Page 18 - 1947

16 C. C. I. GLEANER
fully awake, my tormentors tore off the bedclothes from my feet and pro- duced a small can of paint. To struggle was useless, and in a moment I ·pos- sessed beautiful gilt feet. Almost speechless with rage, nevertheless I managed to snarl "I suppose you think you're funny."
It was a bit disconcerting to find that I was right; they did think they were extremely funny. At last, be- cause the paint was dry, they decided to release me. Three of the boldest girls approached, and cautiously began to loose me from my bonds, while the more timid souls, if such they could be termed, flO!cked hurriedly out of the cabin. Scarcely had I been freed, when I sprang at my captors with intent to injure, but they, realizing their danger, had bolted for the door, locking it behind them. Arriving at the door just as it was being slammed shut, I received a mangled hand and a rather large bump on my forehead.
.When I recovered consciousness, it was to find my darlings lined up at the windows, making bets as to how soon I would "come to." The winner, hig-hly delighted. promised to take me t.o "tuck-shop" that night, as a reward for niy co-operation. The invitation was acidly declined , and thing-s came to a standRtill, with "councie" on the floor. and the girls surveying her with
rielight. Relief finally arrived when the rising whistle blew, and the girls Rcamnered away for morning "jerks". AR the exercises were followed by a morning dip, my tormentors found it necessarv to enter the cabin to change into bathing suits, but they were some- what unc:ertain as to how thev should JnoRt tactfullv auproach me. ·Silently, they again lined up at the windows. Now it was I who held the upper hand but my spirit had been completely broken, and I barely managed to quaver, althoug,h somewhat defiantly "I suppose you want to come in?"
Again I was slightly stunned when they nonchalantly agreed with "yeah, we guess so, if you don't mind."
Apparently my subdued air re- assured them, for one by one they filed in, and their restraint wearing off, soon they were familiarly clapping me on the back and calling me a "gooJ old thing."
During the course of breakfast my spirits rose when I realized my good fortune in having passed through my daily trial so early in the morning, since now the rest of the day would be comparatively safe. But I had over-
looked the animal spirits of my pro.. tegees, and the absence in their charac- ters of any insight whatsoever into the writhing soul of a fellow-creature in pam. To do them justice I must admit that they really believed that I was enjoying the fun as much as they, themseh:es, but little did they know that their cruelty led me to look long- ingly at tempting butcher knives as a means of ending my suffering. My slightly happy attitude was soon worn bare when in hand-craft hour, I was utilized as a bill-board, and carried around stwh crude invitations as "Kick me, please," and "Punch here." Need- less to say, the requests were responded to with extraordinary and rather un- necessary vigour. These tortures were further extended into recreation period when I seemed to be the target of the archers, and the butt of other brutal jol<es. Dinner was enlivened and ma.:l"
~till more enjoyable by the presence of a tack, which had been thoughtfully rlaced on my chair, by the alarming l1abit of havin.e; one's chair nulled out from bene~th when one was in the act of sitting, and hy a large amount of pepuer carefully scattered through my food. Several times I was assured that I was a "scream", and this assuranc?. was obviouslv intended to be considered i'S a ·compliment.
Tn order to escaPe the terrors of rest hour, T reCluested a private audi· r·nc~ with the head leader. ln hushed whispers I related mv tale of woe. and nrenared to hand in my resignation. 'hut I was reasRured of my importance to thP camp. and of the necessity of " leader such as I. to mould thP. girls' rh~r.,rters, a n d s l i g h t l y m o l l i f i e d , I decifled to ::;tir.k to my post, although under constant fire.
Of the further horrors of the day what can I write? Wearily the hours drar·e:ed by, bringing with them fresh r,.minder<; of mv horl-ible existence. ,P.wimmimr period, smmer. stnnt'l-all these :o~d<'led to my miserv. until finally when I "hit the hav," 1 did it literally, for my bed was filled with this sub- stance, as well as with other articles devised to make sleep impossible. This was the last straw. ·My perfect night- mare of a dav had made me desperate
and I disregarded all entreaties. Even at that late hour I packed all my be. longings which I could find (the majority were hidden-as a· joke) and departed. The remaineder of the sum- mel:' was spent in a rosy dream of ,dish-washing at a summer hotel.
Ruth Collins