Conviction

The Millner house was still in fairly good repair; Mr. Millner had only been out of work for a couple of years until he got a job tending and weeding the railroad tracks under the New Deal. The family's newfound prosperity was showing. Christine was walking in front of Grace Millner, who had said she'd let her mama decide Christine's punishment for the disgusting thing she'd done in church. Christina expected a paddling at the very least despite being a grown woman. Mrs. Millner was a strict disciplinarian and had once given her twenty-year-old son Honor several smacks with a willow switch right in front of the A&P because of something he'd done.

Mrs. Millner was a severe woman in her late 30's, thin and frowning like an old schoolmarm. Despite having borne six children she showed little sign of developing curves of the womanly sort, and her long face tended to make one think of a horse. Her daughters Grace and Chastity unfortunately inherited her looks. Her four sons Honor, Fortitude, Valor and Courage, instead got their papa's rugged good looks.

"Grace, what're you doing bringing home guests without asking?" There was fire in the older woman's eyes.

"Mama, she ain't no guest; I caught her doing something sinful up' the church. She peed in the choir room!"

Mrs. Millner turned the **** of her stare on Christine. "Did you do that, girl?"

"N-no Mrs. Millner. It wasn't like that..."

"Are you calling my Gracie a liar?"

"No Mrs. Millner, it's just I... it... it wasn't pee."

Mrs. Millner's brow knit for less than a second before her scowl moved from disgust to scorn. She aimed her stare at Grace.

"Did you make sure it was pee, girl?"

"No Mama."

"Come over here."

Grace obediently walked over to her mother. Mrs. Millner lifted the back of her daughter's skirt, pulled down her underpants, and gave the girl three hard smacks to the backside.

"That's for not getting your accusation straight." She turned to Christine. "Now you, Christine Cullen, didn't your mama teach you that the church is not the place for this kind of carnal debauchery?"

"She did ma'am, but it's just that I saw Reverend Patterson and..."

"And you lusted after him! Didn't you girl? A forbidden lust for a married man!"

"But he was with Stacy Ames, and he was... knowing her!"

"You lying little slattern! Reverend Patterson is a good man and I will not have him spoken of like that. Gracie, get your Mama's discipline bag, and fetch your brothers and sister along the way."

"Yes Mama." Grace ran out of the room, shouting for her brothers and sisters.

Before long three of the boys plus Grace and Chastity were gathered in the parlor. Courage was out fishing and wouldn't be back until suppertime. Grace brought a large canvas bag from which Mrs. Millner took a thin rod of well-used willow.

"Now, Christine Cullen, are you ready to learn some manners?"