The Palace Beautiful

CONTENTS.


I. Early Days

II. The First Month of their Trouble

III. Miss Martineau

IV. To the Rescue

V. The Contents of the Cabinet

VI. Many Visitors

VII. Shortlands

VIII. Thirty Pounds a Year

IX. A Strange Letter and a Proposed Visit to London

X. Ways and Means of Earning a Living

XI. Bread and Butter

XII. They Would Not be Parted

XIII. Mrs. Ellsworthy's Letter

XIV. Quite Contrary

XV. In Spite of Opposition

XVI. Penelope Mansion

XVII. Escorted by Miss Slowcum

XVIII. In St. Paul's Cathedral

XIX. A Bright Day

XX. Getting Lost

XXI. How to Paint China and How to Form Style

XXII. Cross Purposes

XXIII. Dark Days

XXIV. Dove's Joke

XXV. Daisy's Promise

XXVI. A Delightful Plan

XXVII. The Poor Doves

XXVIII. A Startling Discovery

XXIX. A Blessing

XXX. Voice of the Prince

XXXI. A "Continual Reader"

XXXII. Jasmine Begins to Soar

XXXIII. Visiting the Publishers

XXXIV. A Plan

XXXV. Their Quarter's Allowance

XXXVI. _The Joy-Bell_

XXXVII. Endorsing a Cheque

XXXVIII. Daisy's Request

XXXIX. The Journey

XL. A Bitter Disappointment

XLI. Mrs. Dredge to the Rescue

XLII. A New Employment

XLIII. In the Field

XLIV. Too Much for Dove

XLV. The Prince to the Rescue

XLVI. Delivered from the Ogre

XLVII. Almost Defeated

XLVIII. One Shoe Off and One Shoe On

XLIX. Spanish Lace

L. A Dazzling Day

LI. A Letter

LII. "I Love Mrs. Ellsworthy"

LIII. Telegraph Wires

LIV. A Discovery

LV. An Invitation for the Ladies of Penelope Mansion

LVI. A Palace Beautiful




THE PALACE BEAUTIFUL.

_A STORY FOR GIRLS._




CHAPTER I.

EARLY DAYS.


The three girls were called after flowers. This is how it came about:

When Primrose opened her eyes on the world she brought back a little
bit of spring to her mother's heart.

Mrs. Mainwaring had gone through a terrible trouble--a trouble so dark
and mysterious, so impossible to feel reconciled to, that her health
had been almost shattered, and she had almost said good-bye to hope.

The baby came in the spring-time, and the soft, velvety touch of the
little face, and the sight of the round baby limbs, had made Mrs.
Mainwaring smile: had caused her to pluck up heart, and to determine
resolutely to take this new blessing, and to begin to live again.

The baby came in the month of March, just when the primroses were
beginning to open their pale and yet bright blossoms. Mrs. Mainwaring
said that the child was a symbol of spring to her, and she called her
Primrose.

The next girl was born in Italy, in the middle of a rich and brilliant
summer. Flowers were everywhere, and the baby, a black-haired,
dark-eyed little mite, had a starry look about her. She was called
Jasmine, and the name from the very first suited her exactly.