The Waterbury Democrat., 1935-09-20
HE YOUR
 CHILDREN
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''It Is always so sweet to watch children" said the sentimental lady. They are so happy and care free. Oh, dear, to be a child again"
 Her companion said, Think so? You were lucky. wouldn't live my own childhood over for any money"
 ssWhy, l always thought you had it so lovely as a child, in fact all the rest of us envied you. There we were living down on funny lit- tie Ferguson street and"
 1T was the little rich girl on the hill, eh?"
 "Yes, in a way. We never sus- pected you were aipoor little rich girl"
 I wasn't either. Not in that sense. I was just youngster with a mortgage"
 "A mortgage"
 "Yes, didn't you ever carry a mortgage? No, I guess the kids in those happy little rented houses didn't know what mortgage was. We'll. did. was brought up on one. It's all they talked about. My father and mother and grandpar- ents who lived with us. Or we with them. I lay awake nights wondering if strange men would come and carry off my bed with me in it. l heard someone say they could sell you out. And Grandma used to worry about her garnets.
 Concealing Price of Clothes
 And by the way, now that we're back in the old home town and having this truth meeting. Ruth, I'd like to ask you if you had to lie about the price of your cIothes?"
 Lie? Of course not I only got Lacy's left-overs. Maybe some times I was little vague when asked where the new green Chat had been pink) dress came from, but"
 ".tll right, pretend you were happy, and maybe you were. I was always dressed well because both my parents and grandparents kept talking about a Corless having to keep up appearance, but l had to BhY LO lHdl my 5hotb only cost three dollars when they cost eight because we owed her father for painting the house and he was always threatening to sue. And ' used to say we had been to the farm for week when actu- ally my father and mother and I had been to the seashore. I had to keep my new dolls hidden from the cook because she was always being owed two months wages"
 Exaggerated Conditions
 Well, 1 declare, Clara, you are very candid. Are you sure you did not imagine things"
 Certainly I imagined things. l would like to see the child who wouldn't imagine more than the truth in that queer mess of con- tr.dictions. As 1t happened we were not such crooks as It seems. We were living on prospects, and after some years the molasses bus mess down south was settled and everybody was paid.
 "In the meantime I was sur rounded by all the conniving of my grownups. They thought l was a child and wouldn't suffer. They gave me dolls and new clothes and trips and the biggest Christ mas tree in town. But they didn t hesitate to talk in front of me. l never was happy as girl. But , perhaps you are right. There must be very happy children"
 The other was silent a moment.
 Then she said "I wonder. I was always afraid of people. I think l was forever trying to cover up my real self just as you had to cover up facts. think I could not have been too happy"
 '"The truth at last. Actually don't believe childhood one whit happier than maturity. Children suffer far more than people think"
 z Copyright 1885, NEA Service, Incl