about the size of a man's little finger. She bade me come
to her, in a voice so cold and stern it sent a thrill of
terror through my frame, and I trembled with the
apprehension of some impending evil. I had no idea that
she was about to punish me, for I was not aware that I
had done anything to deserve it; but her looks frightened
me, and I feared,--I know not what. She took hold of my
arm, and without saying a word, gave me ten or twelve
strokes over the head and shoulders with this miniature
cat-o'-nine-tails. Truly, with her, it was "a word and
a blow, and the blow came first." Wherever the strings
chanced to fall upon the bare flesh, they raised the
skin, as though a hot iron had been applied to it. In
some places they took off the skin entirely, and left
the flesh raw, and quivering with the stinging pain. I
could not think at first what I had done to deserve this
severe punishment, nor did she condescend to enlighten
me. But when I began to cry, and beg to go to my father,
she sternly bade me stop crying at once, for I could not
go to my father. I must stay there, she said, and learn
to remember all her commands and obey then. She then
taught me the following verse:

I am a little nun,
The sisters I will mind;
When I am pretty and learn,
Then they will use me kind.
I must not be so noisy
When I go about the house,
I'll close the doors so softly