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rom grace。
The story of the forged check was fancifully embellished and ever more details were supplied at pleasure。 While this matter was under investigation Gertrude stayed away from home several nights； two of which have never been accounted for。 She told fairly plausible stories about going out of town； but she first should have studied time tables to make them wholly convincing。 The mother； too； told that the girl had been out of town； but in this she was caught； for it was found that Gertrude had been part of the time with other relatives。
The main story of the check involved a man who worked in the same office。 She stated that he made an immoral proposal to her on the basis of immunity from prosecution。 After a couple of months Gertrude got round to confessing that she alone was responsible for the entire forgery and that her previous quite clever stories were not true。 Her main confession was made in the form of a long letter written entirely aside from the influence of any one。 In this she also stated that she had stolen money and jewelry； which was known to have been taken。 There was no untrue self… accusation； except that she may have exaggerated her own tendency to falsify at a very early age。 Naturally； in such a case as this； even the latest confession must always be taken cum grano salis。
Passing from the above probably sufficient account of Gertrude's falsifications as we knew them； we can take up her mental life and traits。 We have had to rely on the girl herself； as we stated above； for many of these facts。 She was brought up in poor circumstances in a manufacturing town in England where there had been many labor troubles。 On two occasions when she was a child she had seen encounters on the street； and during one riot in their neighborhood her uncle was injured。 She was considerably frightened； but； so far as we could learn； this was the only time in her life that she experienced any fear。 Very early she found that stories told to frighten her were untrue； and what was said about the undesirability of certain children as playmates proved false when she came to know them。 She early discovered that for self…satisfaction she would have to live a mental life of her own。 There were many things which she could not discuss with her mother。 In early childhood she was a great reader of novels and spent many hours lying on the bed living an imaginary life。 She never discussed her ideas with any one。 Later she took to more serious reading； and of recent years she has assailed many of the world's greatest problems。 Particularly she tells of the influence of Tolstoi's ‘‘Kreutzer Sonata'' upon her。 During two years she has read it four times and it has convinced her of the shams of character and that people lead dual lives。
When she was about 9 or 10 years old she began talking with other girls about sex problems and up to the present time has never consulted any grown person about them。 Her first information of this kind was obtained from a crowd of girls who used successfully to lie to their teachers and mothers to get out of school work。 Going further into the question of this hidden knowledge of sex things； she tells us she has never worried much about the things she has heard； but she has wondered a great deal and they have often come up in her mind。 She pursued the course of asking many girls what they knew about this subject and then； getting unsatisfactory answers； picked up what she could from ordinary literature。 Gertrude maintains that all her dwelling upon sex affairs never aroused within her any specific desires。 （Gertrude is anything but a sensuous type and it may be that her statement in this respect is true。） When she went to work she fell in with girls who talked excessively about boys and sex affairs； but at this time she had a mental world of her own and so did not pay much attention to them。 Gertrude talked much to us of the possibility of her studying civil law； history； economics； and so onit is very clear that she has really dwelt on the possibility of being a student of serious subjects。
Very willingly this young woman entered into the problem of solving the genesis of her own tendencies。 She repeatedly said that she； of all things； wanted to break herself of this。 She maintains she can perceive no beginnings。 It seems to her as if she has always been that way。 She spoke at first of this crowd of girls who successfully lied to their parents and talked to her about sex things； and we are inclined to believe that this really may have been the beginning； but later she affirms this was not the beginning and that her lying began in earlier childhood。 All that she knows is that it has grown to be a habit and now ‘‘when I speak it comes right out。'' After she has told a lie she never thinks about it again one way or another。 Her conscience does not trouble her in the matter。 She does not tell lies for what she gets out of it； nor does it give her any particular pleasure to fool people。 She does not invent her stories； but at the time of talking to people she simply says untrue things without any thought beforehand and without any consideration afterward。 To one officer she flung the challenge； ‘‘Oh； I'm clever； you'll find that out。'' After months of effort and when it was clear that the girl for her own good must be given a course of training in an institution she quite acquiesced in the wisdom of such procedure； after a few hours' rebellion。
It has been noted by many that one of Gertrude's outstanding traits is her lack of emotion。 She never cries and only rarely does the semblance of a blush tinge her cheeks。 She neither loves nor hates strongly。 She seems remarkably calm under conditions where others storm。 She says she never is frightened； that she never worries； or is sorry。 She is well aware of her own ego； that she may be trespassing upon the rights of others never seems to enter her head。 Certain simulations of physical ailments； which at times she showed； we could only interpret as part of her general tendency to misrepresent。
Our summary of the causative factors in this case； made； unfortunately； partly on the basis of this unreliable girl's testimony； offers the following explanation of her remarkable tendencies：
（a） There was early development of an inner life which dealt vividly in imaginary situations。 This grew into a mental existence hidden entirely from the members of her family。
（b） There was early experience with successful lying on the part of others； and this as a main episode probably occurred at the time when the emotion natural to first knowledge of sex life was present。
（e） There was frequent experience with the falsifications which were her mother's frailty。
（d） For her lying there were no parental disciplines or corrections at any time； so far as we have been able to learn。
（e） The young woman shows unusually little emotion； and only sporadically demonstrates conscience。
（f） There is unquestionably marked habit formation in the case。
… Habit formation： Very strong。 Case 8。 Lack of parental correction。 Girl； age 17 years。 Early experience wi