Oh, Joseph, we shall have our Jasmine yet, as our very own." Mr.Ellsworthy smiled, kissed his wife, patted her on the cheek, told her to do just what she liked, and went downstairs to his beloved books.

But Mrs.Ellsworthy's excitement kept her on thorns for the greater part of the evening.
That night she dreamt of the Mainwarings; dreamt that she saw Daisy's piteous little face when she was turned away from her gates; dreamt again a brighter dream, that Jasmine had her arms round her neck, and was calling her mother; that Primrose, with none of her sweet dignity abated, was smiling at her, and saying gratefully, "I accept your kindness; I will gladly take your money; I will come and live with you at Shortlands, and be to you as a daughter." And Daisy was saying, in that funny little sententious voice of hers which she sometimes used, "Weren't we all naughty, and aren't we good now, and is it not a good thing that our pride should have a fall ?" Mrs.Ellsworthy sighed deeply when she awoke from this beautiful dream.
"It was but a dream," she said to herself, and she went downstairs sadly and soberly to her breakfast.
Mr.Ellsworthy had breakfasted at a much earlier hour, and the little lady had her beautifully-appointed table to herself.
"Now, if the girls were all here," she thought, "how pleasant and cheerful it would be! Primrose should sit just opposite to me, and pour out the coffee; she would do it very nicely and deftly, and would look so sweet and daughterly.

And Jasmine--little witch!--I do not suppose she would keep the same seat two mornings running, and I should have to tell her over and over not to jump up every moment to rush to the window.

Daisy would sit near me, and, of course, I should have to have a special chair made for that funny kitten of hers.

I would dress the three girls in white--white is so sweet for girls--and how Jasmine and Daisy would chatter; their voices are very sweet in tone, and they never talk too fast, so as to make one's head ache.