17.

Right then and there I loved Miss Cora more than ever for sparing me this terrible shame! The two rough women left with remarks about how they would like to make me into a helper at their home laundry and Miss Cora smiled at them and said; "It would be good dis- cipline for my daughter perhaps!" I shuddered! I thanked: Miss Cora for not punishing me before them and she said: "Elsie, I was easy with you dear because you know as well as I do that you deserved a good whipping for the way you have treated this woman and her daughter!" Miss Cora was right - any young man who acted as I had, es- pecially with this girl, deserved a good thrashing!! Miss Cora informed me that when the "report book" of my faults built up to the point, if it did, when I did merit punishment of a severe nature, what I deserved with regards to these people would be remembered! You see Miss Cora and Alice treated me with love and af- fection and discipline was administered as a needed correction and not in the spirit of meanness or re- venge. This made me feel VERY MUCH A GIRL, some way and still does, only now I feel and am in spirit a

woman.

I will also get through the facing of the girl's gyn class and my teacher as fast as I can! I know now and I knew soon after this ordeal that Miss Cora would have never put me through this hell of humilia- tion had we, been going to remain in this part of the country! I was taken out to the so called wood shed and my dress and slip removed, the blouse before men- tioned was put on me and all the time in the big back yard that was fenced in with a high wood fence gath- ered the teacher and the class! When it dawned upon mw what I was to face, I begged, I screamed, I plead- ed, I wanted to die, so I said! Miss Cora pointed to the wood shed wall where hung a raw hide switch, a black strap and a riding crop; also there was a paddle and she told me I would get the strap or the rawhide right now and besides have to face them. I sobbed and she dried my tears and with my speech memorized