructive haste.
"I mean that, being of age, I'm going to take care of myself, and not be
a burden any longer. Uncle wishes me out of the way; thinks I ought to
go, and, sooner or later, will tell me so. I don't intend to wait for that,
but, like the people in fairy tales, travel away into the world and seek
my fortune. I know I can find it."
Christie emphasized her speech by energetic demonstrations in the
bread-trough, kneading the dough as if it was her destiny, and she was
shaping it to suit herself; while Aunt Betsey stood listening, with

uplifted pie-fork, and as much astonishment as her placid face was
capable of expressing. As the girl paused, with a decided thump, the
old lady exclaimed:
"What crazy idee you got into your head now?"
"A very sane and sensible one that's got to be worked out, so please
listen to it, ma'am. I've had it a good while, I've thought it over
thoroughly, and I'm sure it's the right thing for me to do. I'm old enough
to take care of myself; and if I'd been a boy, I should have been told to
do it long ago. I hate to be dependent; and now there's no need of it, I
can't bear it any longer. If you were poor, I wouldn't leave you; for I
never forget how kind you have been to me. But Uncle doesn't love or
understand me; I am a burden to him, and I must go where I can take
care of myself. I can't be happy till I do, for there's nothing here for me.
I'm sick of this dull town, where the one idea is eat,