From: riharpist@aol.com (RIharpist) Subject: New Story by Gigi: Ella 1870 Date: 18 Mar 1997 21:26:53 GMT This is another ancestral story, purely fictional, but the character is real. At the time of this incident, Ella was age eight. If you disapprove or are upset in reading stories that involve the spanking of young children, please do not read. Spanking children was a common practice in these times. No one questioned this parental right. Please do not re-print or use in any way without my permission Ella by Gigi Ella was playing outside her home in Ohio in 1870, and her mother asked her to keep an eye on her sleeping brother. He lay in a cradle under a lovely, old tree in the yard near the house. Because he was eleven months old, the danger was that he would get out of the cradle, should he waken. All Ella had to do was to call her mother, if he woke. She was playing with her dolls near him. All of a sudden, a beautiful butterfly flew past her and into the wild flowers that graced the edge of the yard. Delighted, Ella jumped up from her dolls and followed it well into the field of flowers. It disappeared, so Ella looked around her to wonder at the beauty of the flowers of all different kinds, growing wild. Each one seemed more beautiful than the last, so she began to pick them to take home. Ella was unaware that she was moving further and further from the house and her baby brother. The little boy awoke and pulled himself to a kneeling position, hands on the edge of the cradle. Over it went and struck him on the shoulder. He let out a cry and began to crawl toward the door of the house. Ella's mother came rushing out and saw that he had been hurt. She called to Ella, but there was no response, so she carried her crying son inside and put cool cloths on his shoulder, rocking him until he fell asleep. After placing him in his bed, she went out again to call Ella. There was still no answer, but she saw her in the distance, bending over picking the flowers. "I'll have her bending over, and it won't be to pick any flowers!", said her mother to herself, angrily. She called and called, and finally Ella heard her, rose up, and returned to the house with a lovely bouquet of flowers in her hand. "Look at the cradle, young lady!! You were asked to stay here and watch your brother. If you were planning to do otherwise, I should have been told. He has been hurt! Come in here!" Ella entered the kitchen, and her mother placed the flowers in the sink. She led Ella to her chair and placed her over her lap, raising her skirt and petticoat. Ella was already crying. Her mother took a short handled butter paddle and began to paddle the seat of Ella's bloomers. Ella was crying and kicking. Then, her mother unbuttoned the bloomers and pulled them to Ella's ankles. Ella screamed out, but her mother paid no attention and resumed the spanking with great determination. Ella's little bottom was getting incredibly pinkish-red now. Her mother humg up the butter paddle, holding Ella face down over her lap. She gave Ella a stern lecture on safety with a baby, as well as obedience, and then she began to spank with her hand. These were hard spanks on such a tender bottom. Ella was sobbing and sobbing. Her mother spanked her upper legs and the outside of her thighs as well, and there were hand prints where these had fallen. Ella was struggling and waving her arms. At last the spanking was over. Her mother pulled up her bloomers and stood Ella up, smoothing down her dress. She took Ella in to see her brother's injury and then made her stand in the corner to watch her brother sleep. The flowers went back outside into a jar of water on the back table -- too pretty to throw away, but too much of a reminder of disobedience to remain in the house.