The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1941-08-07
THE TRUTH ABOUT
THE LIE
FRANCES DUNLAP HERON

Its happened!" Edna Preston
sighed, as she sank into chair in AL
thea Gibbons kitchen.
"What's happened?" Althea asked
in surprise.
Junior just told his first lie! He
came in with that pink-nowered sun
suit in shreds. Said he caught it on
nail. But it wasn't torn-it was cut
up with scissors!''
isn't that the sunsuit you made
him out of goods left from your
Dress"
eyes, he hasn't liked it very well
but"
edna, I've heard the children teas
ing him about it-calling him Mama s
baby'-and | guess he couldn't stand
it any longer"
"But | didn't think Junior would
ever tell me an untruth! l won't be
able to depend on him any more!"
Don't say that! Talk it over with
him quietly. Show him that there is
right and wrong way to meet a
difficulty. Tell him cutting up the
suit was the wrong way. That
brought new trouble. The way he
tried to get out of that was very
serious mistake indeed. Destroying
the suit was not nearly so unfortunate
as allowing confidence in his word to
be placed in danger of being destroy
ed. But don't fail to leave with him
the assurance that you still trust
him, that you believe he will not make
that mistake again. Then let the
matter drop"
"And not make him wear any more
pink suits?"
81 wouldn't. Adults often don't
realize how sensitive children are
about teasing. Many can't stand be-
ing laughed at, so frequently they tell
stories, steal and do other unethical
things to avoid it. Most youngsters
can naturally take it, | couldn't
and | was not taught how That's
why my sympathies are with Junior
now. l remember one incident that
made me unhappy for years and
well, it's been hard work to forgive
my parents. Want to hear it ?"
Edna nodded.
"When | was about eight, the young
folks in our little country church met
one evening to practice a Christmas
program. Lucille Farmers father was
to come after her and me in his
wagon. ! lived less than a quarter of
mile off the road on which they
lived, so Mother told me that unless
Mr.. Farmer insisted on bringing me
all the way home, | was to get out at
the crossroads and walk. 1t was
quite safe.
"On our way home one of the boys
Tommy Garrett, about fourteen, rode
his horse at the side of the wagon. AT
the crossroads, Mr.. Farmer asked
Tommy to take me the rest of the
way Reluctantly, | climbed up be,
hind Tommy on the horse. When
entered the house, Mother asked how
| got home from the corner and
said, 4 walked | was extremely shy
regarding boys, and l couldn't bear to
be joked about them. And since
Mother was great tease, | was sure
that if she knew about my riding will
Tommy, she would laugh and jest
about it.
81 paid dearly A few days late1
Mr. Farmer said something to Dao
about Tommy's bringing me home. O1
course, he and Mother were filled with
righteous indignation against me.
tried to explain why | had told thai
untruth, but my reason, of course, was
no justification. To them, a lie was Z
lie, and | had sinned.
at was many long day before my
parents would trust my word. 'Yol
know how she deceived US abou
Tommy Garrett they would say unit
! thought | should die of shame
Once, in very important family af
fair, they took the word of an ole
servant whom they knew had become
increasingly forgetful instead o
mine, though | had told the truth. II
fact, the story about Tommy is the
only real lie | recall telling during my
, whole childhood"
"Your family's attitude was enough
to have made you an habitual liar"
exclaimed Edna.
parents today have the opportuni
ty to be better informed and to un
derstand their youngsters. | wish
could tell all Of them to trust theil
children!"
"You've helped one mother learr
about pink sunsuits anywayw Edna
assured Althea as she started home.