As Miss C. praised Emma’s re-mastery of basic functions Kirk too began feeling better about himself. His new life as a young woman was not so bad, he thought. It was getting harder to remember his old life.

TWINS by Marie Part 7 Emma.2
by Marie C.

Linda’s bedroom, a guest room in Emma’s time, would be converted to an upstairs parlor and storage space for the duration of the girls’ training. Emma was, ironically, given Kirk ’s old room. As she unpacked her few belongings and changed clothes she stopped to look at herself nude in the full length mirror. Kirk was spellbound as Emma lazily ran her fingers through her waist length hair, touched her breasts, felt the firm curves of her waist, hips and legs and lightly brushed the sensitive place between her legs. Emma liked what she saw. “All grown up” as mama said. Exploring herself like this was naughty she knew but it was one of her favorite private activities. She was proud of her body and now of her good fortune.

In 1908 Emma’s figure was “voluptuous.” She had full, firm breasts, a narrow waist and solid hips. Had she lived in Paris she could have been a model for the firm-bodied young women depicted in the art nouveau posters of Alphonse Mucha. If she lived a century later she would fret if she came late to a session of Weight Watchers.

Trapped inside Emma Kirk experienced a fully-developed girl’s body in ways he never would as a boy. Emma’s emotions of womanly pride and girlish pleasure warred with his father’s concept of macho masculinity. Kirk felt more confused and frightened than ever. He desperately wanted out and still couldn’t leave.

Emma sensed Kirk’s protests as she would many times. She couldn’t explain them and over the weeks would learn to ignore them. Besides she had a grand-aunt who said she heard voices. Maybe it runs in the family, she wondered. At any rate she looked forward to her new opportunity and was determined not to let anything like funny, squeaky voices interfere.

Miss Carradine arrived two days later promptly at noon. Without fanfare she took up residence in the back bedroom occupied by Sandy a century later. Emma was instructed to report upstairs at seven a.m. the next day in her best shirtwaist and dark skirt.

As she put on her only rather threadbare outfit Emma felt nervous and excited. “Well, here I go,” she murmured. Trembling inside she knocked on the door. She was determined to do her best nagged as she was by a sense of having little to offer.

Miss Carradine looked formidable in her gray upswept pompadour. She was tall and rigidly erect. Her long-sleeved frock was dark, relieved only by a high lace collar and single cameo. Her expression was stern as though smiling was difficult. Emma wondered if her corset hurt.

The woman explained that Emma would need all new clothes to carry out her new duties and deftly took her measurements. “You have a fine young woman’s figure, Emma. In time you will make an excellent wife and mother.” Kirk became alarmed at references to “wife and mother.” “I’m a boy,” he wailed into the neurons of Emma’s brain. She vaguely heard Kirk’s voiceless protests which sounded far away. So she closed her eyes, clenched her fists and willed them to stop, which they did.

Miss Carradine noticed Emma’s momentary rigidity but put it down to the girl’s anxiety. She went on. “Your measurements will be posted to the couturiers and new garments will come in two weeks. In the meantime your curriculum will consist of deportment, diction, reading, handwriting and sums.” Unexpectedly she snapped “Please stand in front of the mirror with your hands together behind your back, now!”

The woman paced around Emma with a critical eye using both hands to pull Emma’s shoulders back and push her stomach in. “Now hold that position, look yourself in the eye and say ‘I am a handsome, competent young woman,’ then curtsy.”

Kirk continued his silent protest, “No, I won’t, I’m not a girl.” This time he had some effect on Emma because she faltered, recovered, repeated the sentence in a quavering voice and curtsied in a lopsided manner. It was hard for Emma to look herself in the eye anyway. She never thought she was attractive except maybe during her secret mirror sessions. Mostly she saw herself as a plain girl doomed to a life of cleaning up after others.

The woman interpreted Emma’s hesitation as normal for a country girl and not someone who might be hearing voices. “As I suspected, you need practice. Keep your back straight and repeat the exercise.” Kirk found himself as part of Emma unwillingly duplicating the phrase and movements which ended only after fifty repetitions.

During the entire session Miss Carradine tapped her cane in time to Emma’s speech like a metronome frequently interrupting her with a sharp word about this or that detail. By the last curtsey neither Kirk or Emma hesitated. Miss Carradine had begun the process that would permanently change Emma’s self-image and, unknowingly, Kirk’s. Emma’s training in walking, sitting and moving gracefully proceeded forthwith.

Schooling began each morning at 5:30. Miss Carradine literally stood over Emma as she went through each step of getting ready for the day. Kirk found himself awakened personally by Miss C, led to a dresser with water pitcher and bowl (cold water!) and instructed how to scrub with wash cloth and towel. He learned how to put Emma’s hair up in the large pompadour popular in her time, get dressed, prepare for bed at night and organize a skin and hair care regimen as though Emma had never done any such thing.

Three times a week Kirk as Emma was taken in her dressing gown and instructed how to bathe properly. All through the bath Miss C. stared down at Kirk as he sat in the bath and learned how to wash himself as Emma. It was embarrassing and frightening but Miss Carradine always kept to the task at hand until Emma had it right, no more, no less.

In separate sessions Abigail was subjected to Miss Carradine’s ministrations and the two girls sometimes commiserated in secret which was not often since Miss Carradine was always nearby. Both were taught how to use the newly installed water closet so that garments were not soiled or wet in the process of elimination. Once again Miss Carradine rode herd over Emma like she was a two-year old while she sat on the stool and Kirk learned how girls go to the bathroom in a proper manner.

Emma was a quick learner and to her relief Miss Carradine’s supervision was reduced to spot checks and eventually none at all. As Miss C. praised Emma’s re-mastery of basic functions Kirk too began feeling better about himself. His new life as a young woman was not so bad, he thought. It was getting harder to remember his old life.

The women of 1908 did not use makeup which made some things easier. However skin oils, light powder and eyebrow shaping were common. Kirk painfully learned to pluck eyebrows, scrub hands, elbows and knees with a stiff brush, trim, file Emma’s nails to fine ovals and laboriously stroke her hair one hundred times a night regardless of how well or badly the day had gone.

In time Emma’s hair grew even longer and more lush. Her body lost the fat and coarseness acquired as a scullery maid. His, no her, skin glowed and her hands became delicate and elongated. Slowly Kirk changed into a willing participant in Emma’s secret self-admiration sessions. Emma’s body was his body, his bony boy’s frame now in the dim past.

Women’s wear was more complicated than it would be a hundred years later. Kirk found that he first had to pull a chemise over Emma’s bare bosom. ( Inwardly he reddened as Emma’s hands brushed the sensitive parts.) Then to Emma’s (and Kirk’s) dismay a corset followed with Miss Carradine wrapping and cinching until Emma was in tears.

“It’s what you must do to be a lady,” declared Miss Carradine. Kirk’s protests over the corset caused Emma to flinch and interrupt the lacing. (Interruptions, deliberate or involuntary, elicited five swats with Miss C’s cane.) Emma could hardly breathe as she rolled stockings up her legs and attached them to elastic suspenders. Kirk was in agony as he stepped into a pair of linen knee-length drawers which required bending over to tie at the top and bottoms with drawstrings. Underwear was complete when Kirk pulled a nainsook camisole over the corset.

A pair of black high-laced shoes with small heels came next (another misery requiring him/her to bend over), then petticoats of which there would be four. Outer wear included a delicately pleated long sleeved white shirtwaist and a wool skirt, nearly floor length. Emma didn’t see how she could walk and Kirk felt like a wrapped mummy. However both personalities were acutely aware that protest brought punishments worse than any discomfort rendered by their wardrobe.

The arrival of new clothes brought a repetition of all earlier lessons. This time Kirk learned how to walk and sit tightly corseted, back and forth, back and forth, then the same with books on Emma’s head, placement of hands on hips and the graceful movement of arms, all ably accomplished under threat of the cane.

Diction lessons emphasized the enunciation of each word using broad vowels, the deletion of common-sounding nasals and elimination of awkward facial and hand expressions. Kirk was drilled daily to substitute graceful, feminine hand and body movements for the large muscle activity Emma needed to wash and hang out wet clothes.

As instruction proceeded Miss C’s use of the cane intensified. Every mistake, no matter how insignificant was punished by at least one swat. When Emma dropped a practice tray scattering dishes all over the floor Miss Carradine ordered her to bend over the table, lift her skirt, petticoats and drop her drawers. She proceeded to give the girl ten swats on her bare bottom. Afterward Emma/Kirk was required to wipe her eyes, adjust her skirts, thank Miss Carradine and curtsey. Emma was further instructed to stop whatever she was doing and cooperate in punishment whenever ordered to do so. As Kirk and Emma soon found out Miss Carradine’s cane was ten times worse than Mrs. Blair’s switch.

Reader, please remember that Kirk was just an undersized boy about the same age as Emma with an unformed outlook on life and unwillingly snatched from familiar surroundings. What little resistance he could muster rapidly broke down under Miss Carradine’s relentless demands until the time came when there was none.

For Emma the training was less onerous although just as uncomfortable. Contrary to Kirk’s view she knew that Miss Carradine’s lessons were her only way out of a life of drudgery. As she became more determined she became skilled at mentally suppressing Kirk ’s protests, still having no explanation for them. What emerged from all this was a double female personality with Emma dominant.

Exercises in reading and sums went easily because Kirk was already proficient. It turned out that when Emma became confused or was confronted with something as alien as reading or math the part of her that was Kirk took over. Miss Carradine was pleased and impressed with Emma’s academic performance - and mystified. She knew the girl had no formal education save what her mother and sisters could pass on. When asked how she do all these things Emma had no answer. Reading and doing sums were just there, although she vaguely remembered a time when she couldn’t. As a practical matter Miss Carradine let the mystery drop.

Emma’s determination and unlikely skills piqued Miss C’s interest and she resolved to provide extra opportunities for the girl wherever possible. Like Mrs. Blair she had become fond of the girl, one of the few times in her career she ever allowed herself an emotional attachment to a pupil.

So, at the end of three months Emma was surprised to hear Miss Carradine announce, “I am very pleased with your progress Emma, and have therefore arranged for you to spend two months in San Francisco at one of the city’s leading couturiers. There you shall learn fashions, their management and values. I have contacted my old colleague, Madame Constance LaFarge, who has agreed to take you on. Unfortunately I need more time with Miss Abigail than I anticipated.” In a gesture entirely out of character she rolled her eyes in exasperation.

She concluded with “Emma, you are now ready to work on your own.” For the first time ever she gave the girl a hug, a peck on the cheek and actually smiled. Emma didn’t know what was a couturier.