You showed much bravery in your undertaking; but, my dear
girl, the pitfalls you exposed yourselves to were awful to
contemplate. I don't want to make you unhappy, dear, after all you
have suffered with regard to Daisy, but I must now tell you of a
little adventure which our poor dear Jasmine has had. You know how
very anxious she has been to see herself in print. Of course, I could
not conscientiously encourage her, for although she may have talent
(this I am not prepared to say), yet she is a great deal too young to
have anything printed. All books worth anything should teach, and
surely our dear little girl is only at the age to be taught herself.
"Well, Primrose, the little maid was fired with the strongest
ambition. She wrote her novel in secret, and one day, accompanied by
that good-natured Poppy Jenkins and sweet little Daisy, went
Citywards, and simply plunged--for I can use no other word--into the
unknown and to me rather awful realm of publishers.
"Poor child, of course none of the good houses would even look at her
immature productions; but she was taken in by a man who professed
himself to be the editor of a monthly paper--_The Joy-bell_ was its
silly title.
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