The Palace Beautiful: A Story for Girls

  CHAPTER XIX.

  A BRIGHT DAY.

  Last times are always sad to write about and think about, but firsttimes are generally pleasant. Notwithstanding a certain sense ofdisappointment which certainly did assail the three girls on theirentrance into London, notwithstanding the fact which Jasmine only tooquickly discovered, that the streets were not paved with gold, nor theair replete with promises, yet there was still something left in thatsame London air, a sort of mystery and wonder about it. There wasstill something of untold fascination in the busy and crowded streets,which brought a great sense of delight and exhilaration to the threeyoung adventurers.

  Jasmine spoke about the stories which met her at every turn; she feltalmost melted to tears at the sight of the sadness in the eyes of somewomen, and some little children. But again, beautiful ladies drivingpast in carriages made of almost fairy lightness caused her to laughwith pleasure.

  Primrose was more gravely impressed by London than Jasmine. Heremotions were not so keen as her younger sister's, her purpose was farmore steadfast; and even in the first few days when the girls gavethemselves up to seeing the wonderful sights of the great metropolisshe could never forget the real object for which they had come.

  Daisy, when she had become reconciled to the smuts and disagreeables,and the slights to which the Pink was exposed all day long in PenelopeMansion, began to enjoy life in a serene but unqualified manner. Eachof the girls had her own particular tastes; and these they were by nomeans slow to express to one another.

  Primrose, who intended to study china painting--to make it, in short,a profession--liked to stand opposite some large shop in OxfordStreet, and to study and try to carry away in her mind's eye the shapeand beauty of the many lovely things displayed in the windows.

  Jasmine, who during the first few days had quite made up her mind notto worry at all about the future, did not much care for these gazingfits of Primrose's. She wanted to get into the parks. She exclaimed inecstasy over the horses, and those picture-galleries which were freeto the public quite enchanted her. Daisy frankly admitted that sheliked toy-shops, and of all toy-shops those which displayed rows ofdolls in their windows the best. Primrose had decided that the threeshould have one week's holiday, and it was during this week that theybegan to make a certain first acquaintance with London. "It is theheart of the world," Jasmine was heard to say. "Primrose, it is whatwe pictured it; in many ways it is even greater than what we picturedit. Oh, don't your cheeks glow, and don't you feel that your eyes areshining when you look down Oxford Street? Yes, it is lovely and grand,and I think we ought to show poor dear Poppy some more of itsdelights."

  Primrose was only too glad to give Poppy all the happiness in herpower, and she and Jasmine arranged that they would take the littlegirl out with them on another expedition before they settled downfinally to the great work of their lives.

  "We'll spend five shillings," said Primrose, "we must not on anyaccount spend more, but we will be extravagant, and give poor Poppy areal treat with one crown piece."

  "We had better ask her to come to-morrow," said Daisy; "five shillingsseems a lot of money. Do you think there will be enough over,Primrose, to buy me a tiny, tiny little doll?"

  Primrose kissed Daisy, and said she would try somehow to manage thedoll, and Jasmine was elected to go downstairs and sound Poppy on thesubject of the morrow's treat.

  The little maiden had made herself pretty well at home in the Mansionby this time, and she soon discovered Poppy in what was called theback scullery. The ladies had all finished their mid-day meal, andwere out. Even Mrs. Flint had sallied forth to a distant market tosecure some cheap provisions, and Poppy had the back scullery toherself. She was handling the dinner-plates in a rather clumsy manner,and, after the fashion of a discontented little girl, was sighing overher work, and not doing it properly.

  "Oh, let me help you!" said Jasmine, dancing up to her: "I hatewashing china, or delf, or whatever you call it, after people haveeaten, but I like wiping it if the cloths are clean. Poppy, I havecome to you about a most delicious and important scheme."

  "Lor, Miss Jasmine," said Poppy, her fingers trembling violently, andthe large dish which she was washing nearly slipping out of them."Lor, miss, you do startle me. I was in the dumps, and you are for allthe world like the sun coming out. Why, deary me, the back sculleryain't by no means such a bad sort of place when you're in it, MissJasmine."

  "It is very damp and gloomy, all the same," answered Jasmine. "I dohope you will be quick, Poppy, in washing up those uninterestingdinner-plates. Now, look here, Primrose and Daisy and I have beenmaking up such a lovely plan. We want to take you out with usto-morrow; we are going to spend five shillings, quite lots of money,you know, and we are going to have dinner out, and perhaps tea out;and we are going a good long way. Can you come with us to-morrow,Poppy?"

  "Hold me," said Poppy, suddenly stretching out her hand, "the sculleryis damp and close, and my head a-going round. Let's get out into theback yard, Miss Jasmine. Now I can breathe. Oh, didn't I say thatLondon was dazzling, and isn't it you three that has got the hearts ofgold. Say it all over again to me, please, Miss Jasmine. What is itwe're all a-going to do to-morrow?"

  "Oh, what a silly, Poppy, you are," said Jasmine; "why even I do notget as excited as you do. We are going out, and you are coming withus, and we are going to spend five shillings."

  Poppy's cheeks flushed a vivid crimson, her eyes sparkled, and hersmall feet began involuntarily to dance.

  "I has set my heart on something beauteous," she said, "and, oh, dear,Miss Jasmine, you will do it, won't you? You won't let none of thembiting disappointments with which the air is choke full, as full as itis of smuts, come in the way. If you three darling ladies spend acrown piece, and take me abroad, we'll be on pleasure bent, and onpleasure alone. Say so, do, Miss Jasmine."

  "Why, Poppy, of course we are going for pleasure; what do you mean?"

  "Only that we won't be going Cathedraling and Towering. I don't saynothing ag'in them places, but when I wants real pleasure, and a crownpiece spent on me, I don't go in for no Cathedraling."

  Jasmine laughed. "I tell you what," she said, "you shall choose thepleasure yourself, Poppy. It's your treat, and you shall choose. Now,do say what hour you will be ready to start to-morrow, for we want togo early, and have a real long day."

  "Let's think," said Poppy. "To-morrow is, yes, to-morrow is Thursday.Cold joint to-morrow, and a salad made with stale lettuce which wegets cheap; potatoes boiled plain and not mashed, and a apple dumplingto follow. The ladies is very particular that their pastry should belight. Miss Slowcum says she can't sleep a bit at night if her pastryis heavy. She called me Sarah Martha Ann the last time I made it, andshe looked most vinegary. Yes, Miss Jasmine, the dinner's plainto-morrow, and I'll get up with the daybreak, and do my cleaning. Idon't see why Aunt Flint shouldn't let me go with you, miss."

  Mrs. Flint, when properly attacked, proved herself quite vulnerable.She was anxious to please the Mainwarings who she hoped would take uptheir abode with her, for naughty Primrose had by no means divulgedher real plans. Accordingly, Poppy was allowed to get her dinnerbeforehand, and a very happy little quartet left the Mansion soonafter eleven o'clock.

  They had gone some little distance from Penelope Mansion, and foundthemselves in a far more cheerful and bright-looking street, beforePoppy divulged her plans.

  "I has got to choose," she said, "and as I stated distinct to MissJasmine yesterday, I don't go in for the glooms of the Tower, nor thesolemns of the Cathedral. I'd like to walk from end to end of OxfordStreet first, and then I'd like to take a penny boat on the river."

  "A penny boat!" exclaimed the three sisters in a breath, "that doessound delightful, and so cheap. Where did you hear of penny boats,Poppy?"

  Poppy's face became radiant.

  "It was the last charwoman at the Mansion," she answered. "She saidthat if you wanted a pleasure, and a pleasure cheap, there was nothingin all the world like a penny boat. You sit i
n it, and there you are,as snug as snug; plenty of room and plenty of company, and plenty ofsights. Mrs. Jones said that if there was a pleasure to rest atired charwoman it was to be found in a penny boat."

  "Well, we are not charwomen, but we may as well have a little rest andfun while we can," answered Jasmine. "I think yours is a lovely treat,dear Poppy, and we will try and get into the penny boat as fast aspossible."

  "I don't know how we are to reach the boats," said Primrose. "I beginto know my way a little about Oxford Street, but how are we to findthe river?"

  Poppy, however, had made good use of her acquaintance with Mrs. Jonesthe charwoman. She knew the name as well as the color of the omnibuswhich would safely convey them near to the pier at Westminster. Shealso knew, being instructed by Mrs. Jones, that a policeman was theright person to give her information as to where this special omnibuswas to be found. She was by no means shy in making her desires knownto one of these useful and worthy members of society, and in a shorttime the four found themselves bowling away in the direction ofWestminster, and then, without any insurmountable difficulty, securedcomfortable seats on one of the river steamers.

  The day was perfect, neither too hot nor too cold, and the summerbreezes fanned the young cheeks pleasantly, and raised the youthfulspirits to an exhilarating height. Poppy forgot her troubles inPenelope Mansion, her difficulties with regard to the name of Sarah.She forgot the gloom of the back scullery, and the discontented frownquite vanished from her brow. London was again dazzling in her eyes,and her own future was replete with hope.

  Primrose also ceased to worry over the anxieties and cares of thefuture; she ceased to reflect on the plan which was so soon to becarried into execution. Her serene face looked sweet and careless asin the happy days of her mother's lifetime. She leaned back in herseat, gazed at the beauties of the river, and gave herself up to thehappiness of the hour.

  The two younger girls, being never over anxious and being always moreor less full of hope, were to-day only more hopeful and bright thanusual. Many people turned to look at the pretty sisters, and to laughat Poppy's innocent expressions of rapture.

  They landed at Battersea, and wandered about the pretty park, and hadrefreshments in a quaint restaurant, where they really managed tosatisfy their hunger at a very moderate charge.

  That evening they returned to the Mansion, having kept within thelimits of the prescribed five shillings, and each of them declaringthat she had never known a happier day.

  "But now," said Primrose, addressing her two sisters solemnly, "wemust remember that after to-night we have done with pleasure.To-morrow we must seriously set about forming our plans."