The Palace Beautiful: A Story for GirlsMeade, L. T.
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The Palace Beautiful: A Story for Girls
Meade, L. T.
England -- Juvenile fiction; Orphans -- Juvenile fiction; Sisters -- Juvenile fiction; Young women -- Juvenile fiction
"Yes, but it's the London I has got to do with," answered Poppy
Jenkins--"and oh! the worst of all is, that aunt won't have me called
by my home name--she speaks of it most bitter as a 'weed.' She says
poppies are what are meant in the Scripter by the tares. Don't it
sound real awful?--I trembled all over when she told me that. So Sarah
I am here, and Sarah Ann, and Sarah Jane, and Sarah Mary the ladies
calls me. When they're in a very good humor I'm Sarah Mary, and when
they're a bit put out it's Sarah Jane they calls for, and now and then
I'm Sarah Ann--then I know I'm in for a scolding. Oh yes, Miss
Primrose, London is not what we thought it."
"Never mind," said Primrose sweetly; "you'll always be Poppy to us,
dear, and I know the tares were not poppies, so don't you fret--the
poppy is a sweet flower, and Poppy is a sweet name for a girl. Why we
four are all called after flowers, and we must just be very friendly,
and very brave and loving and sweet in this London, and then, perhaps,
it won't disappoint us."
"You're real kind, Miss Primrose," said Poppy. "Yes, it's a great ease
to me to know as you three are in the house. I won't be so
lonesome-like now, and I won't be dreaming that I'm a tare. It's awful
to think of yourself as a tare, but I know now that aunt made a
mistake. Oh, ain't Miss Daisy beautiful in her sleep? Now look here,
you're all tired, and I'll bring you up your breakfasts in bed. You
shall have some of mother's fresh eggs and real country butter. I'll
run downstairs, and bring you up some breakfast the very first thing."
The girls spent that morning in their room. They unpacked a few of
their things, and put their mother's picture on the mantel-piece, and
Primrose opened Mr. Danesfield's letter. It contained an enclosure
within and on this enclosure was written, in a funny little printing
hand, "When you want me, use me; don't return me, and never abuse me."
Primrose's face grew rather red. She read the funny little motto two
or three times, then put the enclosure unopened into her trunk.
"I think," she said, looking at Jasmine, "that we will not send this
back. I had a queer dream last night. It seemed to me that mother came
to me and said, 'Are you not foolish to cast away all your kind
friends? Try to remember that true independence is not too proud to
lean on others. Primrose, for my sake do not be over proud.' Mr.
Danesfield was always a friend of mother's," continued Primrose, "so I
will keep his letter until we want it, and will write him a little
note to thank him for it."
Then the girls sat down by the open window and looked out into the
street. It was a very dull street, and the day was warm and murky,
with no sun shining.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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