This short story is an entry in the 2003 Soc.Sexuality.Spanking Summer Short Story Contest and is copyright by the author and commercial use is prohibited without permission. Personal/private copies are permitted only if complete including the copyright notice. The author would appreciate your comments
Category: Period
Southern Hospitality
By
Joe Whatever
Prudence Goody sipped her lemonade as she sat on the porch of the stately southern mansion. "It's good of you to see me, Corporal Justice". "Your Reconstruction Justice Tribunals have generated a great deal of interest up North".
"I'm surprised that word has reached Massachusetts", the black Union corporal replied. "But I'm flattered that your Abolitionist Newsletter would think my mission important enough to investigate the facts".
Corporal Justice sipped his lemonade and smiled. "And of course, I'm doubly gratified that they picked a young lady as lovely as yourself".
The blushing Prudence quickly began her questioning:
As the questioning proceeded Prudence could tell her host was growing irritated. Southern men had suffered enough during the war, he explained, and as an escaped slave he knew that Southern women had kept the plantation system running during the war. Of course the slaves were allowed to watch; humiliation was part of the punishment! And if the slaves took some liberties with their female owners, it was but a small taste of what white masters had enjoyed for generations.
Through the columns of the plantation Prudence could see the slaves gathering in front of the enormous oak tree in front of the house. One of the slaves was oiling a worn razor strap, while two others were carefully positioning a rope over the tree.
It was a hot day, but Prudence felt a ghastly chill run down her spine. Prudence had heard that the vengeful Corporal hung proud white women upside down by their dainty feet...naked for all to see!
Prudence swallowed, and nervously resumed her questions.
"I punish the guilty", Corporal Justice thundered. "And goody-goody Yankee abolitionists who preach of the horrors of the whip from the safety of the North are worse than the Southerners."
Prudence looked across the lawn and saw to her horror that the huge crowd of assembled slaves and black soldiers were staring directly at her.
A muscular slave with no shirt stood by the oak tree, grinning evilly at her as he impatiently tapped the razor strap against his beefy palm.
"If you will join me at the tree of justice, young lady", Corporal Justice said suavely, "we'll continue your lesson in Southern hospitality...."
The End
© Copyright Joe Whatever, 29 August 2003
Reviews
Ted <quixotoes(at)aol(dot)com>
Dialogue is more compelling than narrative, and this story proves the point. With a thin plot and a telegraphed ending, this story doesn't do a lot for me but it does achieve its purpose of re-creating a well known period in history. It just seems to have called for a twist at the end.
Mary <GemLadi(at)aol(dot)com>
This story was a little odd to read but it was cute in a way. the ending was a bit expected and it was more of a commentary than a plot but over all a cute read.
Kessily
I have mixed emotions about this piece. It has a delicious sense of unfairness when the abolitionist woman gets punished, though she hadn't done anything wrong. There is always that 'hot' feeling when it comes to unfair punishment. But in this case it made me feel like it was just wrong.
The ending was not anything like a surprise obviously, I didn't think it was really meant to be, but it meant the whole piece was predictable. An interesting read but not exactly captivating.