The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1908-02-12
TheCaSe of
Miss Hartnett
BY MADELINE LEWIS.
; Copyrighted. 1905 by p. C. Eastment.
) OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES,

nj and refined school for girls to ar.
range for the attendance of his ward
Fanny Hartnett. aged seventeen, his
attention was called to the fact that
the school buildings were surrounded
by fence eleven feet high: also that
all windows above the first story were
frosted and lmpervious to masculine
gaze. Further. no pupil was allowed
outside the fence without chaperon
Miss Taylor. who had barely turned
forty-seven and carried the idea that
II was twenty-seven instead. then went
on to speak of the lectures she gave
every Wednesday night. of the care
taken to keep newspapers and novels
from her pupils of the early hours for
about the institution. except couple
of servants. was Professor Balch. who
had charge of the higher mathematics
and was an old bachelor of the most
incorruptible principles.
Then she had number Of questions
to ask about the young lady. and the
deacon had to admit that now and then
the latter giggled. she also chewed
gum. she had been caught reading
novels. she had had Il beau. and she
loved to 90 to circus.
I'm fact" said Miss Taylor. she Is
what you would call f1ip?"
Eyes. guess so. Not too flip. but
little Flip"
81 see. Well. while this is not re-
formatory. we do now and then take
In pupil In order to cure her of dip
pancy. The fee is little larger but
we warrant perfect cure"
The deacon was willing TO pay lit
tie more, and the financial end was
soon settled. A week later the new
pupil arrived Perhaps Miss Fanny
was flip. AT least. she was in good
health and spirits. inclined TO look on
the bright side. and she could sing
some and whistle more. In the village
where she had been brought up she
was considered something of n tom.
boy. but the phrase was not used 10
her detriment.
She was given to understand by Miss
Taylor what was what and sent TO her
dormitory She offered no protest or
argument. but from the way she set
her jaw and compressed her lips Miss
Taylor anticipated rebellion Mt no dis
tant date.
One OF her methods of compelling
the young ladies' to walk the chalk
line was quarterly reports. Every
three months each OF the girls was
called into the private lecture room
and her derelictlons announced to hel
and recorded on blank
1t depended upon that girl to make
immediate Improvement. or the report
would be mailed away to father OF
guardian. AS n matter OF fact. no re
port was ever mailed. as such action
might have resulted in financial loss &c
the school, but the threat had always
proved II very effective weapon.
1t came to be whispered about as the
regular quarter day drew nigh tina,
Miss Taylor had been saving up many
complaints against Miss Fanny and
that there must be many tears and
promises to keep a report from the
hands Of the deacon.
Much curiosity and consldera BILE anx.
iety We're felt. save by the delinquent
herself. She giggled and whistled and
bribed the grocer's boy to smuggle In
gum. and when the fatal day at length
arrived she went smiling to the sacri.
needles for three or four minutes to
let the scare strike I'm and then soberly
began
Miss Hartnett. I have received sew
eral complaints against you and have
grouped them under the term counts.
will read them to you:
"'Count l. That on the Sd of Sep
TENDER, two days after your arrival
here. you tried to tear a board OFF the
fence In order to look out. 1t is believ.
ed. but not absolutely proved, that
there was young man on the other
side of the fence at the time.
"'Count 9 That on the second week
of your arrival you made use of such
terms as "hnlly gee" come OFF," too
thin" etc.
"'Count 3. That on the third week
you were chewing gum and eating car
ames.
"'Count a. That while going to and
returning from the postoiIice In charge
OF Miss Lee you refused to cast your
eyes down or look In another direction
on meeting various old and young men.
"'Count .. That Oh certain night In
the fifth week of your arrival and
while you were supposed to be asleep
In bed you were as a matter of fact
sitting up in bed and singing about an
old darky whose name was Uncle Ned.
"'Count 6. That on one occasion you
mounted to the roof of your dormitory
by way of the stairs and scuttle and
waved your handkerchief ut some
young men playing baseball.
"'Count I. That 1t is believed. though
not proved, that an epistle of senti-
mental nathre was tied to stone and
thrown over the fence and that it was
meant for you. and you received It and
boosted that Uncle Sam didn't run all
the postoffices In the country There
are reasons for believing that on the
next night you threw letter over In
response.
"'Count s. That at various times
you have argued that there was moth
ing wicked about the circus or the the
ater and that you have said that you
pitied old maids: also that you have
giggied when my name and condition
in life have been discussed Further.
that you have said that you would b.
married before you we're twenty-one
Further, once more. that you have re.
ferred to Professor Balch as lopshoul
dered and squint eyed
There are the respective counts,
Miss Hartnett, just as they have been
prepared to 90 to your guardian. and
now you may tell me what you have
to say in offset-that Is. don't suppose
you have anything to say