When Harriet Wilson made her third visit to the Hartmann family, she noticed that Frank, the eleven-year-old she was to tutor, was being spanked in the sitting room adjacent to the entry hall. The door was wide open, an invitation for any visitor to view the spectacle. Harriet smiled. Even from where she stood, she could clearly see a bruised, purple pair of bare buttocks being firmly slapped by Trudy Hartmann.
On both her previous visits she had either heard or seen the boy being punished in one of the many rooms of the large mansion. The first time, during the entire time of her formal interview, she had listened to the sound of cane striking bare flesh. "Oh, dont mind the noise," Judy had said with a smile, "it is only Frank being punished. He was impudent again."
Harriet had simply nodded and presented her credentials from her previous employment. "I have had considerable experience with young boys," she had assured her potential employer. "And I only accept positions where it is clearly understood that any boy in my charge will be punished physically, and with great severity, for any misbehaviour whatsoever."
"Yes, Miss Wilson," Trudy had replied, "that is why I made it quite clear in my advertisement that I needed a strict governess who was not averse to administering corporal punishment."
That first interview had gone quite well, Harriet thought. The Hartmanns had said they would let her know. Then, two weeks later, they had asked Harriet to return to meet the boy she was to tutor. At that time, the boy Frank was just being positioned across the back of a large leather arm chair, his shorts already down. Mr. George Hartmann was standing behind him with along cane in his right hand.
"You have come to meet the boy," Trudy smiled, "and now you have met him. "You will observe how we deal with his laziness. I expect you will handle him the same way as often and as severely as you feel necessary. We have written out an agreement which outlines your responsibilities and authority over the boy, in short an in-loco-parentis arrangement that will give you whatever authority you need. You will please read and sign it. We have already signed it ourselves."
Harriet only half listened. She was more interested in the beating the bending boy was absorbing while his mother talked to her. Mr. Hartmann did not restrain his arm. Each stroke fell with swift force, the cane biting deeply into the flesh, each leaving a purple double line on a pair of buttocks that still clearly displayed fading welts from previous canings.
Harriet watched the writhing boy throw his small bottom about, his hands frantically clutching the arm rests so keep himself in position. His widely-spread knees were jumping as the cane landed every time a bit lower towards the thighs. After what were perhaps six or seven juicy cuts, young Frank began to whimper.
"George, give him a couple extra. He is making noise," Trudy said.
In reply, the boys father gave the child two really vicious cuts across the upper thighs which made the boy squeal in pain.
"Another two, George," Trudy said, looking at Harriet. Harriet nodded.
This time, the boy managed to take the strokes without a sound.
"You may continue, George," Trudy said. She turned to Harriet. "You see, we insist on Frank taking his punishments in silence. This shows he recognises the need for punishment and accepts it as atonement for his faults. You must be sure to insist on that as well. We dont want to find a spoiled little good-for-nothing when we get back. We have had two previous governesses and they both were far too lenient. One actually objected to giving the child more than a dozen for breaking a valuable teacup. The other felt that the boys bottom was too bruised and sore to apply another thorough whipping. Unbelievable!"
Harriet, her eyes on the bare bottom being soundly caned, smiled.
"I quite agree with you," she said. "First you have to decide the proper punishment. To decide, you weigh the importance of the offence, the circumstances surrounding it, whether the culprit had been warned about it or had been punished for it previously, and so on. The severity should be gauged by these and perhaps other factors. Once decided, the punishment has to be administered, regardless of the boys tears, pleas, or state of his backside. If two dozen have been decided, then two dozen it will have to be, even if he has had two dozen the day before, or two hours before. That is the only way a boy learns, you know."
George Hartmann was now caning the boys thighs with renewed vigour and Harriet could see the perspiration rolling off the boys exposed body. "How many is he getting?" she asked.
"The penalty is 18 strokes for failing to properly clean his and his sisters rooms. This is now the third time this month he is being punished for the same offence. The last time it was 12, now it will be 18. The next time he faults, it will be 2 dozen. In the end he will understand that he must obey."
By now the punishment was apparently over. George placed the cane inside a cupboard. When Trudy realised the sudden silence, she turned and looked at the boys swollen and wealed bottom. "Stay in position," she said to the whimpering child, "until we have finished our talks. George, I want to introduce Harriet Wilson, Franks new governess. Harriet, my husband George."
They shook hands. "I have read your application and your references and I must say Trudy had a stroke of luck this time. The previous ladies were really much too weak to handle a boy like Frank. I should warn you that the little scamp is full of mischief, idle to the bone and absolutely obstinate. So dont hesitate to thrash some sense into him, whenever needed. And it will be needed, I might add, on a regular basis. You will need a strong arm and great perseverance to make an impression on him. Dont be fooled by his young age or by his innocent choir boy looks. Hes a little devil." He laughed. "Now you have to excuse me. I have a lot of work to finish before we go. Pleasure to meet you."
Trudy and Harriet watched him leave the room. Then they turned to the boy, still bent over the chair back, his bottom still twitching and trembling.
"Stand up," his mother ordered and the boy slowly rose and stood on trembling bare legs. His hands immediately went to the back of his neck, proof of well-learned past lessons. His tear-filled eyes were on his new governess. The cold smile on her face was not a very auspicious sign for the future. He quickly looked away, only too aware of his nudity.
"Frank, this is your new tutor, Miss Wilson," Trudy explained. "She will be in complete charge while your father and I are on holiday. We may be gone for several months and you are to behave. Miss Wilson will be your teacher and educator and you will do as she says. She has full authority to decide on clothes, food, education and discipline, so be careful and think twice before deciding to be naughty or lazy or careless. Your sister will stay here but may join us in a few weeks. It will depend on her school. Now what do you say to Miss Wilson, Frank?"
"Er - p-pleased to meet you," the embarrassed boy mumbled, his face flushing a deep red. He wanted desperately to get back into his shorts.
"Glad to meet you, too, Frank," Harriet answered cooly as she surveyed the blushing boy from head to toe. "We will get along very well as long as you are a good boy. But if not, you will soon realise that a caning from me will be no less painful than the one you just received from your father. So you would be well advised to avoid this."
Trudy stood up. "Well, I will leave you two to get acquainted. Harriet, when you are ready, tell Frank to stand in the corner until I fetch him."
When Trudy Hartmann had gone, boy and woman were left alone. There was complete silence except for an occasional whimper or sob from the boy who so obviously want to rub his bottom but didnt quite dare. Maybe his new governess wouldnt mind? He slowly lowered one arm and touched his wealed, throbbing buttock.
"Frank," Harriet immediately said sharply, "I dont think your parents would allow your moving out of position without permission. Is that correct?"
The boy quickly replaced the hand behind his neck. "Oh, Im sorry, Miss," he stammered.
Harriet stood up and leisurely walked to the cupboard and retrieved the cane that George had just used. She returned and stood behind the trembling youngster. She tapped the cane against the wealed bottom. "What penalty do you think you deserve for this first disobedience, minutes after having been introduced?"
"Oh, Miss, Im sorry. I didnt mean -"
"I am asking you what penalty you deserve, my boy," Harriet interrupted, "not what you meant. I know what you meant. You meant to disobey orders. Now answer my question."
"Miss, Im so sore. 3 strokes?"
"Dont be ridiculous. Or are you being insolent? Now I ask you again. How many strokes do you deserve for disobedience?"
"S-six, Miss?"
"Try again, Frank."
"Eight?"
"Now you are really being impudent. I warn you, dont try to trifle with me. Now for the last time. How many?"
"Twelve, Miss. But please, dont -"
"I think 18 strokes is the correct answer. If you had say twelve from the beginning, I would have agreed. But you obviously thought you could toy with me. So get back into position. You will see what trying to play games with me will bring you. Over! Legs apart!"
The boy began to weep but obeyed and soon was back in his caning position. "Please, Miss, my bottom hurts."
"Yes, and it will hurt even more. Just wait." And she raised the cane and brought it down with ferocious strength just into the underbum, the sulcus where she knew the cane would hurt the most.
Frank threw up his head and howled.
"Two extras," Harriet announced impassively, "for the noise. I thought you were to take your punishments in silence. Am I right?"
"Yes, Miss," the boy whined. "But Im so sore."
"Well, youll have to keep quiet anyway if you want to avoid further extras." Two quick lashes across his wealed thighs and the boy choked on his scream. Harriet waited until he had recovered and then calmly continued the caning. Twenty strokes in all before she put down the cane and sent the boy into the corner.
As Frank limped towards the indicated spot, Harriet enjoyed the sight of a round, firm boys bottom full of purple-black stripes and bruises from mid curve to the thighs. Yes, the boy would find sitting a bit uncomfortable for the next few days.
The door opened and Trudy came in. "I heard the caning, Harriet," she said. "The boy needed correction already?"
"Im afraid so," Harriet said with a sigh. "He took it upon himself to lower his hand to touch his bottom. I told him this was not allowed."
"As he very well knows," Trudy affirmed. "We have had to punish him on several occasions for this fault of his. How many did you give him?"
"I asked him what he thought he deserved and he played games. So I had to increase my original dozen to 18 strokes. Plus two extras for crying out."
Trudys gaze went to her sons backside and she nodded. "Very good. I see we can rely on you to handle the boy properly. We are glad to have found you, Harriet. I can see you will maintain proper discipline with the boy. Now lets leave him there while we go and have some supper."