Modern Screen (Jan-Dec 1960)

•co treatment and even when you lost diamond brooch there that Bob Neal i given you a couple of months before, a couldn't have been less concerned. heart too hurt to feel Behavior like this confuses us and the sole who love you as much as your .avior on the Paar show. 77 e know you are a devoted mother, t in one breath you say you value your Zdren more than any career and in the it you add, "But I'm so busy with my eer I won't be able to be with them as ch as I like." Ve know you are a devoted actress, hough you worked all day long on exior shooting for The Rat Race, you spent ir evenings at the Majestic Dance Hall, iking incognito as a dime-a-dance girl, you would be able to understand the i whom you are playing. Yet during t same week you allowed your acting get out of hand on the Paar show. You are aware of the rumors linking your name romantically with Glenn Ford; both you and Glenn have denied therri — but still they have continued. We can't look into your heart and find an answer. But we wonder if it isn't possible for you to have fallen in love with Glenn. We wonder if perhaps you aren't trying to hide or deny that love through your actions. And if you are — unless in some way you have been hurt again — why? We're not trying to preach to you, Debbie. Or to criticize you or knock you. But we are knocking the new kick you're on. The hard work and harder play kick that leaves no time for real living or loving. Come off it, Debbie. Cool down. How can you 7tot want love. And how can you imagine that being true to yourself will stop you from getting it? end Debbie's latest films are The Gazebo, MGM. and The Rat Race. Paramount. ome for Christmas zntinued from page 34) In a way," said Bette, "even though he s a few days early with this particular •sent." .he turned towards the door. Gary," she said, " — all right." iarbara's eyes widened as she saw ry Merrill, her stepfather, walk into the m. Daddy," Barbara shouted, gleefully, en she saw what he was cradling in his is, "you've brought me a baby!" A little girl," said Gary. He approached bed. "And just for you." Oh Daddy — oh Mommy," Barbara cried she looked down at the wide-eyed int. "Oh she's so beautiful . . . and pink . and wonderful!" She looked up again. dw old is she?" she asked, excitedly. Exactly a year," said Gary. And what's her name?" Margot." And can I hold her, please, please?" -bara asked. ler mother took the baby from Gary's is and placed her in Barbara's. Careful now, she's so tiny," Bette said. I know," said Barbara. She made a ny little-girl's face. The baby gurgled. ie likes me," Barbara squealed. "She r.vs me already, and she likes me . . . Daddy. Mommy. Can she stay with us long, forever?" pf course she can," Bette said, nodding sitting down alongside Barbara, irgot's your new sister, sweetheart, sir daddy and I just got her from an hanage, a place where little babies hout any parents have to live until pie come along and take them home h them, as we have done, tonight." ■^nd she will stay?" Barbara asked. She'll stay," Bette went on, "as long you remember you must always love and help take care of her and protect and do all those things good big sisters for their little sisters — as long as you '.ember that she is one of us, from this nent on, one of our very own family." She's my sister," Barbara said, emtically. Yes" said Bette. And I do love her," said Barbara. 3ood." And" — the girl giggled — "can she sleep nere, in this room with me?" -ater on," Bette said, "when she's jr. But for now" — she picked up the y — "Margot sleeps in your old nursery, . our crib, which is where she's going it now. to sleep . . . And that is some thing you're due for, young lady, and right now, too." "Okay," Barbara said, " — excepting for one thing. I've got to say my prayers all over again now. Because I left out one thing before. All right?" Without waiting for an answer, she jumped out of the bed, kneeled, closed her eyes, and said, quickly: Thank You for the world so sweet. Thank You for the food we eat. Thank You for the birds that sing. Thank You, God, for everything — especially for my new little sister. She paused. Then: Oh yes — And I'd like You to know, just to show You how glad I am, that when Christmas comes I'm going to give her all my presents. Thank You, God. Amen. . . . The terrible things about Margot Barbara was crying this day two years later, as she stood outside the neighbor's house. She couldn't wait for her mother's car to come and pick her up. And when it did come, and she had climbed inside, she cried even more. "What's the matter — is this the way birthday parties affect you all of a sudden?" Bette asked, puzzled, trying lamely to make a joke. Barbara shook her head. "I want to go home," she sobbed. "What happened?" Bette asked, taking her daughter's hand. For a moment, Barbara was silent. And then, looking down, she said, "It was terrible, Mommy, the things some of those girls were saying . . . about Margot." Bette took a deep breath. "And what did they say, Beedee?" she asked. "That Margot's sick," Barbara said. She looked back up at Bette. "I was standing there and two of them came over to me and one of them said, 'How's your adopted brother and sister — the boy your parents just adopted and the girl they adopted that time? And I said, "Their names are Woody and Margot and we don't call them "adopted" like that in our house.' And the girl said, 'Don't get so smart, Barbara; it just so happens they are adopted.' And then she said, 'Anyway, I just wanted to find out if your sister is still sick.' I said that Margot was never sick. And they laughed. They said they'd heard their own mothers say that she is, that Margot walks funny, always falling and walking into things, that she doesn't talk right yet like she should — that she's sick. And one of the girls said her mother was to our house once and that she saw Margot sitting on the floor for an hour, holding her teddy bear, not doing anything but just holding BIG NEWS! Grace Metalious' sensational new novel RETURN TO PEYTON PLACE Coming January 5th from Dell Books Only 50C Complete and Unabridged i RETURN i T04, PEYTON PLACE WATCH FOR IT! wherever pocketsize books are sold