Daisy Ashford: Her Book Part 47

Oh! I have put the baby to bed," said Miss Junick, c.o.c.king her head in the air, and slamming the door behind her.

CHAPTER 7

WHAT MISS JUNICK DID IN THE TOWN

Miss Junick arrived in the town at about eight o'clock! She went straight to the Doctor's house and rang loudly at the bell. In a few minutes it was answered by a boy in b.u.t.tons, who asked her what she wanted, and on her replying that she wanted to see the Doctor, she was shown into a neat little drawing room draped in green and red silk.

Soon she heard the Doctor's bold step. He opened the door and in he came dressed in an evening suit. He bowed politely as he shut the door, saying--"Have I the pleasure of seeing Miss Junick the new and accomplished governess of Mrs. Hose?" "Yes--you have that pleasure," she said, getting up and bowing also.

And what is it you have come to ask me, Miss Junick? he said preparing to sit down in his arm chair.

Oh! she said, I have come to ask you where Mrs. Hose got her most lovely baby from.

"Oh, said the Doctor, I gave it to her because she wished for one," "Do you think you could manage to give me a baby like him?" said Miss Junick.

"Well, said the Doctor, the first question is, are you married?

"No, I am not married, but I will marry if you can give me a baby like that--it would be worth marrying for."

"Well! you cannot marry till someone asks you, and I cant because I have a wife of my own," said the Doctor.

"Well! can I have a baby like it even if I don't marry?" said Miss Junick.

"Oh well! I dont think so; Is that all you have come to ask me"? he said, in an aggravating tone, beginning to open the door for her.

"Yes, that is all," said Miss Junick, "but you will try and find a baby for me, wont you?

"Yes, but you say you are not married," said the Doctor.

"Well! I must have made a mistake, and was not thinking of what I was saying, for I certainly am."

"Oh yes, I will try and find one--Good evening Miss Junick," said the Doctor.

"Good evening Doctor Brandon, said Miss Junick, and she shut the hall door behind her, and commenced to walk up the town.

Dear dear it is nine oclock oh no half past I must hurry or Mrs. Hose will be cross and say I neglect the child and I dont only she will think so because I have it for too long only an hour and a half it is not at all long. At last she came to the house and she went strait to bed but she could not sleep for thinking of the baby which she was going to have. She did not get scolded in spite of all she said.

CHAPTER 8

THE PRIVATE ARIVAL OF MISS JUNICKS BABY

Miss Junick awoke early the next morning; she was very excited thinking of her future baby, and she didn't get up until eight o'clock. She then walked downstairs to the baby's room, and got it up. When it was dressed she gave it its breakfast, but she didn't talk to it, as much as she did the other day, for she was too much excited. After breakfast, she found it's pram in the shed and took it out for it's walk.

At last she arrived home, and after giving the baby its dinner, she put it to it's afternoon sleep. When it woke up she took it out for another walk, and on her way she met the doctor's page boy coming along with a box under his arm. As she saw him approaching she left the pram without a word and ran along to meet him. When she got up to him, the boy raised his cap and said. "If you please, Miss, the doctor told me to bring you this box and he hopes the contents will do."

"Oh, thank you, thank you," said Miss Junick, as she took the parcel, and ran back to the pram with it.

She put the box in, and walked hastily home, for she wanted to open it.

Soon she got to the house, and to her great horror, as she was going upstairs she met Mrs. Hose.

"Well, Miss Junick, have you been taking baby for a walk? she said, "and what is that box you have under your arm."

"It is only something I have bought, nothing to do with you," she muttered, as Mrs. Hose shut her bedroom door.

When she had undressed the baby, she set it up in it's high chair gave it it's rattle, and hurried upstairs to open her precious box.

"I hope it's nice," she said, as she cut the string; she then opened the lid of the box. Of course it was ugly, as most babies are when they are first born.

But this would not do for Miss Junick, for she called it 'an ugly little beast," and threatened to throw it away.

When the next day came she thought it was more ugly still, and that day she really did throw it away, and I will tell you where she put it."

In fact she did more than this, for she murdered it first, and then threw it into one of the dirty alleys. She was now quite satisfied that she had got rid of it, but she was more angry still when she found the bill inside the box, "Miss Junick Dr. to Doctor Paulin for one baby delivered as per agreement 1." She took the 1 out of her purse and walked straight down to the Doctors and gave it without a minutes delay and begged to have a receipt at once. So it was given to her at once, and he asked her in and cross questioned her about the baby. She paused a little and then said--

"Oh its getting on very nicely thank you, good afternoon," and she shut the outer door and hurried away home.

When she got home Mrs. Hose's baby was sleeping quietly in its cradle, but it soon woke up and she gave it its tea. Pretty soon after tea it went to bed, and she went up to her room, and I must tell you that her front window looked out upon the churchyard. She was looking out of this window as she was doing her hair, and she saw that the burial of a little baby was going on, and two poor women were there. Miss Junick pierced very hard out of the window and she recognised that it was the same little baby that she had murdered and thrown away.

"Oh! so they are burying it are they?" she said to herself, "I wouldn't take pity on such an ugly little thing if I were them.

When she had changed her dress she went downstairs to have her supper with Mr. and Mrs. Hose thinking all the while of what she had seen. When supper was over, she went upstairs and took from her trunk a "shilling shocker" and began to read it. Presently she got tired and went to bed.

CHAPTER 9

MISS JUNICK'S PLANS

Many years had pa.s.sed by since Miss Junick had come to Mr. and Mrs.

Hose, and Mrs. Hose's baby was now two years old, and Mr. Hose was very much mastaken in what he had said at first about Miss Junick helping them in the evening for she did nothing but read shilling shockers and penny horribles all the eveing till it was time for bed and after that when she was in bed she used to make plans these were what she maid, as she found her baby ugly and that she could not get one like Mrs. Hose's she planed that she would steal Mrs. Hoses most lovely baby, little did Miss Junick think that the baby she was going to steal was the greatest tressure Mrs. Hose had ever had so she realy planed to do this wicked act. She was very kind too the baby all this time and each day she grew more and more jealous of the baby and she said her plain must soon happen and I will tell you more in the next chapter.

CHAPTER 10

HOW MISS JUNICK CARYS OUT HER PLAN