The Palace Beautiful: A Story for Girls
Page 33
CHAPTER XXXIII.
VISITING THE PUBLISHERS.
Jasmine had begged of Daisy to keep her secret from Primrose's ears.She said that half her pleasure in bringing home money for hercontributions would be destroyed if Primrose knew about it beforehand.Jasmine hoped that if she were very successful she might be able tobuy a little present apiece for both her sisters. Primrose badlyneeded some new gloves, and Jasmine pictured to herself how her eldestsister's sweet eyes would fill with tears, and how touched she wouldbe by her little offering. Yes, certainly Daisy must keep her secretfaithfully.
On Tuesday morning, as Primrose was preparing to start for PenelopeMansion, Jasmine announced her intention of accompanying her. Her facehad a slightly guilty look as she made this suggestion; and Daisyquite blushed, and kept her eyes fixed on her plate, and wondered howJasmine would smuggle a large roll of manuscript out of the house.Primrose immediately guessed that there was a little mystery afloat,but she was not a curious girl, and was only too pleased to see thather sisters had something to interest them.
"You can walk with me if you like, Jasmine," she said; "but it is arather dull morning, and I fear it will rain."
"Torrents wouldn't keep me in to-day," said Jasmine. Then fearing shehad betrayed herself, she added hastily, "I want to see Poppy. Poppyis to have a holiday to-day, and I want to take her out."
Primrose made no further objection, and Jasmine having packed hermanuscript into a small leather bag, and having given Daisy a somewhatsolemn farewell, the two girls set out.
When they arrived at the Mansion Primrose went upstairs at once toMrs. Mortlock's sitting-room, but Jasmine began to enter into anearnest conversation with Poppy.
"Are you quite ready, Poppy? Oh, you've got your working dress onstill; how tiresome!"
"I won't be a minute changing, Miss Jasmine; the hours for the workingmaid's holiday are from ten to ten, and I won't be denied them. Theclock has just gone ten, miss, and not another stroke of work shallAunt Flint get out of me to-day, miss."
"Quite right, Poppy," said Jasmine; "run upstairs now, and be asquick as possible, and I will wait for you in the hall."
Poppy did not need to be told to hasten; she flew up to the smallattic which she occupied at the top of the house, and made a hastyand, she hoped, a brilliant toilet. She had been thinking for weeks ofthis day; for since Primrose had come to Mrs. Mortlock's Jasmine hadpromised Poppy that she was to spend her holiday with her, and Poppyhad been getting ready her toilet with a view to the occasion.
Her dress, after all, was only an ordinary and somewhat shabby brownone, but she had adorned her tight-fitting black jacket with asky-blue bow, which hung down in front with what she considered "trulyhartistic folds." Poppy's hat, however, was her master-piece; it was arather small white straw hat, trimmed with dark blue velvet, andadorned with a scarlet tip and a bunch of yellow daffodils.
Poppy's black eyes gleamed mischievously under the shade of thisbrilliant hat, and her cheeks rivalled the scarlet tip in their color.
With her little purse clasped tightly in her hand she trippeddownstairs and joined Jasmine.
Jasmine was too excited and too eager to be off to notice Poppy'sattire particularly, and when her hat and general get-up were receivedwithout a comment the little maid whispered to herself, "It's onlyanother of the _bitings_; life's full of them--choke-full."
"Where are we going, Miss Jasmine?" she asked aloud, smothering back aslight sigh.
"Business first, Poppy," said Jasmine--"business first and thenpleasure. I thought we'd make a little programme in this way--we'dvisit the publishers at their seats of learning in the morning hours;in the afternoon we might go to Madame Tussaud's or a picturegallery--I'd prefer that, but of course naturally you'd go in forMadame Tussaud's, Poppy; then in the evening we'll go and have teawith Daisy. We'll bring something nice in for tea, and Daisy will beso happy. I expect to have very good news to bring to my little sisterto-night, Poppy."
"Oh, indeed, miss, I'm sure I'm gratified to hear that same. I think,Miss Jasmine, that the programme sounds sensible--the dull part first,and then the pleasure, and then the needed refreshment for our hungrybodies. All things considered, Miss Jasmine, seeing that I eats thebread of toil from morn to eve, and have a swimming head, owing tobeing Sarah with every other name tacked on, I think it might be bestfor me to be enlivened with the waxen figures, miss, and not to havemy poor brain worrited with picters."
"All right, Poppy, we will certainly go to Madame Tussaud's--but youmust not consider the first part of our day dull, dear Poppy--it isbusiness, certainly, but you don't know what it means to me. To-day,Poppy, I am about to take my first soaring flight."
"Oh law! Miss Jasmine--I always knew you were clever, miss, and Isuppose it is because I'm so worried in my business days that I've gotthat stupid that I can't see no meaning at all in your words, miss."
"All right, Poppy, you need not see any meaning in them--all you haveto do is to come with me, and look very grave and solemn, and say'Yes' when I say 'Yes,' and shake your head and look stern when I do.You are older than me, Poppy, and you are coming as a sort ofchaperon. Oh dear! Poppy, I wish you would not wear that scarlet wingand those yellow flowers in your hat."
"The cruellest of all the bitings," whispered Poppy under her breath.Aloud she said, in a meek but determined little voice--
"That hat's as it's trimmed, Miss Jasmine, and must remain according,for it can't be denuded in the street."
"All right, Poppy. Your own dear face looks sweet and home-like underit; now let us get into the very first omnibus, and find our way tothe city."
When the girls arrived within the sacred precincts of the far-famedPaternoster Row, Jasmine held her breath a little, and stood stillwhile she eagerly considered as to which publishing house she shouldoffer her wares. Finally, she determined that her first pilgrimageshould be to the editor of _The Downfall_, who had not yet returned oreven written to her about her "Ode to Adversity."
The office of _The Downfall_ was not in Paternoster Row, but in a verynarrow street adjoining, and Jasmine, followed by Poppy, plungedboldly down this narrow alley, and then up, and up, and up, and up thewinding stairs to the editor's office at the top of the house.
Jasmine had not been at all agreeably impressed by Mr. Rogers on theoccasion of her former visit. Unaccompanied by Poppy, she wouldscarcely have again ventured to approach him, but Poppy looked quitedetermined and resolute enough to give her little companion courage,and Jasmine's childish voice was presently heard in the outer officedemanding to see the editor.
It so happened that Mr. Rogers was not particularly engaged, for _TheDownfall_ was rapidly proving the truth of its title, and was having avery quick descent into an early and untimely grave--consequently itseditor had very little to do.
Mr. Rogers consented to see Miss Jasmine Mainwaring and hercompanion, and accordingly the two girls were ushered into theeditorial presence.
Mr. Rogers commenced his interview with Miss Jasmine by apparentlyforgetting all about her. This had a most disconcerting effect on theyoung author.
"But surely you must remember that I came to see you nearly threemonths ago, and brought you a poem called an 'Ode to Adversity,'"pleaded Jasmine--"we had rather a long talk about it; I don't know howyou can absolutely forget."
"My dear young lady, so many people call, and leave so many poems, andeach poem is so like the last, that really you must pardon me, but myhead gets confused."
"Taken with a kind of swimming, sir?" here burst in Poppy. "I supposeit is a sort of Sarah case over again."
The editor stared rather fiercely at this unexpected interruption,deigned no reply whatever to Poppy, and continued his conversationwith Jasmine.
"I am sorry that I have forgotten both you and your poem--it is,doubtless, docketed with others to be returned in due course--I amsorry, but of course I could not use it--did you expect me to? Why,the name alone--an 'Ode to Adversity,' was quite sufficient to make medecline it."
"But, but," said Jasmine, coloring crimson and very nearly crying, "Iwas told by a lady who reads your paper that the name was just whatyou like. She said that your paper was called by a melancholy name,and of course you wanted melancholy subjects."
The editor smiled in a very bland, though disagreeable manner--"_TheDownfall_," he said; "we chose that title for political reasons." Herehe sounded a gong. "Jones," as an attendant came in, "look inpigeon-hole D, and put into an envelope for this young lady someverses entitled an 'Ode to Adversity.' Sorry I can do nothing more foryou this morning, Miss Mainwaring. Good morning--_good_ morning."
When the two girls got out on the landing Jasmine thrust her rejectedpoem into Poppy's hand.
"Put it into your pocket, Poppy," she said, "and don't on any accountlet me see it--I must try to forget it, or my courage will go.Evidently, Poppy, names go by contraries. I wrote some dismal paperson purpose for _The Downfall_; I will now offer them to a magazinewhich has a cheerful title."
"Look there, Miss Jasmine," said Poppy, when they got into the street."Right there, facing us at the other side, is what I call a pleasantmagazine--it has lots of pictures, for see, it's pressed up to thewindow wide open, and it's called _The Joy-bell_--I'm a great dealmore taken with that sound than with the sound of _The Downfall_."
"So am I, too," said Jasmine, the April cloud quickly leaving herexpressive face--"I'm so glad I have you with me, dear Poppy; I wasfeeling so low just now that I should never have noticed the office of_The Joy-bell_--it has a very nice, high-class sound, and I should saywas a more attractive magazine than even a shilling one. We'll gothere at once, Poppy, and be sure you support me, and say 'Yes' when Ilook at you; and if I happen to frown in your direction, you'll knowthat I want you to help me not to accept too low a price. Now come,Poppy; I feel that destiny leads my steps to the office of _TheJoy-bell_."
The editor of _The Joy-bell_ happened also to be disengaged, and afterkeeping the young aspirant for literary fame waiting for about aquarter of an hour, consented to see her and her companion.
Jasmine's interview with this editor caused her to come away in veryhigh spirits, for he had not only promised most carefully to considerher poem, "The Flight of the Beautiful," but he had also said he waswanting a serial story to run through the pages of _The Joy-bell_, andif hers happened to suit him he would be happy to use it. Finally, shewent away, leaving both her story and her poems in his hands, and witha large parcel of _Joy-bells_ under her arm.
"I will let you know my decision in a few days," said the editor, witha very suave smile. "Oh, yes, as to terms, we can talk them over whenI discover if your story is likely to suit me."
Then Jasmine went away trembling with delight.
"Oh, Poppy!" she said, "how very, very happy I am."