She unlocked it with a small key she kept in her drawer, and on the third shelf she found a small, pale blue shawl, which she had had when she was a baby, and she had kept it ever since, in case she should have a baby when she was grown up.

"Here's the very thing," she said, "the shawl I had when I was a baby,"

she said, skipping back to bed.

"Oh yes, that's a nice shawl," said Mr. Hose, "and it's pretty big too, we can wrap it all round it; and you can cuddle it close to you, and then it would be warm, I should say."

Mr. Hose did not get up till half past eight oclock he could not stay in bed any later because he was already rather late getting up I expect I shall be late at my offace said Mr. Hose to himself b.u.t.tning up the last b.u.t.ton of his waistcoat, he then slipped on his coat put on his hat took up his walking stick and maid his apperance in the hall takeing a glance at him self in the gla.s.s as he pa.s.sed it, he then opened the hall door and began walking at a quick pace to his offaice he was not so late after all.

CHAPTER 3

THE BAPTISAM

It was a lovely day on the 28th of september when a carriage drove up to the door and Mr. and Mrs. Hose with the baby in her arms ran down the door steps and into the carriage Mr. Hose doing the same. "It's a good thing its a nice day isn't it Charlie?" she said to her husband "Yes it is a good job or the baby couldn't have come out tho'. He isn't so very delicate, by the bye what's his name going to be?"

"Charles Edward" she said "Charles after you and Edward after his grandfather." "I hope Miss Gurling is at the church now, she's always late for everything."

"She is going to be the G.o.dmother isn't she?" asked Charlie "Yes" said his wife "You don't object do you? And his G.o.dfather is that pious man who kneels before us in church, Mr. Johns."

"Oh he is a nice man that" said the father clapping his hands "I am glad he is going to be the G.o.dfather"

"Why here we are" said his wife jumping out of the carriage.

"Oh yes" said he stepping out with a laudable air.

"Oh dear" said his wife "I've left the baby in the carriage" "Oh poor thing" said the husband running back for it. Goodbye Thompson "said he to the coachman here's 6d for you, it's quite enough for him" he murmured to his wife as he took off his hat very reverently at the church door. When they got into the church the first person they saw was Miss Gerling sitting quitertly in the bottem seat saying her prays very dovoutly. Mrs. Hose went up to her oh I say she began you are the G.o.dmother "Yes said Miss Gerling it is going to begin soon. what? said Mrs. Hose the christening said Miss Gerling Mr. Johns is not here we are wateing for him. Presently Father clocks came bussling down the church he went up to Mr. Hose and said "I can't think why Mr. Johns is not here he is very late, yes he is said Mr. Hose and the worst of it is we cant begin without him. No we cant said the preast it is a great nuisance he continued shacking his black head of hair. after about half an hour the church door opened and in came Mr. Jons he walked quite calmly up the aisle of the curch to his own seat, takeing it more as if he was very early insted of very late, he said a few prays and then he went down to the bottem of the church and said in rather a loud wisper had not we better begin yes said father clocks puting on his stoll.

All this while during the christening Mr. Johns kept standing on one leg and blowing his nose rather hard, he didn't have to say much tho he looked rather embara.s.sed. When it was all over they took their departure and went home in the carraige, but poor Mr. Hose parted with a good deal of his pence, because little boys kept running after his carraige and would not go away without a copper or so.

"As we are pa.s.sing the confectioners" said Mr. Hose to his wife, "we might tell them to send up a nice sugar cake in honour of baby's Xning.

"Oh yes we might do that" said his wife, scratching her head to show off her net which was carefully covering her k.n.o.b behind.

They arrived home at last and had the beautiful Xning cake between them for tea.

CHAPTER 4

ENGAGING THE NURSERY GOVERNESS

"Do you know my dear" said Mr. Hose to his wife one morning at breakfast "what I was thinking of doing?" "No" said his wife looking very surprised, "What is it."

"Well" he said "I was thinking of getting a nursery governess."

"A nursery Governess" said his wife "Why the baby isn't old enough to have one yet, remember it's only 6 months old."

"Well" said Mr. Hose "I was thinking of getting one because only think to yourself how very useful she would be, she could help us in the evening when baby was in bed and besides that she could look after baby and he would get used to her before it was time to be taught."

"Oh yes" said his wife "now I see what you mean it would be a very good thing. You and I must go and see Madam Toinette about one in London tomorrow."

When breakfast was over, they went into the drawing room and Mrs. H.

began knitting a pr. of socks for her short coated boy, and her husband curled himself up in an arm chair and smoked to a low degree.

"I say Lizzie eh! why shouldn't we go to London today eh?" (he was rather a c.o.c.kney man.)

"Yes we can go today, I don't see what harm it could do. We'll go in the afternoon then."

"Right you are," said the husband, "I'll change my clothes" he said as he retired to his bedroom and his wife continued to knit the pair of socks she was knitting for her baby.

Presently just after the dinner-bell had rung, down came Mr. Hose from his bedroom looking like a duke instead of a mere Mr.

"I say wife do you think I look nice. I have been such a long time dressing do you know what I've put on clean?"

"No said his wife who did not take the least interest in a man's toilet. Well he said clearing his throat and pulling up his trousers and sitting down. "I've put on this beautiful black suit with coat tails and a lovely clean shirt he said stroking his front and I've put on a clean pair of scarlet socks with a hole in but it does not show and he continued I've got on a nice pair of black trousers but he said with a sorrowful face the b.u.t.ton has come off from my trousers which makes one leg shorter than the other. This being the only sentence his wife had heard she looked up from her plate and said "Oh you poor dear! never mind I'll sew it on for you after dinner. "Oh thank you so much! said Mr. Hose I should not have been able to go to London if you had not thought of this kind offer. Now Charles said his wife eat your dinner because we are going by the 3.15 train. Charles began eating his dinner quickly saying at the same time with his mouth full "Do you think baby will be all right with the housemaid.

"Oh yes he will be all right it is only for a few howers" said Mrs.

Hose.

"Oh yes" said Mr. Hose beginning to eat his dinner.

Presently his wife looked up and said now Charles, I have done my dinner and I am going up to get ready and she went out of the room.

Mr. Hose finnished his dinner and then put on his top hat and took his best cherry wood walking stick. He could not see his wife anywhere; so like a wise man he began walking down to the station when he was half way whom should he see but his wife walking sedately along; she looked very nice in a coffee coloured dress trimmed with brown velvet a bonnet to match with a pretty bird in front and strings of brown velvet as well as a large bow of the same; she had brown gloves and a pretty light coffee coloured parasol in her hands, her nice walking shoes and stockings just peeped from under her dress. Well said Charlie we are not late for the train."

"An't we" said his wife looking at her watch which she wore on her bracelet. "No" said Charlie but you do look nice.

They arrived at the station and jumped into a first cla.s.s carriage.

Presently they arrived in London and walked arm in arm from the station.

They walked up to Madame Antoinette's house to ask her if she knew of any governess which they could engage. A nice fat looking servant answered the door. Is Madame Antoinette at home. Yes mam' she said looking rather ignorant will you step this way. (Mrs. Hose walked into the drawing room and sat down waiting for Madame Antoinette) Presently Madame Antoinette came down into the room. Good morning Mrs. Hose she said. Oh good morning Madame Antoinette said Mrs. Hose sit down but do you know of any governesses which we could engage? Well said Madame Antoinette frowning there is a Miss Brentnor she lives in Julian Road No 36. Oh what is she like? Oh she has fair hair at least you may say carrotty hair and one good thing about her is her eyes she has lovely big grey eyes. She has a very sallow complexion and she had a blue dress on last time I saw her.

Do you know of any other governesses continued Mr. Hose? Yes said Madame Antoinette there is a very nice young lady called Miss Smith she has dark hair and brown eyes but she is rather cow-like she has rather boisterous feet and a few freckles on the top of her nose but she is all right you know and she lives in b.u.t.tonbrick House Hudson's Street and then there is another young lady called Miss Junick. She left her last place and was hated in this family and I have been told that she was known to take a few things that did not belong to her in that house; but I can scarcely believe that for she is a beautiful young lady and I like her very much. They left Madame Antoinette's house and went to call on Miss Brentnor and Miss Smith but did not like either of them. They went home and the next morning a letter came addressed to Mrs. Hose she opened it and this is what she read

MADAM,

I beg to present you with the photograph which you ask me to send. I think I have very good features and I _know_ I'll make a excellent governess. It is not at all true what was said about me in my last situation and I am willing to come and look after your little boy and teach him when he is old enough. Give me a nice bed-room Madam; of course I am a Catholic which I suppose you heard from Madame Antoinette.

I remain, Yours truly,

ROSE M. JUNICK.

Mrs. Hose answered the letter and this is what she put,