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As a young child the parents never thought this girl in any way different from the rest of the family。 As she grew older she has been regarded as physically the most robust； but； as she stated to us； she has done the poorest intellectual work and that has often been a matter of family comment。 The other children are careful truth tellers。
The type of Janet's lying has been not only in the form of falsifications about matters which directly concerned herself； but also involved extensive manufacture of long stories； phantasies。 Meeting people she might give them extensive accounts of the wealth and importance of her own family。 She once spread the report that her sister was married and living in a fine home close by； giving many elaborate details of the new household。 Such stories naturally caused much family embarrassment。 Then she worked up an imaginary entertainment and gave invitations to her brothers and sister at the request of a pretended hostess。 Just before the event she； simulating the hostess； telephoned that an accident had taken place and the party would not be given。 An extremely delicate situation arose because she alleged a certain young man wanted to marry her。 The truth of her assertions in this matter never was investigated。 The parents felt it quite impossible to go to the young man about the facts on account of the danger of exposing their daughter。 They were long embarrassed by the extent to which she kept this affair going； but it finally was dropped without any social scandal occurring。 In this and other affairs the family situation was at times unbearable because of the possibility that there might be some truth underlying the girl's statements。 As the years went on Janet； of course； suffered from her loss of reputation； but still continued her practices of lying。 In the two years before she left home she worked as a clerk。 Previously she had held two or three situations and was reported to give good satisfaction in her work； but something would always come up about money matters； or other things； which would finally give rise to trouble。 It is not known that she ever really took any money except the last time when she ran away and took a considerable sum from her parents。
A period of extensive untruthfulness and deception occurred before she left home。 Janet represented to her parents that she was working at a certain place after she had left。 She got into some mix…up about money matters； the rights of which never were straightened out。 As usual； the affair was too complicated to be understood by anything short of a prolonged investigation。 After things had come to this pass and her parents hardly knew what to do with her； she took money from them and ran away。 She was readily traced because the ticket agent in her home town could give a description of her。 She had bought a ticket to an intermediate point and there stopped over night。 Her father followed her thus far。 It seems when she finally got to New York she hunted up the distant relatives who took her in and informed the mother。 The girl intended to earn her own living and soon found a good place。 She was always able to make a good presentation of herself； being a quiet and convincing conversationalist。
Out of the mess of lies surrounding her New York experience； it was finally found that she had met a young man in a boarding…house and had become infatuated with him。 He was an honest enough fellow； but fell in readily with her forwardness。 He took her to shows； and letters； intercepted by the mother； showed that between them there had been some premature love passages。 At that time Janet started making weekly payments on a gold watch to give to this young man at Christmas； a curious and quite unwarranted expenditure。 Perhaps this was the fact around which some of her fabrications at that time centered。 Perhaps it was this money which became now the amount she was paying to her father's pensioner； now what she had to send home to her mother； and； again； her payments upon an imaginary sewing machine。 In this affair； as at other times； the lying was extremely childish； inasmuch as the truth； through receipts found in her room； proved to be readily ascertainable。
A good example of the character of Janet's falsifications was the story about the death of her lover； told to us at our last interview with her when she had come to us with the specific purpose of trying to get herself straightened out once and for all。 She was not aware that her parents had given me any account of this young man； but she might well have supposed that I had inquired about him； or at least would inquire。 Only a few minutes previously she had told about her lying and given a very definite account of its beginnings which was much in accord with what her parents had said。 Mentioning her love affairs； she maintained that； unbeknown to her parents； she had been engaged to this man； but that he had proved to be a thief； stealing money and robbing the mails。 She started off on a story of how another young man was accused； but no evidence was forthcoming about him； and soon afterward her lover died。 Getting him safely buried for us； she was quite willing to go on to another topic。
The workings of Janet's mind in connection with her alterations of a story were sometimes most curious。 We were interested to study a long letter quite coherently written to her mother a few days before we saw the young woman； and about the time when she first told her long story to the department manager。 In the letter she spoke of the extraordinary opportunities she now had in this place of employment； exaggerating her salary to 14 a week。 She stated she had already had a raise； and could get work for other members of her family at good salaries。 She was about to start a bank account； and so on。 But instead of making any remittances to her mother （such as she asserted at one time） she requested her parents to send her 5 to tide her over。 We counted no less than nine definite falsehoods in this epistle。 We were keen to know if Janet could remember her own prevarications and so asked her if she could recall what she had written to her mother。 She trimmed her statements most curiously then； being aware we knew her salary to be 8 a week。 She said she had told her mother her salary was 10； but in answer to our reply； ‘‘Oh； you said more than that；'' she blurted out； ‘‘Well； I said 14。'' It was quite evident she remembered this； as well as certain other exaggerated statements and figures in the letter。
We were fortunate enough to be able to analyze out much of the genesis of this girl's career as a pathological liar。 After the immediate situation was somewhat cleared and Janet asserted she was anxious to make a new start in life； we began our inquiry into beginnings。 Janet showed willingness to enter into the question of her mental antecedents and tendencies which she maintained she heartily deplored。 To be sure we had evidence that even in her most sincere moments she was unable to refrain from occasional falsifying； but the main facts seemed self…evidently true； and some of them were corroborated at interviews with the parents。
After considering her own career with us for a time； she asserted that it now was clear to her just how and when she began lying。 As a child of about 12 years it seems she was wont to meet with a certain group of girls on a hillside and they indulged in many conversations about sex matters。 Evidently the circumstances surrounding this important introduction into affairs of sex life were indelibly impressed upon her mind。 She was there instructed not only in the general facts； but also in methods of self…gratification。 It is clear to her； she states； that it was exactly at this time that she first began deceiving her mother and telling lies。 She explains these tendencies as the result of a guilty conscience。 It comes out that the mother did not know this group of girls to be undesirable companions for Janet； but the latter's consciousness of their frailties always led her to state that she had been with other children when in reality she had been in this bad companionship。 Through dwelling on their teachings she began sex practices by herself； and in order to carry this out she had to indulge in other deceptions。 She remembers distinctly her willful repression of the facts； and states that the nervousness which she displayed for two or three years in her school work was undoubtedly due to this cause。 In fact； she thought so at the time； but persisted in deceiving her mother and her physician in regard to the matter。
Her mental repressions and conflicts did not begin； however； at this period。 By digging further into her memory Janet tells us about a girl in another town where they used to live； a girl who； when Janet was about 7 years old； wanted to show her about sex practices。 Janet knew this girl to be bad by general reputation； and ran away when this offer was made； but it was too latethe mental impress had been formed。 She thinks her mother would remember this girl。 The things which this bad girl started to tell came frequently up in Janet's mind and she wondered much about them。 No practices； however；