Radio mirror (July-Dec 1947)

minute that pony came into the stable, we've had nothing but trouble with Burke. Oh — he's just as well-behaved around the house and about most things as he always was, but — the boy's turning into a downright liar, Ed! Do you know — " Mrs. Gittleson interrupted. "Are you talking about Burke and Pinto, Henry? I'm glad. Maybe Mr. McConnell can help us." I could tell the matter was serious when the Gittlesons looked to someone else for advice. "You said he tells lies?" I prodded. "Yes. Burke insists that Pinto talks to him— that he and that pony carry on long conversations. Either the boy is deliberately lying to us or his mind has slipped over the borderline between fact and fancy — and I'm sure it's not that. He gets furious when we try to point out the pony can't talk. And if you're to believe Burke, that animal is a pretty bad character." Henry tried to laugh, but it was a feeble effort. . "How do you mean?" I asked. Mrs. Gittleson took up the story. "For instance, this morning. Burke told us, quite calmly, that Pinto said if I ever came near him in the stable, he'd bite me. And when I scolded Burke for saying that about his own mother, he repeated that he hadn't said it, Pinto did. I tried to make him admit he was angry with me because I wouldn't let him go next door and pick grapes, but he still insisted it was Pinto who didn't like me — not Burke." HENRY took up the story. "Pinto can fly. Pinto can swim. Pinto can — and does, so Burke says — run away every night and have wild adventures which we have to hear about next day. Until that horse came, Ed, our son was a loving, obedient and docile child — now he has Pinto saying things about us both that would curl your hair! And he seems to think now that he can make Pinto responsible for saying these things, he can get away with it. "Ed, I don't know what to do. The boy is turning into such a clever little liar!" I tried to explain to them, then, my theories about children and their imaginations. But it wasn't much use. I tried to show them that adults have either learned to adjust or else found a way of escape — in their day-dreams, where they win wars single-handed, tell off the boss, win the girl, are heroes or villains just as they choose. Children make the mistake of telling their day-dreams. Actually, I consider children to be the most ruthlessly honest individuals on earth. They will tell you, straight out, whether they like you or not. They haven't learned yet to be diplomats, hypocrites, tactful about their observations. And if a child trusts you he will tell you anything. " — and if a kid thinks you're on his side, all the time, Henry, he'll confide in you," I said. "Let him tell you his conversations with Pinto; it's a good way of finding out what's going on in his head. I've had kids tell me the biggest whoppers you ever heard and I encourage them to tell me clear through to the finish. If you don't act shocked, usually a kid will wind up by saying of his own accord that it's a made-up story. I've had them say to me — 'See, I fooled you, didn't I!' You'd be surprised what a kid reveals, that way, about himself and his ambitions and his resentments." The Gittlesons listened politely, but I when he catches you *a\\ cream'— don't scream... ^a^/t0^^^ THE BOX WITH THE BOW ON TOP ,..S3ySlT-T!WB © 1947. Sitroui Inc. BESTFQ 0 '^ FOR A WILLOWY WAIST Bestform's waist controller . . . side Talon girdle with vertical stretch back, featuring "swing back" elastic band for smooth midriff molding. At good stores everywhere. In nude — sizes 25 to 34. Style 546414 inch. 5^^ Style 5664-16inch. 6^° Style 586418 inch. 7^° BESTFORM GIRDLES • BRAS • A L L -i N 0 N E S R M 91