I was very sore for several days, but managed to make and secrete a fine bunch of twigs, ready for Miss Jane when she would little expect it. In fact, she did not know I had been into the garden or out of the house. Of course she was a much stronger and bigger girl than myself, so I should have to secure her by some stratagem. I let her think I had quite forgotten my threat, but one evening, just as we were both undressed for bed, I said, “Jane, did Mrs. Mansell or Jemima ever birch you without grandfather knowing it?”
JANE.—”Yes, dear Miss Rosie, they’ve served me out shamefully, more than once.”
ROSA.—”How did they manage that?”
JANE.—”Why, I was tied by my hands to the foot of the bedstead.”
ROSA.—”Oh! Do show me, and let me tie you up to see how it all looked.”
JANE.—”Very well; if it’s any pleasure to you, Miss.”
ROSA.—”What shall I tie you up with? You’re as strong as Samson.”
JANE.—”A couple of handkerchiefs will do, and there’s a small comforter to tie my legs.”
By her directions I soon had her hands tied to the two knobs at the foot of the bed, and her feet stretched out a little behind were secured to the legs of the table.
“Oh! My!” said Jane. “You have fixed me tight. What did you tie so hard for? I can’t get away till you release me.”
“Stay! Stay!” I cried. “I must see you quite prepared now you are properly fixed up”; and I quickly turned up her night dress and secured it well above her waist, so as to expose her plump bottom and delicately mossed front to my astonished gaze.
“Oh! What a beauty you are, Jane,” said I, kissing her, “and you know I love you, but your naughty little bum-be-dee must be punished. It is a painful duty, but I’ll let you see it’s no joke, Miss. Look, what a fine swishtail I’ve got,” producing my rod.
“Mercy! Mercy!” cried Jane. “Dear Miss Rosie, you won’t beat me; I’ve always been so kind to you!”
“It won’t do, Jane, I must do my duty. You were one of the lot against me, and the first I can catch. It may be years before I can pay off the others.”
The sight of her beautiful posteriors filled me with a gloating desire to exercise my skill upon them, and see a little of what I had to feel myself. Nervously grasping my birch, without further delay, I commenced the assault by some sharp strokes, each blow deepening the rosy tints to a deeper red.
“Ah! Ah! What a shame. You’re as bad as the old General, you little witch, to take me so by surprise.”
“You don’t seem at all sorry, Miss,” I cried; “but I’ll try and bring down your impudence; in fact, I begin to think you are one of the worst of them, and only acted the hypocrite, with your pretended compassion, when you were, in reality, it all the time. But it’s my turn now. Of course, you were too strong for me, unless I had trapped you so nicely. How do you like it, Miss Jane?” All this time I kept on, whisk, whisk, whisk, in quick succession, till her bottom began to look quite interesting.
“You little wretch! You vixen!” gasped Jane. “Your grandfather shall hear of this.”
“That’s your game, is it, Miss Tell-tale. At any rate, you’ll be well paid first;” I replied. The sight of her buttocks only seemed to add to my energy, and it was quite a thrill of pleasure when I first saw the welts rise. She writhed and wriggled with suppressed sighs and ahs, but each time she gave utterance to any expression, it seemed only for the purpose of irritating me more and more. My excitement became intense, the cruel havoc seemed to be an immense satisfaction to me, and her bottom really was in deplorable state through my inconsiderate fury. At last, quite worn put and fatigued, I could hold the rod no longer, and my passion melted into love and pity, as I saw her in an apparently listless and fainting condition, with drooping head, eyes closed, and hands clenched.
The worn-out birch was dropped, and kissing her tenderly, I sobbed out, “Jane, dear, Jane, I both love and forgive you now, and you will find me as tender to you as you were to me after my flogging.”
Her hands and feet were soon released, when to my astonishment, she threw her arms round my neck as with sparkling eyes and a luscious kiss she said softly, “And forgive you too, Miss Rosie, for you don’t know what pleasure you have given me, the last few moments have been bliss indeed.”
