I'VE BEEN TAGGED!

Do you know about tagging? I've just been tagged and this is the result...

Firstly, though, I need to post the rules of tagging so you all know what the game actually is:

The rules are as follows:

1. Pick up the nearest book of 123 pages or more.
2. Open it to page 123.
3. Write down the first 4 sentences.
4. Invite 5 friends to do the same.

Here then are my five sentences taken from page 123 of Eight Cousins:

"Rose's sprain proved to be a serious one, owing to neglect and Dr Alec ordered her to lie on the sofa for a fortnight at least; wheareat she groaned dismally, but dared not openly complain lest the boys turn upon her with some of the wise little sermons on patience which she had delivered for their benefit.

It was Mac's turn now, and honorably did he repay his debt; for, as school was still forbidden, he had plenty of leisure, and devoted most of it to Rose. He took many steps for her, and even allowed her to teach him to knit, after assuring himself that many a brave Scotchman knew how to "click the pricks." She was obliged to take a solemn vow of secrecy, however, before he would consent; for, though he did not mind being called "Giglamps," "Granny" was more than his boyish soul could bear, and at the approach of any of the Clan his knitting vanished as if by magic, which frequent "chucking" out of sight did not improve the stripe he was doing for Rose's new afghan."

Yes it's a childish piece as it's from a children' book - albeit one first published in 1875. This will explain the strange sentence construction - the extensive punctuation with many semi-colons but few full stops. The writer may surprise you - it is, in fact, Louisa May Alcott whose works known to you probably don't go further than Little Women, Good Wives, Little Men and Jo's Boys. However she did write others, the most well known of these being 'Eight Cousins" and 'An Old-Fashioned Girl".

Louisa lived at Orchard House in Concorde, Mass. with her family and the most famous of her books was based on her own siblings. Her father founded a School of Philosophy in the grounds of their home and both it and the family home are now tourist attractions. No photos are allowed inside but the guided tour is very interesting, embracing as it does both the life and the times of this warmly considered writer and advocate of feminism.