Page:The Girl Who Earns Her Own Living (1909).djvu/63

 sonage gave a quick glance at the bed and remarked:

"Why, really, it looks as if some one had been sitting on that bed."

"Yes, Miss Blank," replied Miss Innocence, "I have."

"Never do it again. Once a bed is made up, nothing should be laid on it, not even a handkerchief."

Do you begin to understand that the régime is not cruel, but strict? Little blunders might cost a human life. There must be no such word as "forget" in your vocabulary. Neither must you ever say "Why?" Just do as you are told. You are not there to improve the system of the management. It has been all tried out, perhaps before you were born. For the time being you are a nonentity, whose sole duty is to obey implicitly, unquestioningly.

Every one is watching you. You are surrounded by spies who study your every movement. They will notice the lace stock that ought to be plain linen, and the raveling from your petticoat that should never have found its way to a hospital training-school. They will peer into your bureau drawers merely to see in what order you keep your personal belongings, and some one will go into your room every morning to make sure that you tidied it perfectly before going to breakfast or on duty.