Work: A Story of Experience

Name: Work: A Story of Experience
Author: Louisa May Alcott

by Louisa May Alcott

Pages: about 431
Category: Literature & Fiction
Language: English
Reading time: 7.9 h at 250 wpm

Start readingThe whole book, as cards or one word at a time. 4.4 h at 450 wpm in Read mode.

From the opening

“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:
“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, drink, and get rich; I don’t find any friends to help me as I want to be helped, or any work that I can do well; so let me go, Aunty, and find my place, wherever it is.”

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Work: A Story of Experience

From the opening

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