Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this file which includes the original illustration. See 41127-h.htm or 41127-h.zip: (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/41127/41127-h/41127-h.htm) or (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/41127/41127-h.zip) Images of the original pages are available through Internet Archive/American Libraries. See http://archive.org/details/roseinbloomseque00alcoiala Transcriber's note: Text enclosed by underscores is in italics (_italics_). Small capital text has been replaced with all capitals. Variations in spelling, punctuation and hyphenation have been retained except in obvious cases of typographical error. Page 372: "snowdrops in your bonny hair?" The transcriber has replaced the question mark with a period (full stop). ROSE IN BLOOM. [Illustration: frontispiece] A Sequel to "Eight Cousins." by LOUISA M. ALCOTT, Author of "Little Women," "An Old-Fashioned Girl," "Little Men," "Hospital Sketches," "Aunt Jo's Scrap-Bag," "Work," "Eight Cousins," etc. With Illustration. Boston: Roberts Brothers. 1876. Copyright, 1876, By Louisa M. Alcott. [Illustration: publisher's mark] Cambridge: Press of John Wilson & Son. PREFACE. As authors may be supposed to know better than any one else what they intended to do when writing a book, I beg leave to say that there is no moral to this story. Rose is not designed for a model girl: and the Sequel was simply written in fulfilment of a promise; hoping to afford some amusement, and perhaps here and there a helpful hint, to other roses getting ready to bloom. L. M. ALCOTT. SEPTEMBER, 1876. CONTENTS. Chap. Page I. COMING HOME 1 II. OLD FRIENDS WITH NEW FACES 30 III. MISS CAMPBELL 52 IV. THORNS AMONG THE ROSES 69 V. PRINCE CHARMING 80 VI. POLISHING MAC 99 VII. PHEBE 123 VIII. BREAKERS AHEAD 149 IX. NEW YEAR'S CALLS 160 X. THE SAD AND SOBER PART 179 XI. SMALL TEMPTATIONS 191 XII. AT KITTY'S BALL 212 XIII. BOTH SIDES 234 XIV. AUNT CLARA'S PLAN 252 XV. ALAS FOR CHARLIE 261 XVI. GOOD WORKS 276 XVII. AMONG THE HAYCOCKS 290 XVIII. WHICH WAS IT? 309 XIX. BEHIND THE FOUNTAIN 333 XX. WHAT MAC DID 342 XXI. HOW PHEBE EARNED HER WELCOME 355 XXII. SHORT AND SWEET 367 ROSE IN BLOOM. CHAPTER I. _COMING HOME._