The Waterbury Democrat., 1934-07-16
Ep YOUR
 CHILDREN
py OlMs Roberts Bareoo 2
ksSsS 5Inzz sEaNez' slE

q have some neighbors" writes mother, "wl1o make life very hard for our family.
 we have two boys and they have two girls.
 "Our boys are nice children. or at least we think they are, but you never can tell what boys are going to do next. And their girls are pretty touchy, I think.
 "It seems to me that they are always looking for trouble and they blame the boys for every- thing.
 "One day their Joan had on new white shoes and our Mark stamp ed in some gutter water when she was crossing the street and splash ed them all over with mud. He she had treated him decently and have laid down his coat for her to step on. That's the way he is. He would do anything for anybody, but if they're mean he'll get even every time.
 The Feud Is On "Her mother called me up and take dterribly. told her was sorry but if she would send the shoes over I would clean them.
 II made Mark go and get them. But when Joan opened the door she said, You mean little devil. Get out of here. I wouldn't trust my shoes in your house. You'd put in on them.
 "They had their lawn fixed with new ground and seeded and rolled flat. There were ropes al around. Mark stepped over the rope and walked right across 1t. It | had been raining and it was soft. He sank three inches at every step.
 s'That same afternoon, Corry, our youngest boy, passed Marty on the street and he gave a 'raspber- ry' as the youngsters call it. She ran after him and kicked him. I l don't blame her, but the truth is that our boys hate these girls be- cause the girls always make them | feel like dirt.
 And the girls aren't perfect. I know very well they picked some of our lilacs to take to their teach CTS. They have a hand ball that rolls over in my yard, too, and 1t hit the biggest peony bush and I DrOk6 QOWH dDOuI ildll IiO otSAAo' | all ready to bloom.
 "I think it's about even, but they tell the whole neighborhood | what terrible people we are. We | can't move because it's our own house.
 What would you do" You can't keep on apolog1zing forever and I don't think it neces- i sary. The accounts are about i even. But it often happens that chil- | dren don't get along when the par ents are not friends. Why?
 Don't you and your husband go to call, if possible, not with blood in your eye, but just to be neigh borly? Or if your husband won't go, go alone.
 Neighbors as Friends Sometimes you might try a small mixed party and ask the girls in. | Get the boys to put their hurt feel ings in storage and ask their CO., operation in being real cavaliers | to the girls for once. Girls are | funny that way. They pretend to | hate boys. But they are suscept- | ible to attention. Once they like a | boy they will take any impulsive | action as joke.
 It is hard to have to make the advance to people who seem so vindictive, but you will probably find them more friendly and hu- man than you think. The reason | for most neighborhood quarrels is strangeness. There is too little unity to-day among neighbors.. Then they grow suspicious and carry chips, But I doubt if they ever quite forgive you for that spoiled lawn. However, if any one said to me what Joan said to Mark. I'd have 'stomped' up that