ARIES, the Ram
March 21st through April 20th
The ARIES Man
He said, "I go my ways
And when I find a mountain-nil
I set it in a blaze ..."
"So either way
I'll get into the garden,
and I don't care what happens."
That creature over there making a phone call-is it an electrically charged dynamo? Is it a flaming torch? is it a bird, an explosion-or is it Superman? Well, practically. It's an Aries male, which is pretty close. Let's hope you know what you're looking for. Should it be excitement, an Aries man will provide it by the bushel, with seldom a dull moment to blur the sparkle. But if you're looking for the security and contentment of a soothing love, you're in the wrong telephone booth.
Aries can overwhelm you with passionate ardor one mintue, and be as icy as a polar bear the next. Insult him or lose his interest-either or both-and that warm, impulsive Mars nature will freeze instantly. To ignite it again may mean starting all over from Act One, Scene One.
Aries men are fairly bursting with ideas and creative energy. Keeping up with him may be tiring, but keep up you'd better. At least mentally. Aries has a way of leaving the snails behind and not glancing back. He'll probably look and act younger than springtime, which is all very delightful, but his youthful aura may carry over into his mental and emotional attitudes until he's matured, which won't be early in life. The Aries man is impatient with slow pokes, bold and confident, always ahead of others, and sometimes ahead of himself as well. He can be the soul of generosity, giving his time, money, sympathy and possessions by the carload cheerfully to strangers. But he can also be exasperatingly intolerant, thoughtless, selfish and demanding, when his desires are delayed, or he's forced to be around negative people.
When it comes to love, his heedless attitude is absolutely amazing. He'll plunge into an affair, positive that this is the only true love ever known by any two people ever born, with the possible exception of Romeo and Juliet. When it breaks in half, hell pick up the pieces, and try every angle he can think of to salvage the dead romance. If it's beyond repair, hell start all over again with a new Juliet, and it will be like the very first time. No matter how many romantic mistakes he makes, the ram is sure his true love or soul mate is just around the next dream. Unless you're a Scorpio female, the Aries man is as passionate as any woman could ask. There's little left to desire. He's so idealistic and susceptible to sentiment, he'll squeeze all the tingles, sighs, ectasies and poetry it's possible to squeeze out of a relationship. Aries isn't capable of going halfway. He gives all of himself to the burning interest of the moment.
You may be involved with one of the quieter sheep. Don't let him fool you. He's still ruled by Mars. He doesn't talk much right away? He's not openly exuberant and pushy? Yes, I know one, too. But take my word for it, if you could see inside that hard head, you would discover that his brain is spinning at approximately two hundred revolutions per second. Any time you meet this kind, one who doesn't at first appear to have the typical Mars drive, check the present record of the business he's conducting. You'll soon be convinced you're dealing with an Aries. Then ask his ex-girl friends. They'll probably answer with a giggle. "Him? Bashful? Timid? You must mean someone else." After a while, you should begin to get the picture. That quiet demeanor is a mask for a fiery heart and a tough business drive. Naturally, it's easier when you're in love with a plain, simple ram, who makes it obvious just how enthusiastic he is about everything from potato chips to moonlight and motor trips.
No other Sun sign can be so scrupulously faithful as Aries when he's really in love for keeps. His honesty will usually keep him from fooling you, and his idealism will keep him from wanting to. Promiscuity or even light flirtations are not an Arien habit, no matter what the books tell you. Not when he's deeply involved with all his heart. He's looking for a storybook romance, and storybook romances never include a casual attitude toward love and sex. Those other girls were B.Y.C.A. (before you came along). In fact, I know one Aries who frequently precedes discussions of yesterday with his current flame with, "That wasB.U." (before us).
Of course, you must keep alert to future possibilities, because as sincere as he is in his present devotion and promises of complete loyalty (which are undoubtedly abso-lutely true), his need for romance is so strong that he's capable of looking elsewhere if you don't keep his illusions alive constantly. The minute you let your mutual love lose its storybook flavor, he may wander off .the steady path. In case you're not sure, storybook love, to him, does not include going to dreamland at night with a female who has Vicks salve on her chest to clear up her cough. It also does not include watching your intimate personal toilette, such as polishing your nails, whitening your teeth, brightening your hair with "blondes have more fun" bleach, peeling your sunburn, filing your nails or fighting with your mother for hours on the phone. Somehow, in his mind, this is not the way storybook princesses behave. And goodness knows, Juliet would never have sat with her feet up, chewing taffy and watching TV. Wear your perfume when he's around, and giggle with your girl friends when he's not. He finds it difficult to visualize himself as Prince Charming when he kisses you awake and you either snore, or shout unpleasantly, "For gosh sakes, let me sleep, will you?" Now, really, is that the way Sleeping Beauty would have acted when she woke up? Be prepared to greet him dewy-eyed and breathless each morning, fresh from your dreams, thrilled to find his handsome face so near. And let him know it.
Aries males whose sweethearts neglect romance are heartbroken at first. Then they become angry. Then they go looking for a princess who doesn't snore and things like that. This isn't dishonest as far as he's concerned. He didn't break a promise. You did. You made him think you were a lovely nightingale, singing in the moonlight, like it says in his favorite song. Now he finds out you're a chattering squirrel or a nagging blue jay and the jolt rouses " him from his heavenly world of angelic choirs and bells ringing every time he touches your hand. How can bells ring when your hands are always full of dirty ashtrays, and how can he hear choirs when you're screaming at him that he stayed out until after midnight for two nights in a row? (Which he did, of course, but who are you to think you can dictate his every move? Marriage is not a prison, and you are not his warden-that's his attitude.)
If you leam how to open your eyes and look at him mistily and all the rest of it, he'll stay with you happily, and ignore every female on earth for you. The ram is highly unlikely to commit himself physically to more than one woman at a time (unless there's a Gemini ascendant or some Venus affliction in his natal chart). It just wouldn't fit his image of one true and lasting love. The decision to break off the old will always be made before becoming too deeply involved with the new. You'll have plenty of warning. An Aries man can rarely pretend a passion he doesn't feel. This alone prevents any undue amount of deception. Besides, now you know how to keep him inside the pages of that storybook.
Just don't be dull, negative or overly timid. To hold him, you'll have to be a combination of Grace Kelly, Ursula Andress, Marie Dressier, Madame Curie and Queen Victoria, with a little bit of Clare Boothe Luce thrown in. No one princess will ever satisfy his image of the ideal. It's quite a trick to convince him you're superior to all other females, but it will keep him spotlessly faithful, if you can swing it. It's really worth a try, because, if the Aries plunge into romance is headlong, his race out of it is equally reckless. He's both an idealist and an egotist, which means he hates to admit he's wrong, or that the love he chose could die. Still, always remember that he's capable of finding situations unbearable that others would consider par for the course. After a separation, if you catch him in the right mood, you can fire his romance all over again, if you act as if there had never been any previous intimacy. You'll have to play hard to get, because he loves a challenge. To make it easier to forgive him, if trouble ever arises, remember that any straying was due to a sudden impulse after his nightingale stopped singing in the moonlight, not to a deliberate seeking of casual variety. Adultery is actually distasteful to his honest nature. Don't fret about the future. You have the magic key to his heart. Lock it.
If you have any ideas about playing games with him by flirting-drop them. Your first indiscretion will probably be your last. You can lose him with just a whisper or an intimate look at another man, let alone any actual infidelity.
He insists on being first in everything, and you can bet your old pressed gardenia this includes being first in your heart. Aries is possessive and jealous in the extreme. Only a Leo male can get wilder at the thought of a transgression on the part of his beloved. To make it worse, the ram will never give you the blind faith he expects you to give him in such matters. You’ll simply have to understand that his animated conversations with other women are innocent, because he'll demand all the freedom of social contact he denies to you, and then some. Your Mars lover will glue you to a pedestal, and expect you to stay there. Don't move a single toe. Don't even look as if you want to.
The Aries male is a natural rebel. He loves to defy authority and he thinks he was born smarter than anyone else. Perhaps he was, but most people don't relish being told so. Thanks to his rash way of pushing his superiority, he's liable to fall flat on his face more than once. Because of his need to lead and refusal to follow, those in more powerful positions will teach him frequent lessons in humility. At these times, you're way ahead, because he'll run to you for comfort and assurance when his ego is bruised. Then you'll leam that, beneath his self-confident, aggressive front, lies an inferiority complex he'd rather die than admit having. The woman who handles his shattered confidence with gentle and total devotion has the best chance of keeping his heart permanently. Never make the mistake of agreeing with his momentary enemy, or trying to be fair and seeing the other side of the controversy. You must love what he loves and hate what he hates. He demands the same fierce and unquestioning loyalty that he gives, in both love and friendship. It's his code. Unless you honor it, find another man.
There are no subtle tricks in the Aries nature. It's not at all hard to recognize when a Mars man is finished with a relationship. The ice and boredom in his voice and manner will be unmistakable, and will usually be accompanied by a frank statement that makes it crystal clear. On the other hand, an explosive flame of scorching anger is less serious, signifying that his displeasure is probably just a passing mood, and the romance can be saved. You have more reason to fear his ice than his fire.
Aries males don't like games. Hell be direct in all his approaches. And that means in romance, as well as in business. He won't waste a second, once the love has been recognized, but be sure to let him be the one to recognize it. Don't chase him, phone him frequently, get starry-eyed or declare your feelings until you're absolutely sure the passion is mutual. The quickest way to lose him is to make the first advance. He must be the leader here, as elsewhere. If you don't allow him to be, he can lose interest so fast it can astonish you and crush you at the same time. Once you're each firmly committed, however, don't be too cool and casual, or he'll seek attention somewhere else. Love with an Aries man is like walking a tightrope between warm interest and aloof detachment. You practically have to be a trapeze artist. Don't run after him. Don't run away from him, either. Stick a penny in your shoe, carry a four-leaf clover and wish on a star. That will get you as far as any normal, methodical strategy. Maybe farther. You have to keep him guessing, even after you're his. At the same time, he needs the assurance that your love is always there. Learn to live with it-or learn to live without an Aries.
On the plus side, although your Aries lover will insist on being first in the relationship, he'll also be the first to say he's sorry after a quarrel, and the first to be there when you need him. He'll be right by your side when you're ill or unhappy. He'll spend money on you freely and willingly (if he's a typical son of Mars). He'll compliment your appearance, appreciate your talents and be a stimulating mental companion. Although he can be bossy and lose his temper over a trifle, he'll seldom let the sun go down on his anger before making up. You may be the most important thing in his life, but he'll expect you to know that, and wait for affection and attention when he's all excited by some new idea which is consuming his interest. He wants to be your whole world, but unlike other men, he'll let you share his world, if you're his equal.
The Aries male will expect his lady fair to be ultra-feminine and a tomboy at the same time. He wants you to be completely independent, yet willing to stay a few paces behind him. He'll expect you to praise him and be devoted to him, but never play the role of humble slavey. Are you still with me? Good. Brave girl. There's more to come. He's capable of saying bitterly cruel and sarcastic things to you when his ego has been wounded, things he won't mean at all, but which may break your heart if you don't understand him. Then he'll expect you to forgive and forget as readily as he does. You'll have to like all his friends, while he reserves the right to be bored by yours. Well, you wanted a man, didn't you? You've sure got one in your Aries mate. If you're a real woman, your love affair can be the envy of everyone in town, just like Romeo and Juliet (without the tragedy, of course).
Once you've married him, the Aries male will dominate the home or leave it. He won't stand for being nagged in public or private, especially about bow he spends his lettuce. He earned it, didn't he? It's his money, isn't it? (Sometimes that possessive pronoun can stretch to include the money you earn, too.) He may not balance the budget too well-and I'm being kind to put it so tactfully-but don't take it over yourself, even if you made straight A's in math. Never question his financial affairs. It's essential that he control the purse-strings all the way. He'll be generous with his cash, if he's a typical Arien, and give you whatever you need. You can have that cobra skin handbag after he's bought that alligator brief case, if there's anything left over. (He may be a little selfish, but he's never stingy.)
Though the ram may change jobs frequently until he becomes his own boss, he won't let you starve. He'll find a way to keep the dollars flowing in, even though they may flow out again just as fast. Better save a few quarters in the blue china pig and surprise him with it when he needs it most, because he's not likely to salt away much of his earnings himself (unless he has a hidden asset, like the Moon in Capricorn or Cancer, or an ascendant which dictates economy).
Each new baby will find him behaving like the devoted, proud papa of your dreams. Later, he may be a little bossy with the children, and try to dictate their careers. He'll be a warm and wonderful fun daddy, but he might have to be reminded that the youngsters need independence as much as he does. Fatherhood is definitely a role he'll enjoy. Baseball, talks about the birds and bees, football, father-daughter dinners, the whole works. Just don't let him think little Herman or Henrietta is more important to you than he is, however, or his enjoyment of the role may cool considerably.
Go ahead and continue your career after marriage if you like. He probably won't resent it, as long as you don't outshine him. It's easier for him to forgive instant suppers or quick-frozen kumquats than to forgive your lack of faith in his ideas. That's important to remember.
Encourage his independence, but try to curb his impulsiveness-tactfully. He must lead or life is worth little to him. His great and bubbly enthusiasm can die a sad death if you douse it with wet blankets or short circuit his positive energy with negative thinking. The minute he loses authority on the job or in the home, his refreshing optimism will turn to moody discontent and finally, complete disinterest. It's not his nature to submit. He's a man's man. Never destroy his masculinity, but never lose your own individuality. Don't try to push him around, and don't let him push you around. An Aries husband won't put up with a wife who runs around to club meetings every night. Neither will he tolerate a wife who sits home and crochets bedspreads and tablecloths all day. You'll have to aim somewhere in the middle. If you're successful, just think- you'll be the only white-haired Juliet in your crowd some-day, with a husband who's still sentimental on your golden wedding anniversary. That's quite a challenge if you're a romantic, and of course you are, or you wouldn't be in-; volved with an Aries man in the first place.
The ARIES Woman
"But aren't you going to run and help her?"
Alice asked...
"No use, no use!" said the King. "She runs so fearfully quick
you might as well try to catch a BandersnatchT*
So you're in love with an Aries girl. I don't know whether to congratulate you or sympathize with you.
When Byron wrote that "Man's love is of man's life a thing apart; 'tis woman's whole existence," he forgot about j& the Aries woman. She may think love is her whole existence, but she's too vitally absorbed in the world around her, not to mention in herself, for it to be the beginning and end of her life. She can get along without a man easier than any female you'll ever meet.
Of course, getting along without a man is not the same thing as getting along without romance. She'll always need that hero of her dreams to yearn for in her heart. He may be long ago and faraway-or hiding just out of sight and touch, somewhere in tomorrow's mists-but she'll think about him in an April rain. He'll haunt her when the first snow falls, when she hears a certain song or sees lightning flash. However, while she's yearning, if there's no male around in actual physical presence, she won't miss him terribly. Anything he could do, she can do better-she thinks.
The Aries girl will open her own doors. Shell also put on her own coat, fight her own battles, pull out her own chair, hail her taxi and light her cigarette without any masculine help. Doing it herself is, to her, the fastest way to get it done. Naturally, this doesn't set too well on the vulnerable male ego. The Mars girl is determined to take the lead, to be the first to move to action, and that includes the action of making the first advance in romance. Aries females are the most likely of all the Sun signs to do the proposing, especially if the man is slow about naming the date. And that's about as early as you can safely show your feelings-when she proposes. Before that you're taking a chance. Be very careful about moving in on an Aries girl. She wants to be the leader in the love affair. Better be sure you have her heart safely in your pocket before you try to grab her around the waist and kiss her goodnight. Other-wise, she may give you a sharp right hook to the jaw and run like a frightened deer.
Don't be misled. The reason for her running isn't maidenly modesty. She's not afraid of your passionate intentions. Those she can handle. Her flight is based on the fear of getting tangled up with a worshiping slave or a lovestruck puppy dog, either one of whom would bore her to tears. Be casual, keep her guessing, and the chances are shell chase you into a comer instead. A man who resists her impact always intrigues an Aries female. She can't understand why she isn't overwhelming him with her obvious charms. Then her Mars ego will leave no stone unturned to prove she's desirable, even when she has no lasting interest in him.
Scariett O'Hara is the very epitome of the Mars-ruled
Aries female. Like Scariett, the Aries girl will gather every available male for a hundred miles around to her feet, while her willful heart yearns for the one man she can't have for one reason or another. Like Scariett, the Mars woman can quickly adapt for survival if necessary, without whimpering. Both the O'Hara and the Aries characters are tough enough to defy convention, face an advancing army, or even shoot a man through the head with icy calmness, : if he threatens her loved ones.
Never was Scariett more Mars-like than when she was starving, alone and friendless, and without waiting for a man to come to the rescue, she clenched her fist toward | heaven and shouted, "I'll survive this . . . and when I do, I'll never be hungry again ... If I have to lie, cheat, steal i or kill-as God is my witness, I'll never be hungry again!" | Much later, her emotions shattered, her beloved child dead ] and the one man she loved about to walk out of her life, | this typical Aries woman was still able to say, "I'll think of some way to get him back. There's never been a man I couldn't get, once I set my mind on him. . . . After all, tomorrow is another day."
Yes, Scarlett O'Hara creates a vivid image of the first \ Sun sign of the zodiac, with all the Mars strength and ability to bounce back after tragedy; able to play the female role to the hilt, with fluttering lashes and a well-timed tear, but just as able to take over a man's job when the men aren't around. A careful study of Scarlett's character can give you an excellent understanding of what you're in for with an Aries woman-and naturally, also the rewards you can look forward to after you've been brave enough to claim her. Her aggressive drive may be hard to take, but her shining optimism and faith in tomorrow can be mighty uplifting.
The Aries girl is rather a pushover for flattery, if it has an honest base. Let her know you admire her, but don't be too flowery or sugary about it. Her loyalty in love is gigantic, as long as you keep the sentiment alive, for she is deeply sentimental. There's the typical Arien contradiction in her: she doesn't want to be obviously chased, yet she quickly loses interest if you're too detached. She doesn't want a completely domineering male, but neither will she warm up to a man who sits adoringly at her feet. Before love can bring her happiness, the Aries woman must meet the eternal Mars challenge-her strong desire to control the lover, conflicting with her secret wish to be controlled by him. Unbelievably idealistic, sometimes she searches in vain for that brave knight in shining armor, who will sweep her off her feet, conquer the world, hand it to her gently and yet never sacrifice his manhood. Since he exists only in fairy tales and the myths of King Arthur's court, the Aries woman often walks alone, without a star to guide her. Her days are bright and full of excitement, her nights are sometimes dark and full of longing. Yet, when her defeated dreams become smoldering ashes-just as you think the flame is dying, Aries leaps up to build another fire.
She must be proud of you to love you. But don't be so important that you neglect to notice her talents and abilities. Though she'll demand a lot from you, she'll give double measure in return. The Aries girl can be generous to a fault with her time and sympathy, cheerfully sharing her possessions and money, but when it comes to love, she's downright stingy. "What's hers is hers" in the romance department, and it will take very little to set off a jealous explosion. Don't admire your favorite movie actress in her hearing, or pay too many compliments to her girl friends. The man with an Aries wife is safer with a male secretary. If she's not first with you in every way, you'll soon wonder where all the intense passion and thrilling emotion went so fast. When the Aries woman has been really hurt, she turns from fire to ice. Her fire bums hot and dies quickly. Her ice can be eternal. Memorize that, if you care deeply about her-and it's doubtful that she'll stand for you caring about her any other way. Aries plays for keeps.
She puts the loved one on a pedestal, expecting him to live up to an impossible image of perfection, stubbornly refusing to look at his clay feet, until they become too muddy for even her to miss. Never criticize the lover, husband or children of an Aries woman unless you're wearing an asbestos suit. She's capable of being demanding, selfish, and making cutting remarks when you dampen her hopeful plans. Yet, she can also be gentle, devoted and cooperative when she's met halfway.
Since she prefers the company of men to women, and solicits admiration from every male she meets, be he nine or ninety, you'll have plenty of chances to feel the stabs of those little green monsters of jealousy. Forget it. As fiercely possessive as she is of you, she won't put up with your possessiveness of her for an instant. The Aries girl insists on complete freedom, before and after marriage. You'll have to trust her wherever she goes and whatever she does, though she won't have that kind of faith in you (unless she's learned the hard way to keep her emotions under control if it kills her, which it almost will). It's not as bad as it sounds, because she'll be faithful, once she's really yours. An Aries girl is seldom able to love two men at the same time. She's simply too honest for such deception. Barring unusual circumstances, she'll let you know clearly that love is dead before going ahead in total commitment to someone else.
This woman is capable of deep passion and mystical idealism, woven together in strange patterns. In any relationship she feels is real and forever after, there will be no holding back, no feminine wiles, coquettish tricks or silly games. Her love, like her speech and actions, is direct. There's something clean and fresh about the utter simplicity of her emotions, but even so, they often get her into waters way over her head. You may have to tame her a little, but she'll accept It with surprising docility if she really loves you.
Mars females are often career girls. They can handle almost any profession a man can handle, from stockbroking to real estate. They can also turn a nice ankle or profile in strictly feminine occupations like modeling and acting. It may be difficult to get her to give up her job for you, if it's a real career or profession. She may toss it overboard for a period, while she's suffused with the glow of romance and picturing a storybook cottage for two beside the sea (typical of the Arien imagination that leads straight to the happy part and ignores the dull part). But when the cottage begins to need a paint job, the roof starts to leak and the first fine rapture dims slightly, she may be anxious to dig out her social security card again. Let her. She'll be far happier and more loving-even more gentle-if she's allowed to fill her idle hours with something that interests her. Mars emotions, unfulfilled, can look for molehills of frustrations to build into huge mountains of trouble.
There's practically nothing this woman won't tackle. If it's a challenge or just something she thinks she wants to brighten her life, she'll make some kind of a stab at it whether it's practical or not. I know an Aries woman who was forced for financial reasons to live for several years in , two rooms with a husband, five active children and a dog.
That kind of an arrangement can get a little cramped, and just contemplating it might give a woman with any common sense a few doubts. Not a Mars female. This one coped somehow, though she may have let it goad her into a few tantrums. In the middle of the situation, when an astrologer read her natal chart and pointed out that her planetary aspects showed a long period of great hardship in her life, she was puzzled and intrigued. "When does it look like it might happen?" she wanted to know.
This same impulsive Aries woman got a sudden urge one day to add another dog to the group camping out in two rooms. She felt the family's male pet needed a female companion. He looked lonesome. Besides, the children thought it was a rollicking good idea. The discovery that the second dog wasn't housebroken threw her only temporarily. Like a determined drill sergeant, she assigned every member of the family their turn at scrubbing the carpet. After she saw that it would never be the same again, she surveyed the situation and made a decision. To get rid of the second dog? Of course not. She was secretly hoping there would be puppies someday soon. The money would just have to come from somewhere to get a new rug. Funny thing-it did. As for the puppies, she was sure some miracle would happen to move the entire crowd into a new apartment before the happy event. Funny thing-it did. Miracles have a way of happening to those who believe in them. Aries women certainly believe. Sometimes to the point of foolishness. Her rash ways can get her into some complicated pickles, and she may have a few gray hairs before she leams how to avoid the same pickle twice. Aries is not noted for learning from experience. The spirit is willing, but the disposition is headstrong. There's no use to try to caution a typical Aries female with the biblical warning, "Pride goeth before a fall."
Her interpretation of the phrase, since she first heard it in Sunday School, is "When your pride goes, you fall."
Never worry that your Aries girl will succumb to the charms of a wolf. She's immune to wolves and playboys, and in far more danger of being seduced by an idealist with a cause, preferably a lost cause. But even with him, she'll assert her individuality frequently. It will never be completely conquered in the Mars woman, though it can be subdued by the right man. She'll buy you gifts, loan you money, nurse you through illness, and help you get a job.
And she'll expect the same from you.
She'll deny it vehemently (she does almost everything vehemently), but when she's miserable, you should be miserable. When she's happy, you should be happy. To Aries, love is equal sharing. She'll expect to share your razor, your bank account, your friendships and your dreams. In return, you can share hers. Of course, her razor may be broken, her bank account a little overdrawn, her friendships slightly scattered and her dreams too large for you to swallow. But she's not selfish with them. Keeping a secret from her can drive her wild, and it's not a good idea to drive an Aries wild. Don't ever embarrass her by your grammar, clothing or behavior in public. She won't embarrass you, at least not in these matters.
To injure her pride or dampen her enthusiasm will almost break her heart. Others will constantly be doing just that to her. The world resents a female who talks back to it, and who thinks she's smarter than everyone else. When she discovers she really doesn't run the universe after all, she'll come running into your arms in tears, her world all dark and dismal. Then you'll have a chance to see her as she really is, defenseless and vulnerable in the extreme, for all her outer confidence. She's not really Tugboat Annie. She'd just like to be. She admires strength and tries to imitate it. The Aries idealism and optimistic faith in human nature is often dashed to bits by reality. Comfort her with tenderness at these times, and you'll probably never lose her. Always defend her against her enemies. She can never forgive you if you fail to fight for her or take her side. (But be prepared to make up with them when she does, which may be quickly.) At least she's layabout it. She'll also defend you. An Aries woman will throw away fame or fortune defiantly right in the face of anyone who hurts a friend of hers. If she loves you, her indignation will have no bounds. These women are nothing if not loyal.
As a wife, she may be quite a handful. There will probably be outside interests, because home will seldom be enough for her creative energies. Don't expect her to be a happy little cricket, chirping away contentedly by the hearth. She'll be a competent enough cook, and she'll keep the house spanking clean-at least the part that shows. She'll sew on buttons and iron shirts, too, but she won’t like it. Still, she'll do it when it's necessary. (An Aries 'oman can do almost anything when it's necessary.) Her re is more like that of a glittering diamond than like the ?arm, comforting glow of the fireplace. There's undeniably brittle side to her nature, and she may agitate you more ften that she soothes you. But she's exciting and certainly ever boring. Then there are always those moments of oftness that belie her strong drive-for a man who has tie patience to bring them out. Mars women are always ofter inside than any but those who have been really close 3 them ever know. Her conversation will be very intelligent and very frequent. Don't hide behind the newspaper .t breakfast. She'll expect companionship from you, or you .an just scramble your own eggs.
You'll rarely find her complaining of illness or fatigue. iut when she's in pain, she'll expect tons of sympathy. Mthough you may have to sit on her to get her to go to >ed when she has a raging fever, be prepared to wait on icr hand and foot when she has a toothache.
This is not the woman to call and tell you'll be working ate at the office, unless you enjoy creating Fourth of July ireworks in the middle of February. She won't mind keep-ng the gravy hot, but she won't like not knowing where /ou really are, and what you're really doing, and she may ;all back to find out. The Aries wife will probably make an ixcellent impression on your boss, if you can keep her from :elling him how to run his business. She won't mind going :>ut to bring home the bacon when you're temporarily out ~>t a job, but she can never respect a man who makes less money than she does (though an Aries woman would never leave a man for this reason-she'd be more inclined to make excuses for him). If she has a rare spell of letting herself go, the first word of disapproval from you will send her flying back to the mirror and perfume bottle. (In this way, she's as feminine as Eve herself.) A flattering comment about your secretary's new hair style will do the same thing, but it's more dangerous. Besides, you were warned to hire a male secretary. There's a vain streak in a Mars woman which makes her sensitive about everything from her age to an innocent remark about how tired she looks, which she may take as a hint that you think she looks like an old hag.
Keep the passion and romance alive in your marriage, or she'll be miserably unhappy. Aries will waste little time changing any situation which causes unhappiness, and that can lead to a hasty separation or an impulsive divorce. In most cases, letting her handle the family checkbook would be unwise, but you can try it, if the bank is game.
As a mother, she'll see that the baby is clean, happy, healthy and loved. She probably won't pick him up every time he cries, fuss over him or over^protect him. But her children will get lots of warm, impulsive kisses and bear hugs. An April mother will teach her youngsters to believe in leprechauns. She'll take them for walks in the park, and point out the sparkling necklaces left on the lawn by the fairies when they danced under the moon where others might see only the early morning dew on the grass. Aries women create a magic world of fantasy for their children. It's where they live themseves. She won't be a permissive parent, she'll insist on strict discipline, and will probably be very fortunate in raising her offspring to be independent adults. Her favorite weapons of child psychology are: a wooden paddle, bedtime stories and goodnight kisses.
This woman can be unreasonably temperamental, and create some violent scenes. But her quickly aroused temper will splatter like summer hailstones and soon melt away. She'll never hold a grudge, seek revenge, indulge in self-pity or bitterness. After an emotional storm, her optimistic, April nature will return like the rainbow suddenly appearing after a shower. Lots of people will tell you an Aries woman is completely masculine, but don't you believe them. She's all woman underneath her flashing, forceful exterior, perhaps too much woman for the average man. But, of course, a knight in shining armor isn't an average man. Are there any lonely, courageous knights out there? This is the fair lady of your dreams, worth all the dragons you'll have to slay to win her.
Don't forget that she bruises easily, in spite of her bright, brave smile. (That's just her shield against hurt.) If you can turn the ram into a lamb, you'll have a woman who is honest and passionate, loyal and exciting-though she may be a little impulsive, bossy and independent. Well, you can't have everything, you know. The Aries girl will help you find your lost illusions and she'll have a fierce faith in all your dreams. You don't have any? Borrow some of hers. She has plenty to spare. If you believe in her just hall as much as she believes in you, you could make some miracles together.
The ARIES Child
"All I know is something comes at me , Like a Jack-in-lhe-box And I go up like a Sky Rocket]"
While Papa is passing out the cigars, the crimson-faced little Aries baby will yell for attention in the bassinet. How dare you ignore him and talk to the nurse? Who's the boss around here anyway?
You won't any more than get him in the taxi on the way home before that question will be emphatically answered. Your Mars infant is the boss. Do you have any doubts? They'll fade away when he's old enough to sit in the high chair and bang his spoon on the tray if you leave him alone too long. He'll never tease you or be subtle about his preferred diet. There's not a subtle bone in his strong, active, broad-shouldered little body. The Aries tot will spit out his vegetables as if they were shot from a cannon, and rub the cereal bowl on his tiny, bald head to make it quite clear that this is definitely not the food baby likes. The girls will be as direct in their actions as the boys. Maybe more so, though you hardly expect such fierce determination from a soft, little miss. Did I say soft? April's metal is iron, and April's stone is the diamond, the hardest substance known to man.
He'll probably walk earlier than other babies, and certainly will talk earlier. He won't be easy to control. Say, "No, no," to an Aries toddler, and he'll shake his chubby little finger right back at you in defiance. Discipline should be started quite young. Be on guard against falls and injuries to the head or face. He's accident-prone, to put it mildly. Keep sharp knives out of reach, watch out for burns and scalds. If there's anything hot or forbidden around, you can just bet the Aries child will stick his curious fist in it impulsively. You think that will teach him a lesson? Not this youngster. He'll try to break his own record.
Teething time may be feverish and severe. Baby will come through the ordeal with little difficulty, but will you? .
When he gets a little older, you may get the breath squeezed out of you with one of his loving bear hugs. Aries children are usually affectionately demonstrative, except for the few Mars youngsters whose early emotional experiences freeze their normally warm hearts. These are the sad, quieter little sheep. But their horns are just as dangerous.
Better not ask relatives to babysit without warning them. If poor Aunt Maude bravely takes him while you have a brief vacation, things could become a little strained. She'll catch your Aries tot with his busy hand in the sugar bowl, and probably make the mistake of stamping her foot in displeasure. That will both surprise and outrage the little ram into stamping his own small foot, and bursting out with his first complete sentence, "Aunt 'Mod'-don't you tell me sumpin'." So quaint. Bet she won't "tell him something" again soon. (You might have to come home a little early. He broke his big toe when he stamped his foot.)
As he grows older and stronger, after having fought measles, mumps, chicken pox and scarlatina, and won hands down. (a battle with germs is no contest with the quickly recuperating Mars nature), your Aries child will begin to show a pattern of temper. You'll notice that he or she can be most unreasonable when thwarted, but the anger won't last long. After a periodic explosion, the Aries boy or girl will beam a large, bright and winning smile your way.
He'll share his toys with amazing generosity with you, his playmates, the mailman, the neighbor's bulldog and the alley cat. However, his generosity will end if one of them hurts his feelings or gets in the way of something he wants to do or somewhere he wants to go. Then look out for fireworks.
Aries boys and girls may fall into the early habit of neglecting homework, and using your more obedient little Capricorn, Cancer, Virgo or Pisces child as an example will hardly impress him. (I'm assuming you don't have more than one Aries offspring. The planets don't do that to parents very often.) Instead of shaming the Mare youngster into studying, challenge him. He'll lap up a challenge like that favorite stray alley cat of his laps up cream. Just tell him (or her) that he's probably just slow, or not as bright as the other students, inferior in some way, but you don't mind. You love him anyway. Myl-'How .the dust will fly off those schoolbooks, as he sets out to prove what a ridiculous theory that is. Someone who can top him? That will be the day-or night.
After you've watched the magic of such strategy at home, tip off his teacher. She'll get down on her knees and thank you. If she has more than one Aries student in her class, she may send you a five-pound box of candy. Actually, Mars youngsters can learn anything in nothing flat, never forget it, and breeze through their studies, if they apply themselves. Not all parents know how to accomplish this. They may spend years wondering why Mike and Maggie test with such a high I.Q., and still manage to stay in the third grade for four years. They needn't worry too much, however, because little Mike and Maggie will make up for lost time with the speed of a bullet, once they get out in the world and find out people are smarter than they are. A couple of humiliations to the Mars ego, and they'll cram so fiercely, they'll skip a few grades.
Your April youngster will have a vivid imagination; he'll be as dreamy and sentimental as a storybook, but he'll know very well how to get his bread toasted at the same time. If there is such a contradictory thing as a hard, practical idealistic dreamer, it's your Aries child. He's as naive as he is tough; as gentle as he is pushy. All these conflicting traits are woven into his fiery little nature. You'll marvel at it and wonder about it. So will your friends later on, not to mention his boss, his future enemies and the unsuspecting soul he marries.
Aries children will take the lead with playmates, start new games and invent new ideas for the gang. They'll insist on having their own way or butt their heads against authority, so you'd better decide to set down some firm rules in the beginning. The Aries child who isn't trained to obey in his youth will be taught some crushing lessons in maturity. Remember that his heart is as soft as butter, and it hides deep-seated fears of being disliked and unloved, despite his brave front. Rejection of his bright dreams or dampening of his exciting enthusiasm will send him running home to you in tragic tears. Hold him very close when this happens. His heart will be broken. For all his rash domineering ways, the Aries idealism is sensitive and it bruises with the slightest bump. He'll be getting plenty of - those bumps on his naive, hope-filled optimism during his lifetime, and he needs more protection against them than you might think.
He believes in fairy godmothers with magic wands, and giants who can topple over whole cities with one sweep of a powerful hand. Unfortunately, Aries children naively identify with these two omnipotent types. When they discover that there are giant killers out there in the brutal world-and blunt realists, who can make those magic wands pathetically impotent, they'll take some hard tumbles. But they'll get back up, brush themselves off, and push forward again indefinitely. They'll teach that dull, unimaginative old world a thing or two! There may be a few sears before it's over, but don't count your Mars child out of the fight, no matter how many times he's knocked down. Wait for him to holler "Uncle." You may have a long wait.
Hide birthday presents in a safe place. Hell be impatient, and unwilling to wait for surprises. Don't destroy his faith in Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny too soon. To first believe fiercely, and then leam not to believe, toughens his emotions. It's a necessary lesson. His allowance will burn a hole right through his pocket, but he'll cheerfully give you his last dime for the milkman. Your Aries daughter may pay the neighborhood bullies a nickel a day to stop stepping on ants. An Aries child handled harshly in the impressionable years can show a defensive cruel streak, but guided gently and wisely, he'll insist on his rights with less force, and show a gigantic generosity and sympathy for his fellow man. Don't give him orders, always ask him to do things with a cheerful smile, and he'll knock himself out to please you. Never destroy his confidence. It's as important to him as the air he breathes. He may run away from home; the Mars independence shows early, but he'll come back wiser. Teach him that it's unkind to dominate meeker youngsters. He truly does not want to be unkind.
Being around cold, negative people can wound him deeply, but nothing will ever break his spirit. (Remember the diamond.) He'll probably be wild about books and be an excellent reader, yet he may not be anxious to settle down to four years of college. Aries is too interested in getting into the action of chopping down all those challenging beanstalks. But don't give up too quickly. He can use the additional discipline of higher education to help his mind catch up with his flaming emotions and sudden, puzzling bursts of sharp intuition. The more he balks at the idea of a rigid scholastic schedule and prefers the freedom of trying out a few jobs, the more you can be sure he needs the schedule.
He'll have to leam responsibility, but you'll teach him this and other things faster through direct logic and honest affection. Both appeal to him. Parents and teachers should never forget that Aries children glow under praise and doggedly proceed to top their own efforts, but they sputter like firecrackers under attack and lose all incentive to try. Tell him what you like about him, and he'll do less that you don't like. Aries youngsters live up to exactly what's expected of them, including those who hide their burning drive under a calmer personality. This child must always be kept busy, or hell wander into trouble. Idleness spells danger. He needs stacks of sleep to renew all that scattered, misplaced energy.
Hell love stories about brave, shining heroes who conquered new worlds. But he also believes in leprechauns and wishing wells, and he'll continue to believe in them long after you've bronzed those little Aries baby shoes and welcomed the first grandchild. If you lead your Mars child gently, with constant love, he'll grow up with the wonderful power to dream the impossible dream-and make it come true.
TAURUS, the Bull
April 21st through May 21st
The TAURUS Man
"Why, I wouldn't say anything about it, even if I fell off the top of the housel"
". . . Only you'd better not come very close I generally hit everything I can see- when I get really excited."
Perhaps you picture the typical Taurus man as a quiet, practical soul, as sensible and down-to-earth as an old pair of shoes. It's true-he is. You may also observe that he's slow to move to action, deliberate and careful. True again. Therefore, you deduce, it's only logical to assume he's not very romantic. Positively false.
Where did you get the idea you can analyze the Taurean nature by using pure logic alone? Probably from some Libra fellow who's trying to make an impression on you. Well, he's wrong. Logic isn't very helpful when you're trying to solve the riddle of a strong, masculine symbol like the bull, who's ruled by a loving, peaceful planet like Venus. Send that Libra man with his clever mind back to the library.
The buU may take a long time deciding if he wants you for his woman. He's not going to execute a flashy swan dive into the pool of romance and discover on the way down that someone forgot to fill it with water. But once he's made up his mind that you're the one, and once he sets his mind on winning you, he'll make the Libra lover look like a fumbler. He'll even put the smitten lion and the passionate Scorpio to shame. That sensible, practical, slow, determined Taurus male is capable of sending you one pink rose each day until you surrender to his proposal-of marriage-or whatever. He can even write a poetic song or verse, and bashfully mail it to you without signing it, knowing you'll guess the sender. Taurus can be a tender, gentle and protective lover. His sensual nature will make him vulnerable to your exotic perfume, the smoothness of your skin and softness of your hair. He may not say so in flowery language to your face, but he will find a way to convey the message. The Taurus sense of touch is a tangible thing.
This negative, fixed earth sign is full of contradictions in love. A Taurean will like to see you dress in luxurious furs and rich colors. He may buy you a fragrant bunch of fresh, spring violets for your furs from the little old lady on the corner, and leave a large tip in her basket because she reminds him of his mother. (You, however, will definitely not remind him of either his mother or his sister -except when it comes to protecting you from the rude glances of other bulls who try to move in.) Music will stir his emotions and put him in the mood for love. He's almost sure to have a favorite song that reminds him of you each time he hears it. It's the one he keeps playing on the juke box.
If you need more proof of the romance in his soul, the typical Taurus man will help you build your hope chest with birthday gifts of china and silver, and at Christmas he'll remind you of Santa himself when he comes calling, loaded down with mysterious packages and sentimental trinkets. He'll suggest moonlight swims, picnics in cool, secluded woods, and walks down country lanes under the stars. His will be the largest, fanciest, most eloquent Valentine the postman ever delivered on February 14th. When a Taurus man courts you, he courts you. He doesn't fool around. You'll probably be taken to dine in glamorous restaurants, with soft lights and violins, and he'll never forget the date you first met or any other intimate anni-versary between you. For the love of buttercups, how much romance do you need?
It's perfectly true that the bull isn't a wild dreamer like the Aquarian male. Taurus will never sweep you off your feet like a Leo, or promise to take you floating away to live with him in a fairy castle, drifting on pink clouds forever and a day, like an Aries. He's more likely to drop by on foot some Saturday night, with the architect's blueprints for the house he plans to build for you, out of real lumber and with real cash. He'll probably make the down payment on the property, or at the very least, on the apart" ment lease, before you become engaged. This man means business. When the bull lifts you across his threshold and plants you firmly in his substantial home, which won't bear the faintest resemblance to a fairy castle, you can be sure the mortgage is secure at the bank. That's hardly something to complain about. You'll wonder why you ever wanted to be wrapped in those pink clouds, once you've been warmly and snugly enfolded in the soft Taurean blanket of security. You'll be too busy enjoying your new furniture and checking account (or the certainty that they're just around the corner) to weep for misty dreams that probably wouldn't have come true anyway. That is, if you're a female who appreciates solid value. Not every woman does, more's the pity. But sensible girls, from eighteen to eighty, value the peaceful, easygoing ways of the bull and his calm, stable nature. His sentimental gestures and pleasantly earthy wooing can be just as satisfying as the soulful, poetic sighs of more colorful lovers, or the dashing excitement of the flashier Don Juans, quite often even more so. Ask any woman who's been sensible enough to get herself good and loved by a strong Taurean. There are lots of contented cows and happy heifers around.
A Taurus man plans for tomorrow carefully. As the squirrel stores his nuts when they're plentiful in the summer, to provide security for the cold, barren winter-the temporary pleasures of a bright afternoon will never distract Taurus from preparing for the days when the slush piles up at the curb. It's a funny thing, but the hus-^ bands who are financially able to take or send their wives to Florida in January are often born in May.
Naturally, there are drawbacks to a romantic escapade with a Taurus male-all is not peaches and perfection. For one thing, youll have to brush up on your ladylike behavior. No Taurus man is going to put up with a loud, masculine female who cracks a whip like an animal trainer. If you have any forceful opinions, don't shove them down his throat or brag about your brainpower in public. Privately, he respects a female with intelligence (though he places a higher premium on plain common sense), but you'd just better let him be the bright one of the team when you're out together dancing cheek to cheek-even if you're just sitting in a restaurant, knee to knee. Make like the emancipated woman in front of his friends and he'll have one of two reactions. If he's a primitive Taurean (and you'd be surprised how many of those there are), he's likely to give you a shove and a shaking, maybe even a good smack in the right place when you get home-or worse, before you get home. If he's a more sophisticated type, he'll simply clam up on you in front of everyone and sit there like a large chunk of cold stone, refusing to speak a word the rest of the night, until you're so embarrassed you wish the floor would swallow you. Your friends will be most uncomfortable, too. It can really dampen an evening, not to mention cramp your style.
Your first impulse will be to try to undo the damage, but trying to jolly him out of his stubborn mood before it's run its course is literally impossible. It's like trying to move the Rock of Gibraltar. As a matter of fact, if you attempt to tease him back into normal social behavior, you may wish you had just let him sulk. A hunk of cold stone is infinitely more acceptable than his reaction to your coaxing after you've angered him. Push him too far and he'll turn from a silent sphinx into a bellowing bull, who may very well let loose some mighty earthy language, which will cause your cheeks to flame even pinker. Either that, or he'll say calmly to the group, "Excuse me for breaking up the party, but I have to drag this woman with the tent flap mouth home and teach her a few lessons." You'll hide from everyone you know for weeks afterwards. And all because, when he's holding the group spellbound with his summary of the political scene, you interrupt him with a remark like, "Oh> honey, don't be so naive. Everyone knows Utterbach takes bribes. With his record he couldn't get elected chairman of the Boy Scout cookie sale, let alone Congressman. You don't know what you're talking about," at which point he'll dig in those heels, fold his arms across that beefy chest, and begin to pout-or clobber you- whichever. If you see him reach for his coat, you might as well put on yours, too. A Taurus man will seldom leave his woman alone with the wolves, unprotected, no matter how angry she's made him. He'll take her along, by the hair, if necessary. So don't get any ideas of staying behind to get sympathy from the others. When he leaves, you leave. And I would strongly advise you to apologize before you get home. He won't. Running to Mama's arms won't do any good. You share his bed and board, as long as he pays the rent. Mother-in-law interference is about the last thing the typical bull will stand for. The first time you try that "running home to Mother" routine will probably be the last. After they once experience his fury, your parents wll prefer to keep the door locked and let you handle your own problems.
I know a Taurus man with an aggressive wife who found aunique solution. He simply refuses to go out with her in piblic. Her irresistible force met an immovable object- tm. She can go out and rob other men of their mas-cilinity all she wants, not Taurus, the bull. He's very fond o: his positive mate, and they have rather a nice team gong in many ways; they respect each other tremendously -but until she learns to submit, keep her mouth closed, aid let him be the man, she's forced to go to parties, roetings and the theater without an escort. This particular Tiurean has refused to accompany her ever since the time tby joined several other couples for dinner at a fancy pice. His wife grabbed the menu from him and ordered fa- the whole group. She made unflattering remarks about hi haircut and his tie during the first course, and supplied tb punch line to three of his jokes during the entree. IS)w she goes to social functions alone, while her Taurus nate refuses to budge from his castle. You can't really bkme the bull. He's just being true to his Sun sign. It's sfll a solid marriage, but you may not be so lucky. So An't tempt your Taurean by shoving him around.
He's extremely patient, but he won't wear a ring in his n'se. He doesn't necessarily want a clinging vine, either. H's too practical, and he likes his freedom too much to eijoy a female who sticks to him like rubber cement and cies at the drop of a hanky. He doesn't mind a woman wth some fire and spunk. It intrigues him and balances hs own steadier maturity. With a smile of detached amuse-nsnt, he'll watch her cheerfully scampering around in tpical feminine fashion, as one would watch a beloved, petty kitten playing with a brightly colored ball of yam. Jst so kitty knows when the bull gives a strong tug on tb yarn, it's time to stop the fun and games and listen to tb voice of her master. No one can be kinder, more gentle aid truly tolerant than a Taurus man, when his mas-clinity is secure. He'll do anything in the world for the w>man he loves except allow her to wear the pants. Tiurus may sometimes behave like a clumsy circus bear, aid his humor is often rough and ridiculous. But he will n
The bull enjoys shopping around and he'll seldom rush pill mell into a serious courtship. The puzzled girl he's been taking to the movies every Saturday night for a year may wonder if he's ever going to catch fire. It takes time for him to work up enough steam in the boiler to get the engine going at full speed, but once he's set his sights on a particular female, he can't be sidetracked. He may even forget to be sensible and cautious. The typical Taurus man is blind to any warnings of incompatibility when he's been pierced by Cupid's arrow. The more his friends point out possible stumbling blocks, the more obstinate he gets, and you know how obstinate that can be. Consequently, the Taurean frequently makes the mistake of getting tangled up with fire and air signs, when he's better off with earth and water, in most cases. Sometimes, it works out beneficially. Opposites can attract, and stay attracted. But when it doesn't, Taurus will take a long time to get over the scars of a divorce before he's ready to settle down again with a wife who more closely matches his own disposition and outlook.
The financial picture with a Taurus man is usually excellent. Paint it pink and rosy. Few Taureans will fail to accumulate at least security, if not wealth. Some of them play the game of Monopoly with real money. And they win. Both real estate and cash are easily conquered by the bull.
He probably loves the country, football, fishing and camping. If none of these, he likes flowers, gardening or long walks. He prefers to read books about the dashing heroes of olden days or the biographies of empire builders, rather than sophisticated fiction or deep philosophy. Most Taurus males subscribe to several men's magazines, some earthy and practical, others featuring glossy pages of femininepulchritude.
He's the ultimate in a man's man, so don't ever serve him those dainty tea sandwiches with the crusts sliced off. He likes good, old-fashioned home cooking, with. plenty of potatoes and gravy, and apple pie like Mom used to make. Get yourself a good cookbook. He'll also be willing to take you out to dine frequently. Typical Taureans don't expect their wives to be kitchen slaves. (But he may mess up your pots and pans when he plays Sunday chef and expects you to play bus boy.)
As a parent, he's a perfect delight. He'll think it's important to have a son to carry on the family name, but hell love the little girls with special tenderness. Taurus men make loving, affectionate, warm and sympathetic fathers. He'll set high standards for the children and expect them to respect property and possessions. The Taurean dad is patient. He won't mind if the children learn their lessons slowly, so long as they get them correctly. His attitude is that young minds should be trained gradually toward maturity. You may find that he puts too much emphasis on material matters and showers them with expensive gifts that spoil them. But he'll also shower them with his time and devotion, and the firm hand of discipline will be there when it's needed. In general, life with father, if he was born in May, can be a warm experience, overflowing with love-except for those rare occasions when the bull charges in blind, furious anger, and the whole family has to hide behind the piano.
The typical Taurean husband is generous to a fault with his wife. He won't deny you nice clothes, perfume and baubles; attractive but practical furniture and a full pan-try. The bull seldom skimps on furnishings, clothing or food. Still, money won't bum any noticeable holes in his pockets (unless there are impulsive financial aspects in his natal chart). He loves luxury, but he's just as enamoured with value, and he'll make sure his cash buys more than a salesman's hot air.
This man will work hard and need lots of rest. See that he gets it, because he can be quite a grumpy grouch when he's tired and out of sorts. Don't ever nag him or accuse him of being lazy. That's like waving a red flag in his face. He lives life at his own leisurely pace, and he won't be rushed or pushed. His speedometer is set at one speed-deliberate. Attempts to make him spin merrily through a continual round of whirlwind social activity are doomed to failure. He will enjoy entertaining in his own home, but he'll prefer a few people of compatible interests to large crowds. Invite old friends, or those who have serious goals and ambitions, and he'll behave pleasantly and hospitably. If you insist on cluttering his castle with emptyheaded, frivolous Go-Go types, he may just disappear from the scene-sometimes permanently.
Buy him one of those papa bear chairs that stretches out into a reclining position. No loud noises, blaring radios and TV sets, chaos and scattered toys, please. Keep your home full of music, beauty and peace. Remember that the trousers fit him better than they do you. Be his woman, and you couldn't ask for a better man. No one else will ever treat you with such gracious consideration. He really deserves to be respected for it. Taurus love is simple, plain and honest. His affectionate nature and flattering attention will make you sure you are loved, in spite of all your little faults and failings that other men would constantly criticize. Taurus gives enduring loyalty and devotion, with a faithful heart. That adds up to emotional security. Com-bined with financial security and romance, there's little else to ask for. So all right, he's stubborn, but remember that stubbornness turned upside down is patience, and that's a rare virtue.
Get a nice, furry, fluffy blanket (Taurus loves things that feel soft to the touch), tuck it around him when he's in his papa bear chair, and read him the stock market report. Be sure he gets his hot bath with scented oils and lots of fragrant soap. Serve him a big bowl of rich porridge. Then you're sure to have a strong, gentle man, who will protect you from all the storms. Contentment is the word. Doesn't it have a cozy sound?
The TAURUS Woman
Without, the frost-the blinding snow, The storm-wind's moody madness- Within, the firelight's ruddy glow, And childhood's nest of gladness.
I remember a conversation I once had with a writer whose mother had been born in May. In discussing her parent's habits and character, the girl happened to mention that "Mother was a tall woman." "You must take after your father then," I remarked, since the girl herself was only of average height. She smiled. And I shall never forget what she said. "I didn't mean in inches. Mother was shorter than I am. That was just soul talk." The girl was a Pisces, the sign that looks deep inside you.
She was right. A Taurus female is a tall woman. Even if she measures under five feet, she can reach tall enough to meet almost any emergency life chooses to throw h? way. In many ways, the Taurean female is the salt olthe earth, a combination of most of the sterling qual-itis every male looks for and seldom finds. She may have a /iolent temper that would frighten a strong man into runing for the woods (or at least ducking under a table-dth), but she won't go on a raging rampage without god provocation. Ordinarily, if you don't torment her b^ond human endurance, or if Fate doesn't hand her a reJIy rough bunch of cards, she'll play the game of life ff'rly, with cool, admirable calm. Her candor and 'bsic honesty are undiluted with normal feminine tricks ay tears. The Taurean girl has more moral and emotional corage than many a tough male, but she has enough con-fimewing kitten who pretends to be weak to get her own way. It won't be long before y
There's enough self-control in the average Taurus wom-SFs make-up to hold back a team of horses (a fair idea olthe force of her hidden will), if she chooses to exercise it. Let's hope she does. With an Aries or Leo ascendant 01 Moon, she may be capable of occasional cruelty or f^quent emotional storms and with heavy Pisces or Qmini influences in her natal chart, she may be more re.tless and wavering-but the typical Taurean female prac-tiies self restraint in all areas at most times. It's a good thng, because her normally placid exterior conceals a sensual nature that could stand a little checking.
Men always appreciate her gracious tendency to take Ptople as they are, without quibbling. She's as much at h»me with a scientist who studies tsetse flies in the Congo as with the sword swallower in the side show. They're d'ing what comes naturally; they're not phonies and that's what counts with her. Her close friends may be weird Matures straight out of the world of Toulouse-Lautrec, 01 they may be Norman Rockwell paintings come to life.
But they will be real people, not stuffed shirts or statues. When she runs across someone she dislikes, she doesn't start a big campaign to destroy him or challenge his ideals and motives. She simply avoids him. The Taurus woman can show frigid indifference to her enemies, but if she counts you as a friend, she'll be loyal through all your ups and downs. Her determination to stick with you would make the relationship between Damon and Pythias look like a casual acquaintance.
You can drive a Maxwell, climb a flag pole, get locked up in the pokey or wear daisies in your hair. You are her friend, and somehow she'll justify your actions. There's just a small catch here. She'll doggedly expect you to return her blind allegiance and unswerving loyalty. If you don't give her your complete devotion in return, she can sulk in the comer like a gloomy, gray cloud of repressed resentment.
This isn't the same thing as jealousy, however. The average Taurus woman will take the masculine hobby of girl watching in stride. Unlike the Aries or Leo woman, she won't turn scarlet with rage every time you openly admire a pretty girl. It takes more than a casual flirtation or kissing a good (female) friend goodnight on the cheek to arouse her Taurean anger. If you go beyond the bounds of her idea of fair play, she can be a holy terror on wheels, but the line is drawn with generous strokes. She'll have to be really pressed to the wall in some way to explode in typical Taurus fury. You can go ahead and wink at that attractive cashier, but don't test her patience too far. It does have a limit, boundless as it appears to be. If you've never seen her mad, leave well enough alone.
These women aren't dominated by strictly mental goals. That's not meant to imply that the Taurus female isn't smart and clever. She can match brains with the brightest men and women, but she's not fiercely interested in figuring out the theory of relativity or delving into abstractions. Multiple university degrees don't impress or thrill her. Just one is sufficient to gain her respect. Practical common sense and the ability to understand the fundamentals of any subject is, to her, essential. But the typical Taurean girl isn't an intellectual who reads the philosophers for kicks, and intricate ideologies are not her forte. She's a solid, practical thinker, with no frills or showy mental gymnastics. Her feet are planted on terra firma, and there are definitely no wings attached to her solid heels. Taurus women are seldom restless-they keep their heads and thieir balance. The Taurean perspective remains normally straight and true, with no twists and turns or distortions (though a Gemini Moon can put her in a bit of a whirl).
She's strictly a physical creature. That will undoubtedly interest you, but to interest her, an object or an idea has to appeal to her finely tuned senses. She doesn't want to hear that it's "good for her," that "everybody else is doing it," or that it will "stimulate her mentally." That sort of persuasion will make her yawn. To respond with genuine excitement, she has to derive some sensual satisfaction from everything she does.
Youll seldom see a Taurus woman stuffing a few artificial blooms in a vase. Her flowers must be real, and have am honest feel or fragrance. She'll gather huge bunches off pussywillow and bittersweet in the spring and fall, and fflll the house with sturdy mums and dahlias in the summer. Her perfume will usually be exotic and lingering, though some Taurean women lean in the opposite direction, and pirefer the odor of squeaking clean hair and skin. Taurus girls will be visibly moved by freshly washed sheets saturated with the sweet smell of sunshine or the delicious aroma of bread baking in the oven. She's spiritually aroused by the scent of the morning paper, the intoxicating odor of newly cut grass after a spring rain, burning wax candles or the smoke from a pile of smoldering anitumn leaves. This should clue you to use a good brand o»f shaving lotion, rub some damp newsprint on your ears, tmck a burned leaf in your lapel and turn on the sprinklers jmst before you kiss her goodnight. Unpleasant odors affect her just as drastically, in a reverse way. This is not a girl who will appreciate a pet skunk, even if he has been deodorized. Don't take her on a fish fry unless you take along a can of floral spray. It's the cooking odor that causes the problem. The fragrance of fish fresh out of the stream is different; that's natural. The stables won't offend her delicate nostrils, either. Mother Nature again. You may have to make a careful list if you want to woo her with olfactory success.
Colors send her senses soaring, too, the richer the better. Every shade of blue, from powder to indigo, will weaken her strong resistance. So will rose and pink. Wear a blue tie and a shocking pink shirt when you visit her, but not at the same time. Remember, she also has a sense of harmony, and you don't want to look like a co-ed nursery.
Her food must taste just right, and she'll usually sprinkle on the seasoning generously (unless she has a Virgo or Capricorn ascendant). Be sure to take her to places with the best chefs, because flat hamburgers and bland pea soup leave her emotionally cold. If you're lucky, she'll invite you for a home-cooked meal, and you may propose before dessert is served. When this girl ties on an apron, it's not just to make cinnamon toast. It's always a good idea to drop in on her with an empty stomach. A typical Taurus woman can cook her way right into your heart, and her kitchen is a real man trap.
Harmonious sounds and beautiful visual effects draw her like a magnet. Most Taurean women have a marked talent for, or an appreciation of music and art. Her doodles on the telephone pad are often very clever drawings. Concerts and art exhibits are a good bet on dates, and Niagara Falls or the Grand Canyon are the best choices for a honeymoon. She'll be ecstatic at the sight of nature's grandeur.
If you can't afford Niagara, take her to an amusement park. She'll probably love to ride on a ferns wheel, feel the sharp wind across her cheeks, watch the colored lights and listen to the calliope music. (The roller coaster will appeal more to her Aries and Gemini sisters.) It's a rare Taurus girl who has never been on a farm nor hiked in the country-who doesn't love horseback riding and fishing. With all her sensuality, the Taurean female is a tomboy at heart. The earth beckons her with a seductive call-and she responds by throwing her arms around Mother Nature in honest rapture. If you want her to throw her arms around you in honest rapture, be sure you don't play raucous music on your record machine, eat garlic without gargling or wear clashing colors.
Finally, there's the sense of touch. Taurus women are the ones who complain that your sweater is "scratchy." It doesn't "feel nice." They can almost tell the color of a fabric by stroking it with their eyes closed. The materials she wears will be soft and luxurious to the touch, never irritating, and she'll probably dress with simplicity and taste. Her sensuous nature may not stretch to include fussy lingerie and dainty clothing (barring a Pisces or Leo ascendant or Moon). She prefers sportswear and plain, expensive outfits with no excess trimmings, and she dresses mostly for comfort; her practical nature taking over in the costume department. If she happens to have a heavy Aquarian influence in her chart, she can go a little cuckoo in stores on occasion, but even then her offbeat selections will serve a utilitarian purpose.
As you get to know her better, you'll realize that this girl can be a tower of strength. She's seldom demanding, except in the area of loyalty, and her disposition is gen-erally even, down-to-earth and pleasant. People love her straightforward, easy-going manner-it's as relaxing as a warm bath. She's probably fond of warm baths herself, with lots of lotions and oils and bubbles. Taurean bathrooms often look like Cleopatra's private quarters. You keep expecting to see a slave appear and start waving a palm leaf fan.
You might have to find out the hard way that a Taurus woman doesn't like to be contradicted, especially in public, but why do that, when you can learn the easy way by understanding her Sun sign? Remember that she likes to do things slowly. If you hurry her or rush her, she'll become angry, and it isn't wise to make a Taurean female angry. Her tempo ranges from slow to deliberate and steady; it seldom raises to impulsive, but it can reach violent, when she's goaded too far.
Motherhood becomes her nicely. It blends smoothly with her serene disposition and matches her bovine nature beautifully. She'll cuddle little babies and adore toddlers, but as the youngsters grow older, she may be too strict and demanding. There's an unbending, stubborn streak in Taurean females that makes it hard for them to accept easily the multiple and confusing changes of adolescence. The Taurus mother becomes angry when her discipline is thwarted. She won't stand for disobedience or defiance. All the fury of the bull is aroused. She'll also find it difficult to tolerate laziness or sloppiness, and the children will probably keep their rooms neat-or else.
The Taurean love of beauty and harmony prevents calm acceptance of untidy habits. Messy youngsters and sloppy surroundings can make her see red. Outside of these few failings, she'll probably be a good parent, more of a friend to her children than a mother image as the years pass. Most offspring of a May-born woman remember her 'as a warm, maternal image in the early years and a pal with a sense of humor in their later years. The inbetween years-when youthful impatience clashes with the bull's , firm determination-may leave a few unpleasant memories. | She'll fiercely and loyally defend them from outside hurts |and teach them to imitate her own honest courage.
( Taurus females are never sissies. They seldom whine or | complain. This is a woman who will quietly take a job to | support a husband in medical school or work at home if | there's a temporary financial crisis in the family. She ' doesn't have a lazy bone in her body, despite her often I slow, deliberate movements and need for frequent rest periods. Taurus females are hard workers. She can climb ! a stepladder to paint or scrub the walls with the strength of : a man, but she needs that afternoon nap to keep her sturdy. : She'll walk proudly beside her man, and seldom try to pass him or stand in his shadow. Many a Taurean wife helps her husband with his studies, if he's taking special courses in a professional career, or types up the business correspondence he brings home from the office. She's an excellent helpmate in these areas. Taureans never expect to be supported without contributing their share, and they're miserable with a man who doesn't contribute his, though they'll try to make the best of it. Taurus women dislike weakness in any form.
Her impassivity to pain and emotional stress is almost : miraculous, often even surpassing that of the Scorpio iv-male. I remember a scene I once watched in a hospital. A Taurus woman was going upstairs for serious surgery, so serious that her chances of surviving the operation were very small, and she knew it. It was a calculated risk. As her husband watched her being placed on the cart that would wheel her to the operating area, she noticed the tears in his eyes. But she never commented. She made jokes instead, until the nurses giggled and even the doctor smiled. The last thing her family heard her say as the orderlies were pushing and pulling, trying to get the cart into the elevator, was typically Taurean. Instead of glancing back at her loved ones with a tearful look of farewell, she raised up on one elbow and spoke to the young men firmly. "Before you put me back on this thing again, get some oil and grease those damned wheels." A Taurus woman never lets sentiment interfere with practicality.
A man who marries a female born in May won't marry a cry baby or a gold digger. She'll expect him to provide for her and manage the family finances sensibly. She'll also want the best quality when it comes to food and furnishings. But she'll always keep a sharp eye out for bargains, and be willing to wait for the luxuries she craves.
Quick fortunes without a solid foundation don't appeal to her sense of stability. She'd rather see you build carefully for the future. Making a good impression is important to her, and lots of Taurean women encourage their husbands to aim for a secure future by inviting influential people to dinner. A Taurus wife is the soul of hospitality.
This is a girl who will stay up night after night with a sick child and pray him back to health with a rock-bound faith-the kind of woman who can tenderly replenish a man's store of hope when the world has defeated him, infusing him with her own brave, dauntless example. She's as dependable and predictable as a grandfather clock, as capable of patching a broken pipe or fixing a blown fuse as she is of baking a cherry pie or sewing on a missing button. There's always room enough and love enough in her heart to welcome strangers and relatives to her hearth, and her house will warm you when you've just come in out of a storm. Like my friend said, a Taurus female is "a tall woman."
The TAURUS Child
"It'll be no use putting their heads down and saying, 'Come up again, dear!' . . . // / tike being that person, fll come up:
If not, I'll stay down here. ..."
It may begin to be evident that your newborn baby is a Taurean when you try to dress him to take him home from the hospital. "Put your little arms inside your nice sweater Grandma knit for you," you'll murmur in tender, maternal tones. "Why are you clenching your little fists and holding your arms so stiff? Let go, like a good little baby. Please, let go."
"Let me try," says your husband. "Okay, come on now, Kid. Let's get those arms in the sleeves. Easy does it. Hey! Did you hear me, Charlie? Let go. Move your arms. Move them!"
The nurse comes in. "Don't be upset," she .says. "It's always hard to dress them when they're little. My, what a good baby. Wide awake, but he doesn't make a sound."
"Yes, he's quiet," says your husband. "But he keeps fold^ ing his arms across his chest, and I can't pull them apart He's so strong, I can't even pry them apart."
"I don't think he wants his sweater on," you remark uneasily, a mother's intuition beginning to rise.
The nurse approaches your little bull with professional efficiency. "I'll do it. All right now, upsy daisy! In the sleeve-fist first-that's the way."
She forces the tiny arm through the opening in the sweater. Suddenly, your small bull's face turns a deep, bluish-purple-red color, and a wail is heard that brings every nurse on the floor rushing into the room. (It's more of a roar than a wail. The intern down the hall thought the boiler had exploded in the basement.) Your Taurus baby is just announcing that he doesn't appreciate being pushed. It's a warning. And it will be repeated.
Your neighbors will hear the same sound every time you try to press your May child into doing something he doesn't want to do. There will be lots of little problems like trying to stuff oatmeal into a mouth that's glued shut, pressing an iron leg into a pair of rubber panties, and trying to force a chubby, pink body, suddenly turned to unyielding cement, into the bathtub. You'll lose lots of weight and develop strong muscular control. Mothers of Taurus children always have muscles like Popeye, though they often look as haggard as Olive Oyl.
Outside of being just plain pig-headed, the Taurus baby is a delight to raise. Parents of Taurean boys and girls will find their youngsters cuddly and loving. They adore being squeezed and hugged and petted. The little bull with a cowlick or curly forelock will jump up on your lap to get a kiss and leave you out of breath with his bear hugs. He'll give your friends the same affectionate treatment, if he trusts them. The tiny Taurus girl will flirt from the high chair to get an extra helping of dessert. She's probably
Daddy's little girl. He'll find it hard to resist her limpid charm, as difficult as Mommy finds it to resist her Taurean son's quiet sweetness. The children of both sexes will be strong, healthy and athletically inclined. The boys will be all boys, sometimes little terrors, full of fun, sturdy and tough. The little girls will be all female, taking care of their dolls like small mothers, keeping things tidy and playing house. Some of them will be tomboys, and you'll catch them climbing trees or shooting marbles with the boys; but essentially, they have all the charms of femininity to call on when they choose, and they'll choose often.
Taurus youngsters seem to be generally more competent, even as toddlers, than other children. For one thing, they're emotionally stable, seldom subject to deep moods of depression, fits of impulsiveness or show-off tendencies. They can be negative and stubborn, sometimes shy and timid, but there are few of the normal hang-ups and growing pains. Taurean dispositions are normally calm and pleasant. They're not easily ruffled or disturbed. Except when they balk at being pushed too far or too hard, their personalities are smooth, cheerful and quite predictable. There's a maturity about them that children born under other Sun signs (except Capricorn and Scorpio) lack. Even the very young Taureans are usually quite well-behaved in front of company, but they'll act as if the cat got their tongues if they're forced to be the center of attention. Leave them alone to play in the comer and the chances are that visitors will be impressed at how well they've been trained.
A Taurean youngster quietly minds his own business, and the young bull will seldom embarrass you by rudeness or a smart-alecky attitude. However, if you challenge his temper by teasing him (which he can't stand), by applying steady pressure, or demanding that he do something his mind is dead set against-he can turn belligerent. The only way out of such defiance is love. Never force. A Taurean child who's been forced by older people too often may turn into a silent, moody, cruel adult. Remember that he can't remain stubborn against physical demonstrations of affection. A loving squeeze or a big, friendly kiss and a cheerful smile will coax him out of his obstinacy. Always speak gently and logically. Yelling and harsh voices raised in command will just make him shut his eyes and ears. He can resist discipline and orders until doomsday. He cant resist affection for a minute.
Even when he's very young, his mind will respond to common sense. If it sounds reasonable to him, hell do it- but he'll want a practical explanation. Nothing compli-cated. Just the plain, honest, unvarnished truth. "You have to go to bed now because I say so," will get you nowhere at all. That's neither sensible nor reasonable to him. However, a softly spoken declaration like, "You have to go to bed now because we're going to turn out the lights. If you don't, we can't let you go out to play tomorrow, because you'll be too tired," will probably get him into his sleepers and ready for the sandman. It also works to say, "Hop into your warm bed now, between your nice, clean sheets, while I tuck in your soft baby bear blanket. Then I'll read you a little story." No matter how stubborn he has been, he'll almost always turn into a docile angel at those words. His is a very sensual nature, and describing the feel of things seldom fails to strike a responsive chord. Pushing him to give in to your demands is both futile and dangerous to his future personality.
Colors and sounds will affect his disposition and his emotions deeply. Bright, clashing oranges and reds in his room will make him restless and obstinate. Pastel shades, especially pink, rose and all tones of blue, will produce almost magical results. This child will react to colors visibly. If they're harmonious to his Taurean vibrations, he'll remain tranquil. If they're discordant, they can literally damage his emotional stability. Loud noises will have the same effect.
It's a good idea to give a Taurus child music or singing lessons as soon as possible.
Almost every one of them will have a low, soft, melodious voice, and many of them have considerable vocal or musical talent, and you'll want to discover it while he's young enough to be trained in the right direction. Even if he's not going to make music his career, he'll enjoy listening to it on his own little record player in his room. He may prefer the classics to modem sounds or nursery rhymes. He'll probably like to draw, color or paint, and the chances are good that he may have some real artistic ability. Be sure your Taurus has lots of. paper and colored pencils. It's his favorite way of expressing himself.
Teachers usually find the Taurus child a credit to the class. Unless there are afflicting planet positions in fhe nativity, Taurean boys and girls will be industrious in school, learn their lessons methodically and have excellent powers of concentration. They're not whiz kids like the Gemini and Aquarian or Aries students, but they probably won't be tardy or throw spit balls in study hall, though they may break up if Teacher gets her finger caught in the pencil sharpener. The Taurus youngster is ordinarily quite obedient. His mind absorbs slowly, but he never forgets what he's learned, once a fact or date is mastered. These boys and girls usually do well on tests, because they prepare for them carefully. They're often chosen leaders of group activities, due to their love of fair play-and also due to their obvious common sense and good judgment.
The Taurus child may give his elders a few bad moments because of his stubbornness, but they'll be few and far between. One mother of a young Taurean I know took her son to school one day and was sorry she didn't stay home and keep out of it. The little bull had insulted his teacher by insisting her facts were wrong. Sojvas the author of the textbook, naturally. The next day, his mother marched him to the teacher's desk with the firm command, "Apologize to Miss Applegarden, Sammy." That was about nine o'clock in the morning. At noon, in the principal's office, the mother was heard wearily repeating the order, "Apologize to Miss Applegarden, Sammy." Later in the day, after the students had been dismissed, the janitor was gathering up trash baskets. As he passed the office, he heard a strange, faraway, trembling voice, almost ghost-like, floating from the inner sanctum. "Apologize to Miss Applegarden, Sammy," it said. "For the last time, apologize." Through the closed door came the hollow sound of a wooden paddle being applied. Then silence. The next day, the little boy was back at his desk. He had outlasted the teacher, his mother and the principal. He never did apologize. But he made the honor roll.
Once you're resigned to the knowledge that nothing this side of a derrick will move your Taurus youngster when he digs his sturdy toes in the earth, you'll enjoy watching him grow up. Hell probably get tons of dirt on his clothes playing with his toy trucks and tractors-and the hair of little Taurean boys has the oddest way of smelling like a warm bird's nest, no matter how often you wash it-but he won't lose his report card or his marbles. He won't drive Dad's car too fast and end up wrapping it around a telephone pole when he's older. He may raid the refrigerator, and eat the fried chicken you were saving for dinner, or be tough on the new furniture. But he'll be mighty easy on your heart when he gets big. And he won't forget your birthday. Your little Taurus girl may tear her party dress climbing into her tree house, or go into a rage when someone breaks one of her precious possessions. But she'll help you bake gingerbread men, and you'll always be welcome in her lovely home after she's happily 'settled down with her own family. Your grandchildren will probably be well-behaved, in either case.
Raise your little bull or heifer in a cozy, snug atmosphere of love. Surround him with visible affection instead of invisible barbed wire fences. Don't pull on his homs too hard, and let him graze at his own calm tempo. Fill his ears with music and his eyes with beauty, and he'll fill your heart with peace someday. Even Miss Applegarden will forgive him.
GEMINI, the Twins
May 22nd through June 21st
The GEMINI Man
"I could tell you my adventures- beginning from this morning-"
"At least I knew who I was when I got up this morning, but I think I must have been changed several times since then."
Being in love gives you a nice sense of warm security. There's that heavenly comfort of always knowing someone. is going to be there when you need him-that you no longer walk alone. All the doubts you knew before just melt away. That is, unless you're having a romance with a Mercury man, which might take the edge off that "warm security." In fact, you'll adjust much better to a Gemini if you send him out for a loaf of bread on Monday and don't expect him back until Thursday. Never look for him until you see him coming-and don't hang onto his coat-tails when he wants to leave.
Once you've schooled yourself to accept his restless, unpredictable spirit, there's a good chance of making it work. But not if you're going to insist on "that heavenly conafort of always knowing someone is going to be there." Yom'll probably never know for sure when this man is going to be anywhere, and that can bring back some of those doubts romance is supposed to melt away. It's true that when you're in love with a Gemini, you won't walk alome. You most certainly won't. You'll have at least two people to walk with you-and both of them will be him. He was born under the sign of the twins, you know. In his case, they're never identical twins. The dual nature of Germini combines two completely different personalities. Yom might even be involved with one of those Mercury mem who are triplets or quintuplets, and if so, you have quilte a crowd to keep you company, even. when you're alone with him.
The typical Gemini is the favorite of every hostess. He likes people. The more the merrier. It's a rare Geminian who's not a perfectly delightful conversationalist. He has exquisite taste, he's loaded with witty remarks, and his compliments are masterpieces of warm sincerity. Usually a master of impeccable manners and social adroitness, he keeps the party moving in more ways than one.
You know those scavenger hunts, where people pair off with a list of whacky items to collect, like a hair from the head of a famous movie star and a piece of the blotter on the desk of the chief of police, and the couple which has rounded up the most items on the list gets the prize? It's the Gemini's favorite kind of party, because it combines the highest possible exposure to people of all kinds with the highest
possible opportunity to move around from place to place-and he seeks both.
If you meet him first at a social affair where he's performing his fascinating multiple personality act, you haven't a chance. You'll be convinced he's the most exciting, interesting, intelligent man you've ever come across. No one could quarrel with that analysis. He probably is. It's no wonder you're excited and impressed. But before you let him change your name, be sure you're capable of 'tackling an uncertain future with a man whose whims may change with the wind, and whose goals in life may shift drastically before the honeymoon is even over. Geminian Walt Whitman once wrote the lines: "Do I contradict myself? ... I contain multitudes." Whether he realized it or not, he was summing up the Mercury nature.
One day your Gemini man may call on you with a chattering monkey perched on his shoulder and suggest going to a flea circus. He'll bring you flowers, perfume, a phonograph record or a couple of books, maybe even one he wrote himself. The hours will speed by as you happily sun yourself in his cheerful disposition, laugh at his bright, ;lever jokes and melt under his gay, gallant charm. He'll ay "I love you," a hundred different ways, like no one ilse in the world could do.
The next day, he'll phone you and break a date for no iarthly reason whatsoever, causing you to imagine all sorts of things. Was he only joking about loving you? Is he ' ;eing someone else? Is he in trouble? Your fears may be "ue. Then again, they may be false. A week later, he'll sappear, full of sarcastic remarks, moody and irritable.
He'll be impatient, critical and petulant. He may criticize your shoes, your lipstick or your literary taste, and have some pretty cutting doubts about the possibility of your happiness together. Either all this, or he'll be sullen and troubled, his mind far away, distant and aloof. No use asking why, you won't get an answer that makes any sense.
If you survive that experience, a few more days will find you visiting an art gallery, theater, museum, library or opera with your Gemini man, absolutely hypnotized by his knowledge and wide interests. Hell be unusually tender, full of fragile, butterfly dreams and imaginative hopes for tomorrow. Then he'll propose. Like that. Quick as lightning. You'll forget all the thunder and storm clouds, all the rain that fell before, say "yes," before he changes his mind-and there you are-engaged to an enigma.
Yes, I said enigma. If you expect anything else, like a man who's stable and patient, who will gently play Darby to your Joan while life and love glide on as smoothly as a gondola down a romantic canal in Venice, you're headed in the same direction as a merry-go-round. In circles. Get off fast and never mind about grabbing the brass ring. Don't let the gay, light-hearted music seduce you into following a painted scene of constantly changing colors, with shades of dreary gray as likely to show up as sunny yellow or blissful blue. If you're an incurable romantic, seeking perfect harmony, you're in more than a little danger.
No matter what the rest of his natal chart says, if the Sun was in Gemini when he was born, this man will not remain tomorrow what he is today, nor will he have any lasting memory of yesterday. In one way or another, he will change. Granted, the changes may always be for the better and he may.consistently aim higher. But the element of chance is always there. If you're a gambler, you may very well hit the jackpot with him, and find a glorious mental and emotional compatibility to celebrate on your golden wedding anniversary. But all good gamblers know the odds before they place their bet. Just be sure you do. Two rare exceptions to Geminian instability of purpose seem to be President Kennedy and England's Queen Victoria. However, keep in mind that John Kennedy had, at all times a multitude of interests, which changed constantly, and Queen Victoria (who was very close to being a Taurus by planetary position) brought about a great many important changes in her country's customs. Anyway, very few of us marry kings, queens or presidents, who have been forced by circumstances to mature and Settle into a set pattern.
An excellent example of Geminian duality of expression is the confession of a woman who was exposed to it. The Mercury-ruled man was a producer, and the woman was a famous, dark-haired Pisces actress. After a weekend party with friends as the guest of the Gemini on his boat, during which he was openly insulting, rude and aloof to her, by turns, the actress was dismayed and puzzled. Later, she made the remark, "I don't know what's wrong with him. He must hate me. I've never done anything to him, yet he hardly spoke a word to me all weekend." Ah, but don't you see, she had done something to him. She had made him fall in love with her. The emotion was serious enough for him to marry her soon after the incident. But how did he react to his first knowledge of a feeling of tenderness toward her? As though she were Lucretia Borgia.
Her experience probably won't keep you from leaping into a romance with a Mercury man. Still, it might soothe the wounds of a few of you girls who have been suffering from the cold actions of a Gemini who's probably helplessly in love with you and cleverly concealing it for his own, unfathomable reasons. Geminis have an unconscious urge to disguise their true intent, to fence with others verbally and cloak their motives with dual actions. In general, they seek to confuse you. Then with true Geminian inconsistency, they'll turn right around and be so direct, they'll fairly take your breath away with their frankness and bluntness.
Loving a Gemini is easy and fun, if you don't try to get too close. There's a inner core that belongs only to him, that he'll never share with another human being, even you. Keep things cool and light, and don't be overly passionate or dramatic. Don't bore him, always excite him and your Gemini romance can be very special. Don't rebel against his changeability. Change with him. Be as alert and interested in life as he is. Otherwise, the love affair could become just one of those things. He seeks a mental companion above all else. One who can match his wits, even top him now and then, because he's not an egotist. He's a realist, and he thrives on mental challenge. The last thing he wants is a doormat or a dull mouse. Let your brain show through, your feminine image. It won't scare him off, as it might some men. It will
spin him around in the right direction-toward you.
Geminis tend to discard old friends for new ones, but not because they're heartless. Their own personalities fluctuate and advance so relentlessly, it's only natural for them to seek those who match their interests at the time. Anywhere Gemini hangs his hat is home. There's seldom any deep, lasting attachment to old memories, places, people and things. During a long period of loneliness, he can shed some sentimental tears, but it's the loneliness that does it, rather than nostalgia for yesterday. He's gregarious, and he hates-even fears-being alone for extended periods. If you can hit him with the message that you'll be a partner who will always be around, but who won't lean on him nor expect him to lean on you, he'll probably consider signing a long-term contract. But remember those odds. Many Geminis marry more than once, although multiple marriage is more likely to occur when they wed too young than if they wait for maturity. Not every Gemini has two wives, but he'll have two of almost everything else-perhaps two cars, two apartments, two college degrees, two jobs, two dreams, two pets, two razors, two hobbies, two ambitions. He likes to double up.
My good Gemini friend Frank Blair, NBC newsman on the "Today" show, even takes his annual vacation at two separate times during the year. His hobbies? He pilots his own private plane, sails his own boat and plays a mean. game of golf. (I'm not sure, but I think Frank may be one of the triplet Geminis.) He plays two musical instruments, has multiple children, multiple awards and trophies on his office wall at NBC, multiple friends, two shifts at the network (one for the "Today" program, another for recording "Emphasis" and special shows), two electric razors in his desk and at least a dozen dreams and plans at a time, which change about every six months. He has just one wife. (He must have a Cancer or Taurus ascendant.) You'll note that he's also in a typically Gemini occupation-broadcasting. Mercury rules communication and news. He certainly has the Gemini charm and manual dexterity. Frank often pours a glass of tomato juice, dictates to his secretary, phones his wife, shaves, and packs his brief case-somehow all at once. Geminis are experts at sleight of hand.
In financial matters, the duality takes over again. A Mercury man may be at first fabulously generous, then abruptly turn miserly. If you average out his twin attitudes, my guess is that the generosity would win, hands down. Gemini has little desire to accumulate either money or knowledge. In each case, he prefers to absorb it, sort it, and give it back improved. He's the communicator whose function is to create ever new, original ideas and serve others through the versatility of his quick, brilliant mental processes.
Will he be faithful to you? In his fashion, yes, he will. There are a thousand answers to that question where Mercury is concerned. He likes to converse and he likes to mix. He's also strangely attractive to women, so there may be occasions for whispers and suspicions. But you can count on this: It's a rare Gemini man whose deeply ingrained sense of fairness will let him be dishonest in his actions if you have faith in him. I mean real faith and real trust. Not the kind that secretly wonders.
He'll always be able to sense if you secretly wonder. Mercury minds often intercept your private thoughts as though you were broadcasting them. However, it's not a good idea to expect a Gemini husband to give all females a cold shoulder just because he wears a wedding band. Females are part of the scene, and Gemini must make the scene. If they're around, he'll talk to them-maybe even laugh with them or have a drink with them. It's only natural for Mercury to communicate, regardless of the sex of the listener. But that doesn't mean he has to romance them.
It's true that there are lots of Geminians who are just plain, outright promiscuous, yet no matter what you've heard, there's always a cause. To be mistrusted or mis-understood in any area deeply distresses a Mercury man. It frustrates and depresses him, and such an unhappy Gemini can fly here and there, seeking relief from tangled emotions. When he's free from a feeling of mental isolation, and has nothing to prove to anyone, he loses the compulsion to experiment and take flights of fancy. A woman who has perfect mental harmony with a Gemini need never fear emotional or physical unfaithfulness. That's so true of these men, it's almost a cut and dried rule. But he won't be chained unreasonably. To expect your Gemini not to smile back when someone smiles at him, whether it's a child or an adult, a man or a woman, is to expect the sun not to shine. His cheerful, friendly nature seeks companionship constantly. It could be the conductor on the commuter train or the waitress at the coffee shop around the comer from where he works. Don't try to stifle him. When anyone tries to confine the Gemini's spirit, he can become as elusive and as unpredictable as the wind itself.
With the youngsters, hell be a buddy, but not a disciplinarian, and he'll teach them a lot before they even get to kindergarten. They'll probably love to confide in him, because he'll seldom be shocked or harsh in his judgment. He knows how to love without smothering. The relationship between the Gemini and his children is usually very close, but perhaps a bit loose, even though that may sound contradictory. As affectionate, exciting and lively as he is with young people, he may fail to insist that they follow routines, since he dislikes routines so much himself. There's also a tendency to criticize their behavior one day and approve of it the next day, which can confuse them. Although hell manage a good lecture, you'd better expect the spankings and really serious discipline to fall in your department. Gemini fathers tend to spoil their children.
His imagination may run away with him, and cause him to make an occasional statement he can't back up. You'll have to make him see the importance of keeping his word. Regardless of all his good intentions, a few of his quick impulsive promises may be broken. If the children don't tie him down in any way, or keep him from his multiple activities, he'll enjoy them enormously. One word of warning: Although he will seldom punish the children physically, the Gemini proclivity for sudden, stinging, sarcastic speech may cause deep wounds in little hearts or create a hurt which can be remembered for a lifetime. There may also be a reluctance to show affection in the form of kisses and hugs, unless a conscious effort is made to overcome the natural Geminian coolness. Yet, I've known some Gemini parents who seem to give the warmth they can't release to ^adults in abundance to their
children. See that the youngsters don't confine him needlessly, don't ask him to babysit unless he obviously wants to, and he'll take to fatherhood nicely, with one child or a dozen.
Jealousy is something you may never have to worry about with a Gemini husband, because possessiveness is not a typical Gemini trait. If suspicion occasionally whispers in his ear, he'll usually brush it away (unless an affliction in the natal chart indicates otherwise). Some degree of jealousy is natural in everyone, of course, but it's normally not exaggerated in a Gemini. Love is not a strictly physical relationship with this man. He hears more, sees more and feels more through his senses than others do, and Mercury helps him record the most delicate impressions vividly. His love has such an airy, elusive quality, it may seem to lack the earthy passion of other Sun signs. But if you're not seeking a wild cave man who will drag you into the woods by the hair, he should be a more than satisfactory lover. He'll speak of his emotions with romantic, imaginative phrases, and fill the hunger of your heart with the strange beauty of his idealism.
Remember that the typical emotional coldness of Mercury can be warmed considerably if you both hear the same music and dream the same dreams. He must experience a total blending of the mind and the spirit before the physical passions catch up in intensity. That may seem oblique, but it's the only real road to his heart.
You'll have to get used to the word "if." He'll say, "If I loved you, we could . . ." and "If I loved you, there might be . . ." and sometimes never finish the sentence. You may have to listen with your heart and finish it for him. Blot out the word "if." He only uses it as a smoke screen or as a safety precaution. Harsh, critical nagging and continual emotional scenes will surely dull the edge of the fine, sensitive Gemini love. Try to squeeze a puddle of mercury in your hand. What happens? It dissolves immediately into hundreds of sparkling silver balls that quickly escape through your tightly clenched fingers. One Gemini man whose wife thought she knew him very well wrote the following lines just before he left her, and she found them among his papers after the divorce:
"Into the dream you came
And across the soft carpet of my reverie you walked
With hobnail boots ..."
You'll often read or hear it said that Geminis must always have two loves at once. This Gemini duality, hinting at deception, is so frequently mentioned, it may cause unfounded anxiety. May I modify that description? A Gemini needs two loves. Not necessarily two women. That's a riddle. If you truly understand him, youll know the answer to it.
The GEMINI Woman
Though she managed to pick plenty of beautiful rushes as the boat glided by, there was always a more lovely one that she couldn't reach. "The prettiest are always further!" she said at last, with a sigh at the obstinacy of the rushes in growing so far off.
Have you always secretly thought Brigham Young had a sensational idea when he advocated several wives for one man? Do you inwardly envy the Eastern potentates with their harems? You needn't resign yourself to romantic Walter Mitty daydreams. Just marry a Gemini girl. That way, you'll be guaranteed at least two different wives, and on occasional weekends, as many as three or four.
Naturally, there's a small catch. The difference between a girl born under the sign of the twins and a harem is her apparent lack of interest in earthy passion. It's hard to get her to settle down long enough to take passion or anything else very seriously. Her mind is always traveling, and she keeps up a pretty good running commentary simultaneously. But look a little deeper. Somewhere, hidden among the several women who make up one Gemini female, is a romantic one-one who is capable of intense passion, if you can manage to make the mental, spiritual and physical blending complete. How to develop her and still enjoy all the other women bottled up inside the Geminian personality may create a problem. I can tell you that one Gemini girl equals several women. But I'm afraid it's up to you to delve into the advanced algebra of sorting them out. Each individual case is different.
Her age will be an important clue to what you can expect, because until she matures, romance is only a game to her. She can be fickle and unpredictable to an incredible degree. First she'll be ecstatically carried away by your smile and your voice, even the way you walk. Then she'll reverse her ecstasy and criticize everything from your socks to your haircut, and she usually does it with such clever, sharp sarcasm, you may need iodine for your wounds. Now, don't let this put you out of the market for a Gemini woman. Remember you're getting at least two for one, and that's indisputably a bargain.
Mercury females aren't as heartless as they seem to be 'at times. Their active imaginations create many fantasies. Romance is the easiest way they can express them, and Geminis have at least twice as much to express as other women. A Gemini man can be a producer, a singer, a sailor, a lawyer, an actor, a salesman and the chairman of a few boards of directors all at once-and express himself ad infinitum. But a woman can't very well swing all that, or she would be considered a
little freakish. Not that Mercury girls don't pursue careers. They do. Almost every last one of them. But under the existing conditions of society, a career still doesn't offer her as many opportunities as romance to try out her myriad theories and practice her emotional gymnastics.
The Gemini girl needs your pity, not your anger. It's painfully difficult for her to really commit herself to one person at a time. While she's being impressed with a man's mental abilities and his intelligent wit, another side of her is noticing his antipathy toward the arts or his lack of response to music and poetry. When she finds someone who's appropriately creative, who's at home at the ballet or in the literary world, the duality pops up again. Right in the middle of a stroll through the museum, her other self will begin to wonder if he's practical enough to make a living or if he has enough common sense to know where he's going. I trust you're beginning to have a more sympathetic understanding of the conflicts peculiar to those born in June.
Give her credit. Shell usually manage to keep her bewilderment at her own complex character to herself, and not burden you with it. She's a lively and gay companion. Most of the time (when the mood is on the up-swing), she'll sparkle with a vivacious personality, amuse you with her clever, witty remarks, and converse intelligently about almost any subject under the sun. She enjoys all the sentimental gestures of romance and has no trouble making conquests. No woman you've ever met will delight you with more imaginative ways of loving you and such appealing charm. She can flutter her lashes with delicate femininity, but she's not at all helpless when it comes to earning her own living. A Gemini woman can play the giddy party girl to perfection, flattering a helpless, trapped male right out of his mind and his bank book. But she can smoothly change into a demure and adoring housewife, from which she can quickly switch into a serious intellectual who studies the great philosophers and talks about politics or poetry brilliantly, then suddenly turn into a bundle of raw emotion, full of nerves, tears and fears. She's certainly not stuffy or monotonous.
If you think this is an exaggeration, remember the late Marilyn Monroe. Every man she ever knew, from Carl Sandburg to her hairdresser, saw her as a totally different person than the other men who thought they knew her, too. Place a photograph of her as the seductive love goddess next to a picture of her wearing horn-rimmed glasses, a babushka and no make up, seriously intent on a lecture about Russian authors. Then add a third and fourth shot of her in a gingham apron, learning to bake a cheese soume for a husband whose athletic talents and warm, human qualities she worshiped-and walking sedately beside another husband whose intellectual abilities and literary talent she deeply respected and admired. Add two more photos. One showing her with a tear-stained face, full of longing, after losing her third baby-another shot of her in a bikini, gaily laughing with a handsome French movie star on the Riviera. These are not posed pictures. They were snapped when she wasn't even looking, let alone seeking publicity. It's a perfect example of the eye of the camera exposing all the women contained in one Gemini female, who successfully kept her multiple nature hidden behind the image she chose to project
the most frequently.
Your Mercury-ruled girl longs to be "really, truly in love," but it keeps eluding her. She yearns for motherhood, but often that eludes her, too. She finds a different perfection in each man she meets, as she restlessly searches for the one man who has all the qualities she needs for happiness.
You'll find her a great pal. The Mercury girl will go along with you on anything from scuba diving to speed racing-bicycling or badminton. She'll show an interest in all the outdoor sports, and still manage to look as soft and feminine as a powder puff, with a mind as fast as a whip. The Geminian sharp mentality will show clearly when her curiosity is excited by any new subject. Her Mercurial mind will let her see all the intricacies of your creative ideas, and she'll probably throw in a few promotional schemes of her own. As long as you don't demand consistency from her, she'll be completely fascinating.
It's only fair to warn you that this girl can sincerely believe she's in love, and find other men attractive at the same time. Unless she's near you all the time, she can forget you quicker than a woman born under any other Sun sign. It's her nature to accept change, even seek it. Until she leams to control her devoted courtship of con-stant activity, neglecting to cultivate patience and stability, the Gemini female can make quite a mess of her life- and yours. Fortunately for the men in love with them, most Geminian women settle down into a deeper understanding of their own natures before it's too late.
Once you've proposed to her and she's accepted, you can pity all those men who are doomed to a life of monogamy with just one woman. You'll have several wives when you marry your Gemini.
Wife Number One will be able to adjust to anything you require of her. If you require faithfulness, she can manage that, too, providing you're interesting enough to have won her real love. I refer to that blending of mental, spiritual and physical compatibility, with the physical part added last, like the paprika, after the other three are well mixed. This wife will never sulk if you take a new job out of town. With her ingenuity, taste and sense of color, she can make a new home look lovely with a light touch of her dainty, clever hand. Besides, she'll love the adventure, and there will be no nagging reproaches that you're gambling with future security. The excitement of new horizons interests her more. She may have a surprisingly good head for business and she'll back all your original ideas. You can count on her to go to work if you need extra income, and she'll be pretty practical about how to spend it. Although she may give an outward impression of flightiness, she's not as nighty as she appears. She's a thinker, and a very clever one, underneath all the bright small talk.
Wife Number Two will be moody. You might just as well expect it. She'll have her satirical moments when she can be cynical and flippant, by turns. At the same time, she'll challenge you mentally. But a man needs to be stimulated, doesn't he? Go
ahead, top her in an intellectual argument. (It's what she secretly wants anyway.) This wife won't be easily shocked by life or have any preconceived prejudices. She may decide to march in a protest parade or join a sit-in and forget to come home until midnight. What if you do have to join the fellows while she's out making a speech or going to night school to pick up a few extra credits? At least she probably won't hound you with • suspicious questions about who you were with, where you were, and what you were doing. Don't question her, either. You're on the honor system. So is she. This one is a highly independent individualist.
Wife Number Three will be bored and depressed with housekeeping routines. The beds will be unmade and the dishes will stand in the sink while she daydreams, reads or writes the outline for a play. She may serve you a can of beans for 'dinner without even bothering to open the can. But you can have the most soul-satisfying conversations with her into the wee, small hours. She'll sympathize with your frustrations at the way life has treated you. She'll satisfy both your emotional and your intellectual cravings, be curious about your opinion of Buddhism and excited about your attempts to write a song. In short, she's pretty good company. She'll be very affectionate, too, since you haven't bugged her about dusting and baking and all that nonsense. This wife may make a mess of the checkbook now and then. But if you suggest a sudden camping trip or a few days in Las Vegas, she'll enthusiastically pack her suitcase without a bunch of silly objections, like how it's going to affect the budget or who will feed the Siamese cat and what if the bathtub leaks while you're gone.
Wife Number Four will be a gay and laughing mother. She won't let the children restrict her, because she'll probably have too many projects going constantly to smother them with over-protectiveness. They'll imitate her independence and benefit by it. If anyone asks her how much time she spends with them, she'll probably answer, "In our family, it's not a matter of how much time. It's a matter of how much love." And she'll be right. The children may not always obey her, because she's inclined to be emphatic one day, then melt and give in the next, but the youngsters will love their long talks with her. Her imagination will match theirs, and they'll amuse each other. She'll probably be a permissive mother, but she'll worry about scholastic averages, and she'll probably insist on good grades. They won't get by without doing their homework if she can help it, although they may get by without hanging up their clothes.
Wife Number Five will be a beautiful hostess, an expert at the whole candlelight, flowers and sterling silver routine. You can bring anyone, from your boss to the Governor home to dinner, and she'll be so gracious and charming, they'll never want to leave. Shell organize her life efficiently and effortlessly, dress like a fashion model and love the theater. You can take her to art galleries and concerts- she'll be right at home in any kind of society. Everyone will stare at you enviously and wonder who the glamorous woman is who hangs on your arm so sweetly. She'll be romantic and ultra-feminine, maybe even write you a poem for your birthday. You'll want to buy her velvet dressing gowns and expensive perfumes, because her gracious style will make you feel like a country squire. If you mention a trip to
Europe, her eyes will sparkle. She's a sophisticate.
Well, there you are. I may have missed a few girls in your Gemini harem. Every husband in town will be green with envy when they see you with a different woman every day. If they ask you how you get away with it, play it cool. Polygamy is against the law, you know.
Your Gemini woman will never take a train when she can fly. She'll never be silent when she can speak. She'll never turn away when she can help. And she'll never walk when she can run. Her mind is full of so many thoughts and her heart is full of so many hopes, she may seem to need a computer to sort it all out. Or does she just need someone who can run beside her and toss dreams with her-from here to tomorrow? If you're that man, she doesn't dare look over her shoulder to see if you're near. Some deep, unexplained fear within her keeps her from ever looking back. When you finally match her speed, get her to slow down to your pace. You can do it, if you hold her hand tightly and never let it go. Though Mercurial north winds drive her on, secretly she may long to rest awhile more than you know. Do hurry and try to reach her. She needs you.
The GEMINI Child
"Will you walk a little faster?"
said a whiting to a snail, "There's a porpoise close behind us,
and he's treading on my tail."
If the stork just delivered a Gemini baby to your house, sharpen your roller skates and shake the cobwebs out of your brain. You'll need to be fast and alert for the next fifteen to twenty years, and you might as well start right now, while your little bundle from Mercury is still pinned down in his crib. It won't be long before he learns to walk and talk. If you're not ready to fly beside him, he may slip in and out of your fingers like a glob of air. Did you ever try to hold on to a glob of air?
The U.S. Census Bureau figures prove that there are more multiple births during the period of Gemini, the twins, than at any other time of the year. So your June event might have been twins-or more. No? Don't be too sure. You may be able to count only ten toes and ten fingers, which adds up to one infant in most cases, but not necessarily in the case of a Gemini infant. There may have to be a change in your
concept of mathematics. You'll see what I mean soon enough when he starts to crawl. It will happen a dozen times a day. You'll swear you just this second saw him with his hand inside the electric mixer in the pantry. But how could that be? There he is, all the way out on the front porch, blissfully chewing the petunias. How can he be two places at once? Remember that your offspring is ruled by Mercury. He's that Greek god you see pictured in books with wings on his feet, wearing a bright silver helmet. Stick a kitchen pan upside down on your Gemini baby's head for a helmet, and use your imagination for the wings sprouting out of his chubby little pink heels.
See the resemblance?
I have never personally approved of those harness-like attachments they sell to mothers to strap around their toddlers when they take them out shopping. It always makes me think the woman is walking her dog. However, I would strongly advise the mother of a Gemini child to buy two or three of them, just to be on the safe side.
Your first thought might be that, if baby is going to be that active, a sturdy playpen is a must. I can see your logic, even sympathize with it, but I'm not so sure about playpens and Gemini children. Confinement in a small space can amount to cruelty with a little Geminian, whose entire nature urges him to seek, to explore, to learn. Even worse than the physical curtailment is the mental .boredom of being stuck on one little blue and pink plastic rectangular pad, with the whole exciting world out there to see and enjoy. Periods of being cooped up in a playpen should be brief. Too much restriction and hampering of the Geminian freedom can lead to emotional depression he may not outgrow so easily. Remember, he's an air sign, and air must move. Make sure he has a variety of toys and plenty of bright books to look at when you must keep him fenced in.
Of course, he won't stay there long, once he's had it. Mercury rules the vocal chords, and when your little Gemini tot decides to exercise his talent in this direction, youll wonder how all that noise could possibly come out of one small mouth. Bet you take him out of the playpen fast. Unless you have understanding neighbors, who are a little hard of hearing.
Gemini children often make older, more placid people nervous with their bird-like, quick movements. Grownups are always telling the little Geminian to stop fidgeting, or to be patient and do one thing at a time. But doing two things at a time is natural to these youngsters. What stodgy or poised people call fidgety is, to the Gemini, merely his normal state of activity. It's wrong to make him feel he would get more approval if he tried to imitate the slower, less lively people. He should be taught to slow down a little, perhaps, for his own good, but his basic nature can't be changed without frustrating his natural inclinations. We should try to remember that the quick Gemini child who annoys his more introverted elders-and the quiet, careful Capricorn child who irritates his more aggressive elders, are simply being themselves. Being yourself is always hard enough to do, without people trying to
force a personality change.
Love your Gemini child for what he is-a friendly, alert, inquisitive and precocious little person. You can't turn the firefly into a snail or the snail into a firefly. Nor can the leopard change his spots. I might add that, if someone tries to scrub them off, he'll be a mighty unhappy, neurotic leopard.
Of course, you aren't raising leopards. You're raising a bright, interesting, enthusiastic child. But the analogy is logical. Let those spots of duality in your Gemini youngster remain. Someday he may make you proud of a building he designed and a literary prize he won; and when he manifests such a double talent, you'll wonder why you ever tried to stamp him into a single mold. If he leaps about as though he has jumping beans inside him he's just practicing the fast reflexes he was born with. His firefly mind can confuse you, but remember that it's pursuing a thousand fancies, sorting them, deciding which to discard and which to treasure.
Teachers will usually notice right away that these boys and girls have no trouble learning to read. Gemini almost invented words. They won't mind being called on to recite, and they may smile as the rest of the students sigh, when a theme is assigned. These youngsters delight in communicating with others and sharing their knowledge verbally or on paper. Many of them are mechanically inclined and ambidextrous. It's not unusual to find a Gemini child who writes with his left hand and draws with his right. He may bite his nails, but his fingers are normally slim and flexible, which makes him adept at magic tricks and playing musical instruments. Someday it could make him a fine surgeon, dentist or watchmaker. Gemini hands are sensitive, expressive and capable.
There's usually a marked ability to mimic others. The Gemini sense of sharp wit and satire appears early. At home or in school, the Gemini child lives in a world of make-believe and reality, constantly blending, where truth is often portrayed as fantasy, and fantasy is disguised as truth. He may give the impression of exaggerating or even telling lies. But he just can't help splashing a little color around when he's relating an incident, and he often convinces himself it really happened that way. At such times, he should be handled gently, since he's actually stretching and exercising his vivid imagination. Rather than make him feel guilty for having an imagination, he should be told always to speak the truth and write the story down on paper. Once he masters this, hell be able to see the difference between the dream and the fact, instead of being lost somewhere between the two worlds. Gemini youngsters who aren't allowed to express and communicate naturally may retreat into a half-world of illusion in self-defense. It's a good idea to start him on foreign languages early-which he'll probably learn effortlessly. Like the Sagittarius child, he'll find bi-lingual talents will come in handy because he'll talk a lot and travel a lot.
The Gemini child who argues with you that he can do his homework and listen to the radio at the same time is probably telling the truth. If his grades back him up, why not? Geminis are never satisfied with one pursuit at a time. It's as if they had
two lives to live in only one lifetime, so they must absorb all they can, as fast as they can. The chief dangers are a lack of patience and an unwillingness to persist until a thing is thoroughly learned. These youngsters have to be discouraged from a tendency to let then-quick intellects and glib wits skim over knowledge without completely understanding it.
Your Gemini child may find it hard to be punctual, because he's always running into some new discovery on his way to anywhere. He may also find it hard to listen without interrupting, because he's caught the thought instantly and doesn't want to hear the details. He may tend to repeat himself, but he won't allow you to do so, which quite naturally may irritate people. In the classroom, he can be distracted by a fly, a piece of colored paper or a wisp of smoke outside the window. It's never easy to get his attention, but when you do, you'll be richly rewarded by the Geminian's intent curiosity and flattering interest.
Your teenage Gemini boy will practically live on the telephone, go steady with a different person each week, change his mind a hundred times about his future career, drive the car a little too fast, putter with the engine and fix your washer. The girls will be popular and be able to turn on a shower of tears or a sunny smile like a light switch. These youngsters will keep you on your toes and keep you young.
When your Gemini child finally grows up, lots of people will tell you disapprovingly that "he has too many fingers stuck in too many pies." You'll smile then, and they may be annoyed. But you'll be remembering one spring day when he was seven. He stuck his fingers in your chocolate
pies, his father's shaving cream, the fish bowl, the garbage can, a pot of hot soup and an electric socket. You were furious. Later, at twilight, you watched him run around chasing lightning bugs in the grass. After a while, you sighed, and asked yourself aloud, "Why must he rush around so? Why must he get into everything? What in the world is he searching for?" He overheard you and it troubled him. You'll never forget the look in his bright, clear eyes when he answered. "Gee, Mommy ... I don't know. But don't you worry. I'll find it."
CANCER, the Crab
June 22nd through July 23rd
The CANCER Man
"I sometimes dig for butter rolls, Or set limed twigs for crabs:
I sometimes search the grassy knolls For wheels of Hansom-cabs:
And that's the way," (he gave a wink) "By which I get my wealth-
And very gladly will I drink Your Honor's noble health."
A taciturn expert at circumlocution he is. A scatterbrain and a chatterbox he is not. Don't expect this man to bare his soul when he first meets you. Cancerians never confide in strangers, and there are certain things even their best friends don't know. It will take a long time and a fair amount of patience to really know him. If you catch him in one of his cantankerous moods, you may not be very anxious to really know him, but try again. Don't give up so easily.
He can be flirtatious and fickle, but he can also be sensitive and loyal. Without warning, that wrinkled frown can be replaced by a gentle smile. His crabby complaints aad gruff manner can warm slowly into a tender tone, just before he breaks into a deep chuckle, a muffled giggle or loud, hysterical lunar laughter. When he's sad and wistful, you'll want to put your arms around him, and soothe away his melancholy. When he's showing off his sharp, intuitive mind, you'll stare at him in awe. His caution will impress you. His pessimism will depress you.
He can be so courtly, courteous, and considerate, you half expect him to ask you to dance the Virginia Reel. There's no question that he's a romantic dreamer, yet he's so sensible and practical, his enemies may call him "Old Marble Nose" behind his back. What do you do with a man like this?
You try to understand him. These aren't changes of personality. They're simply lunar moods, moving across his consciousness, here today-gone tomorrow. Both during and between each mood, the Cancer man is true to himself. His nature never deviates from its basic mold, despite the changes of expression that play on his features. Always try to remember that although a Cancerian's manner can be rough and aloof, his heart is always soft and affectionate, and so full of sentiment it often makes him feel too vulnerable. Then he crawls into his convenient shell (the one he carries with him at all times), safe for a while from his own emotions. You'll think he's a real crab and give up when he retreats into injured silence. But the next time he cautiously peeks out to see the sunshine, you'll be tempted all over again to get close to him. Unfortunately, a Cancer male can be a regular wet dishrag now and then, disparaging everything and everybody, and splashing gloom in big, blue drops all over your ego. Yet, at other times he can be as funny as an orangutan with the hiccups. No wonder you don't know whether to give him a cold shoulder or a warm hug. The temperature changes of a Cancerian could puzzle anyone. First you shiver under his freezing glances, then you get smothered with devotion. His moods are the meanest when he's the most afraid of losing something. Maybe it's you. Reassure him you're his a thousand and one times. Words of love are music to his ears.
Of course, he may wade into one of his loony spells right in the middle of a tender scene some night under a full Moon. Just when you're drifting away on lovely dreams, he may offer to tell you his favorite poem. You'll sigh, lean back on his shoulder and close your eyes. Then he'll cackle something like, "The stag at Eve had drunk his fill-where danced the Moon on Monan's rill. He blew his nose and shined his shoes-and took a swig of Mountain booze!" It may jolt you out of your magic spell, but that full Moon can do strange things to the lunar emotions. What I mean is, he can be as nutty as a cuckoo, even if he is smart enough to make a million dollars and keep it.
I'm glad we brought up money. You will be too. If you're the kind of girl who likes to pay the rent on time, you're in love with exactly the right man. He's almost as fond of security as he is of you. You may have a slight edge, but you can safely consider money your worst rival. He's going to pursue it with dedication and a sort of quiet, religious fervor for most of his days. (The nights may bring other things to pursue.) It's not the worst fate you could experience. Finances have fascinated him since childhood, and saving will be substantially more attractive to him than spending. He's not exactly stingy, but let's say it's not likely you'll ever see him lighting his pipe with a dollar bill for a parlor trick. The Cancerian sense of humor seldom takes in the topic of cold, hard cash. Money is not a laughing matter to the crab. He could probably add a column of figures in his head before he learned the alphabet, and had a paper route when he was eleven. Don't be surprised if you find he still has his first piggy bank, unopened. The tinkle of silver and the rustle of fold-ing green paper soothe his nerves, but he won't brag about his Dun and Bradstreet rating. Cancerians seldom collect cash for status. They collect it for its own sweet sake. In fact, he will probably belittle his financial wizardry. He's "just a poor boy, trying to earn a living, and getting along the best he can." You may even feel so sorry for him, you'll offer to get him a loan at the bank. Don't. He probably owns part of it.
A fire sign on the ascendant may give him a rare extravagant urge, which he'll resist with admirable courage. Even if he gives in to an occasional spending spree to cheer himself out of a blue mood, it won't become a habit. Be-foi-e you start mumbling "tightwad" under your breath, you should know that the Cancer man has an interesting idta of economy. He'd rather take you out to the best restaurant, and get what he pays for, than risk offending his sensitive tastes with over-cooked lamb chops and indifferent service in a second-rate place. He thinks it's silly to waste money on a cloth coat, when a mink or chinchilla will amortize itself over the years. A good, conservative Cadillac or Bentley is a safer investment, in his opinion, thqn a cheap car that depreciates as soon as you drive it around the comer. Quality and thrift are synonymous to the Cancerian. There, I thought that would bring the sparkle back to your eyes.
£ven the most poetic and dreamy Cancerians, who spend their lives immersed in music, art or other cultural pursuits, have a shrewd sense of the value of cash. A lunar artist may paint in an attic, but you needn't send him any Care packages. There are probably some stocks and bonds hidden in the rafters. He won't donate his paintings, either. He'll sell them for a pretty price, if he's a professional. But they'll be worth it. When a Cancer person tackles a career, he's sure to be at the top of it. He's loaded with artistic talent. You might suggest that your Cancer man design your Christmas cards. They're sure to be lovely, even if he's only an amateur.
If he's a true Cancerian, he won't be wild about sports clothes. There's a certain formality about his toilet. Whether be'ss worth billions or only a few paltry thousands, he likes conservative cuts and good tailoring. He often leans- to colllar buttons (yes, they still sell them-to Cancerians), French cuffs and expensive shirts he gets wholesale, usually without monograms (too showy; he prefers to be incon-spicuous). Even when he's short of cash for a brief period whiile he's working on his first million, his shoes will be poliished and his socks will stay up. During any shaky financial period (and it will be temporary), a Cancer male will. somehow exude an air of genteel rich, or one who has known better days. If he hasn't, he will. Fairly substantial amounts of money will someday come to this man, or he'll be given the opportunity to earn large sums of it. He won't always be wealthy, but a Cancerian in the un-emrsloyment line is as rare as a pineapple tree in Si beria. His secret motto is that "all play and no work gives Jack a skinny billfold," and he prefers his wallets pleasingly plump.
Let's hope you find his mother congenial. In fact, let's pray you do. It's fairly certain she'll pop up in his conversation frequently, in remarks like, "My mother never wears much makeup, and she's a beautiful woman. Don't you think your eye shadow is a little heavy, sweetheart?" Or "You use frozen pies and instant potatoes? My mother used to bake her own bread when I was a youngster." This paragon of virtue is quite likely to pop up just as often in person, when you least expect it. "Darling, I have to cancel our date for the theater tonight. I'm driving Mother out to the country for a few days." To put it mildly, the Cancer man may be reluctant to dethrone Mama and crown you as his new queen. He's a terribly domesticated crab, for all his occasional stirrings of wanderlust, and if his mother made his home cozy, he'll be in no hurry to leave it. Cancerians are either very, very close to their mothers or completely alienated from them. The relationship is never casual. Those who don't revere the maternal parent are either adopted, or jealousy of the father's place in the mother's affection has caused an emotional block. Then there can be an unnatural coldness and isolation.
With the typical crab, however, the problem is far more likely to be closeness. There's no use hiding the facts of life. If you're in love with this more common type of Cancerian, you'll have to cultivate his mother, and you'll have to be her rival while you're showering her with compliments. It's not easy to cultivate and compete at the same time, but that's the strategy you'll need. Don't ever let her get the edge on cooking and homemaking. Let her teach you how to bake lemon chiffon pie. He'll like that -you two girls getting along so nicely. Then turn around and do a brilliant beef Stroganoff on your own. Be sure to spoil him at least as much as she does, and that may be a lot. He's probably grown accustomed to being considered the apple of her eye. Being fussed over, fed regularly, catered to, hovered over when he's sick, and tucked in bed tenderly at night can turn him into a mighty sweet crab. Cancer men will never admit it, but they love to be petted and babied by females.
There are certain traits, however, which can even up the score in your relationship. For one, he'll be a pretty good chef himself. He may surprise you with his ability to whip up a gourmet meal. When this man invites you to come up to his apartment for dinner, he's usually quite serious. Even if he asks you to look at his etchings, there may be no ulterior motive. The typical Cancerian male is a devotee of the finer things in life. In plain talk, he diga culture. For all you know, he may actually own some rare etchings or at least a fabulous record collection. You're fairly safe in risking an unchaperoned trip to his rocky cave, because the typical lunar man is the soul of gallantry with women. Hell usually be a gentleman until you stop being a lady. It's the way they did it in Grandma's day, and to him, those were the good old days. (That's probably Grandma's photograph on the mantel.) Ask him about his family tree. He'll love to tell you. Most Cancerians delight in their backgrounds and their blood lines. He likea old things, from Grandma herself to that Eighteenth Cen-tury fruitwood table he bought the first time he went to Europe.
If he asks to take your picture, don't grab your babushka and run. Photography is a common lunar hobby, and few Cancer males live their lives without at least one camera. Of course, he could have Venus in Scorpio or a Leo Moon, so maybe it would be more discreet to check his natal chart before you agree to anything. Whatever it is, just say, "I'd love to, dear, but do you mind if I call my astrologer first? I'll need your birthday." If he thinks you're jesting, you can straighten that out right away. Just tell him that J. P. Morgan seldom made a move in the stock market without consulting astrologer Evangeline Adams, who was the granddaughter and great-granddaughter of John Quincy Adams and John Adams. The combination of
both history and money will open his eyes wide with interest.
The Cancer man may go for quite a spell without inviting you to see either his etchings or his fruitwood table. Although he may engage in light flirtations, it may be many years before he becomes seriously enamoured, because it isn't easy for him to find a woman he feels is worthy of his interest. When he finds her, he'll be beautifully sentimental, and he'll lavish her with gifts and admiration. But his standards are high. Not every girl can meet them. Most crabs are afraid of being burned, and not without cause. A mismatched alliance which would cause only a few sad weeks of readjustment for the average man can be a disaster to the crab. When something separates him from a partner he's allowed himself to get close to, he can carry a torch for many years.
He's naturally shy of rushing in, but once he's sure, he won't be easily rebuffed. Cancerians can play the role of the romantic lover artfully. After he's declared himself, and has some hope of winning you, his timidity will switch to tenacity overnight, and you'll find yourself being courted by an earnest, determined man who won't take no as an answer for any proposal he has in mind. He's likely to stuff himself in your mailbox (figuratively, of course), camp on your doormat and monopolize your phone. It's hard to slide away from the grip of the crab. You probably won't want to, of course. Lots of girls are looking for a moonlit world like his to dream in, where someone will hold them tightly and protect them from the big, bad wolf at the door.
Now that you know he's not a sloppy dresser or a spend-thrift, that he can probably cook like a dream, has excellent taste, is looking for an old-fashioned girl like the girl who married dear old dad, and that he can be a cooing lovebird (when he's not in a snappy mood), what other information could you possibly need? How is he as a father? That's the best news of all. Cancerians are all mothers at heart. Even the men.
What I really mean to say is, he'll be a fine parent, because of the same caring, gentle, sympathetic, and understanding nature you fell in love with yourself. He'll have infinite padence with the children, be genuinely interested in every mashed toe, broken toy and toothache. Hell wear a paper hat at their birthday parties, be a pied piper for all the kids on the block, and spend countless hours entertaining the little people. Cancer dads are proud of their sons and fiercely protective of their daughters. When they're small, he'll be just the grandest daddy you could imagine. However, adolescence may chum up the water somewhat. He'd like his loved ones to lean on him forever, and when they show signs of independence, he may become a cranky crab again for a period, as he rebels against their desire to experiment with the world outside.
Hell pace the floor until he wears a hole in the carpet when young Henry has the car out after midnight or when pretty Lucy stays at the dance past her curfew. Remember how figures impress him? Use plain ar thmetic to make him see the error
of his ways. "It's like this, dearest. Right now
we have two children. When they get married, we might have six or eight grandchildren, like dividends at the bank. :
Six or eight adds up to more happiness than two, right?" (You have him there.) "I'm so glad you agree, luv. Now will you please tell us where you hid Lucy's wedding gown, and will you please take those handcuffs off Henry so he can pick up his marriage license?" Don't try it during a full Moon. He might misunderstand. Besides, no Cancerian can think straight when the lunar vibrations are strong. It's hard for him to give up control, but when he's reminded that he still has you to cling to, his grip will
loosen.
Well, that's all in the future. Your immediate problem is to entice your crab to move directly toward a proposal soon, instead of cleverly dodging from side to side and skirting the issue. You might try pretending you're leaving him for a bolder, cave man type. Usually the crab will stop his backward direction when the object-that's you -shows signs of getting away. But that requires scouting around for another man to wake him up. And that can be a real bore, since he watches you so closely.
The easiest way to get him in the mood to take hold tightly and stop playing scrabble every night is to work on his emotions, which are always right below the surface of his adding machine mind. Music, poetry, flowers, beautiful clothes, expensive perfume sparingly used, soft words and sweet caresses are all weapons which should mow down his weak resistance to romance. Don't overlook that direct line between his heart and his stomach. Cut out baby pictures from magazines, leave your sewing machine out in full view, take up the hems of your skirts an extra inch, and baby him a little. Wear one of those bracelets made of foreign coins. That will strike two sensitive chords-travel to faraway shores-and cash. One night he'll impulsively ask you if you'd like to meet his mother. The very next morning feel perfectly safe to order your invitations and your trousseau. You will have won the heart of a moody lunar man with a thousand secret dreams-and the approval of his best girl. Then you can "sail away for a year and a day" and "dance by the light of the moon" while you "eat with a runcible spoon." Bon voyage! Don't forget-never throw away his battered old hat, his torn tennis shoes, his stamp collection or his grade school report cards. They're his treasures. Be sure to take your umbrella along. There will be some damp nights. May I say that you look beautiful in your chinchilla? But of course. A woman is beautiful only when she is loved-and you are.
The CANCER Woman
. . . Echoes fade and memories die:
Autumn frosts have slain July.
Still she haunts me, phantomwise, Alice moving under skies Never seen by waking eyes.
There's so doubt about it. In the beginning, you'll have trouble deciding if your Cancerian girl is a gentle moon maiden or a wild loony-bird. In the end, you still won't know.
During the rainy season, she'll drown you in her sorrows. When the sun peeks through the clouds again, she'll double you up with laughter, and touch you with tenderness. Experiencing her moods is like watching one of those old-time silent movies where hysterical slapstick humor comes on just before the Perils of Pauline thriller, and the entire show is backed by the tinny piano in the pit Sometimes the tune is lively and gay; then it gets melancholy and blue. The music is variable, to suit the occa^ sion, never stagnant or monotonous. So it is with the Cancer girl. She's just a little mad, slightly sad and superbly imaginative. She also knows how to save the shekels.
Naturally, you can't look under her mattress until after you've married her. Modesty is a thing with her. But you can safely make a bet she probably has an old sock there, stuffed with green bills and silver coins. She may have an extravagant ascendant or Moon sign, but even so, she'll' have a quarter or two stuck under the potted azalea, or salted away in the folds of that lace tablecloth she got for her birthday ten years ago and still hasn't ever used. Open One of her books of poetry, and a wrinkled dollar bill may fall out, blinking at the light of day. A Cancer female can go on a sudden spending spree when she's been hurt and needs balm for her injured ego, but most of the time her outgo will lag considerably behind her income. Your savings account may be of unusual interest to her, and money may be one of her favorite topics of conversation. She won't look down on you if you don't have it, so long as you're the kind of man who tries to get it. She'll help you make it and save it, but you're on your own when it comes to wasting it. Don't go too far, or she'll see your mutual security slipping away. When you give this girl a terribly expensive gift, and she says, "You shouldn't have done it," let me tell you, she means it.
To take her mind off insurance, mortgages, rent, bills and her Christmas club balance at the bank, bundle her off to the seashore at midnight for a walk in the moonlight. That's when shell be at her best. The Moon will pull out all her secret dreams, and the nearness of the water may loosen her four hundred and three inhibitions. You're liable to see her whole range of emotions in the space of an hour. Then you can choose the one you like the best and encourage her to cultivate it. A strange transformation will take place when you get the typical Cancerian girl alone
on a beach under a full Moon. That cool and reserved lady you see in the daytime, or even the giggly, outrageous flirt you notice on an occasional evening in a restaurant or theater, will suddenly become a creature from another world when the magnetic rays of the Moon shine in her eyes and the compelling sound of the surf fills her ears. She'll turn into a sea nymph, who can soar with you as far as your imagination can reach. It will work nine times out of ten, and the tenth time you probably picked a new Moon. That won't accomplish the same purpose. She'll be shy and sweet when the Moon is waning but what you really want is a Moon that's full enough to arouse all her latent talents. Under its spell, at the right time in her personal ebb and flow of emotions, she can write a poem, compose a song or tear the veil off mysteries the philosophers have pondered for centuries. Naturally, she makes an interesting conversationalist at these times. To say the very least.
You should know that there are two distinctive approaches when a Cancerian female is in love with you. The first is gentle and womanly, shy, modest and pleasantly trembly. The second is rather sticky. This last type will use every trick of Eve to sit as close as possible to you in the booth. It can be very exciting, of course, if you really care for her. But if you're just being friendly, and she deliberately squeezes your hand or busses you on the cheek just as the girl you found at the end of the rainbow walks by, the game may lose some of its flavor. You can go along with the gag, but I know one man who did, and the other girl, who was for real and didn't play games, kept on walking. He was left with a clinging crab with a fit of the giggles. This kind of Cancerian woman can be a real threat to true love and happy homes. Fortunately, she is in the minority. Still, even one can cause a lot of trouble.
As you know from the other Sun signs, few women are perfect. The Aries girl is always running around hailing her own taxis and butting her head against brick walls, the Sagittarius girl is shockingly outspoken, the Scorpio girl can frighten you, Gemini can be fickle, Leo too proud- and so on. Cancer women ordinarily have none of these faults.
Nevertheless, there are some "don'ts" to remember with her. She hates to be criticized, she is deeply wounded by ridicule, and she just can't stand being rejected. One, two, three. They're basics. Seldom openly aggressive, the typical Cancerian hesitates. You'll have to make the first move. If she moves anywhere at all, it will be backwards or sideways. With her basically shy nature and fear that she won't be accepted, she echoes .the male of the Sun sign. I know of a Cancer woman and a Cancer man who, for seven hours, sat close to each other one night in her apartment, under the pretense of looking at magazines. While their pulses pounded silently, they went through a stack of back issues, the morning and evening papers, and worked a few crossword puzzles. Neither crab, you see, wanted to make the first move.
Be kind to her mother, or she'll never forgive you. Mother is a lady she won't like to see abused. The Cancer girl's sense of humor doesn't react favorably to mother-in-law jokes. And never read her five-year-diary. It probably has a lock and key, anyway. Cancerians like to keep secrets. They're not much for true confessions,
unless you're the one doing the confessing.
The fears of your lunar lovely can really hang you up, along with her. She's afraid she isn't pretty enough, she isn't smart enough, she isn't young enough or she isn't old enough. It makes no difference if she has a figure like Venus de Milo, a face like Helen of Troy and a mind like Aristotle: she'll still feel inadequate. Assure her that she's young, she's lovely, she's engaged, and she has you. About twenty times a day should begin to make a dent. Her moods will change on the average of four times a month, with each quarter Moon plus minor fluctuations twice a day- reflecting the tides. She's sort of predictable in an unpredictable kind of way. It may make her fascinating and mysterious, but so doggone aggravating youll feel like whacking her. During one of her blue spells, she may even be afraid she's not a good cook, which is utterly ridiculous, because the typical Cancerian woman can make a French chef look like the mess sergeant you had at boot camp. This woman isn't an automatic can opener or a frozen food fan. She would rather shell her own peas and bake her own biscuits. Her casseroles are sensational, her potatoes are fluffy, her vegetables are crisp and crunchy, and she tops it all off with heavenly strawberry jam. Cancer women are very friendly with their ovens. The kitchen will be her favorite room by far (next to the nursery). She'll fuss over you like a mother hen, and you'll probably love it.
Most men do.
In addition to the obviously unjustified fear about her culinary skill, she may be afraid you don't love her enough. That should be easy for any red-blooded male to remedy. Go ahead and prove it-as often as you like. She'll be beautifully receptive. Once you've turned on the green light, she'll happily recognize the signal, which may remove her feelings of inadequacy, but which creates a new problem. Truthfully, after you've won the Cancerian female, she may be just a little tenacious-like, she'll never let go of you as long as she lives. That's not bad. There »re men who starve for such loyalty. You'll never starve for either food or affection when you've been lucky enough to win her kind of love. The loony laugh that accompanies it can be kind of kicks, too. Her rich humor is even warmer and dearer when you think of all the sarcastic sirens with their cynical wit and hypocritical laughter.
It's brutally unfair to toy with the heart of this girl, because shell love, honor, obey and nag you a little with sincere devotion. Why encourage such rare love unless you mean to reciprocate with equal ardor? Remember her tenacity. You may only be flirting lightly, but you'll have a hard time calling the end of the inning. She won't hear the whistle. There's nothing shallow or superficial about the sentiments of a Cancer woman. When she owns a man or a teacup, it's hers forever.
She may not overwhelm your friends with her vivacity and sparkling flattery, but she won't fail to impress you with her charm. July women prefer to save their deepest emotions for people closest to them. After you've dated other girls and compared them to her, you may go running right back to your female crab, and beg
her to hang on again. Tightly.
The trickiest aspect in handling her is to keep her from crawling into the always handy, tough Cancerian shell. Her feelings are so sensitive and tender, the slightest unintentional remark can wound her harshly. It's hard to know when she'll suddenly become vulnerable to hidden meanings. You could waltz in some night and say, "Your hair looks gorgeous," and she'll get a tear in her eye. Why? Because you insinuated her hair looked frightful the last time you saw her. Cancer women can be quite touchy. They cry a lot. Always have a fresh handkerchief ready.
Females born under the sign of the crab aren't necessarily stingy, but they have this little habit of saving things. You could say it's a downright compulsion. She'll seldom throw away pieces of string, buttons, jars, cans, husbands, or old dress patterns. Who are you to say she won't find a purpose for those torn theater stubs, faded love letters and used tea bags? Someday in the unpredictable future, she may need the burned-out fuses she keeps in the drawer with those broken Christmas ornaments. Don't ask her how she's going to find a use for two hundred stockings and gloves, long divorced from their mates. She will, she will! This isn't the girl to take kindly to someone who burns a hole in the heirloom bedspread her great-aunt Matilda quilted. Everything has a sentimental value, including canceled checks from 1952 and her old Girl Scout badges. She treasures the things she owns and guards them jealously. That, of course, includes you. She's not so much jealous as possessive. There's a shade of difference.
Women born under the fire signs may strain and protest against life's delays and disappointments, but the Cancer girl usually feels nothing can be changed or overcome by getting all stirred up. When things don't go her way, she may shed a few quiet tears alone, but her normal reaction will be to fold her hands serenely and wait patiently for things to right themselves. Patience is one of her loveliest virtues. When she's depressed, however, youll have to find a way to take her out of herself. Try to catch her before she has burrowed too deep. She does have a way of wanting to be babied. The desire to be a little spoiled by loved ones seems to be buried deep in the Cancerian nature. She needs desperately to know you can't live without her. and sometimes shell go to great lengths to arouse your pity and protective instincts, just to be assured she means a lot to you. It's really very little for her to ask, when she gives so much in return. But don't be fooled by her weakness during these episodes. That helpless little baby who seeks your big, strong arms to keep out the cold, cruel world is perfectly able to manage by herself, if she must. In the middle of a quarrel, when your lunar girl looks up at you with her eyes all wet and dewy and frightened, remember that after you leave and are safely around the corner, she's likely to dry her eyes, put a stack of records on the player, and calmly clean out her closets. Of course, you can't rule out the times when her depression is real, instead of a typical Cancerian bid for sympathy. Those nights you'd better stay, listen to the music with her, and hold her hand tenderly.
There's no end to the heroic sacrifice a Cancer woman will be capable of for those she loves. The bravery she can't seem to muster for herself and her own fears is
there shining when someone close needs her to be strong. She'll never let you down when things get really dismal, and then she'll remind you more of a gigantic, rugged rock than a fragile, silvery moonbeam. Her children will also find her a tower of strength and refuge. She'll help them find their way with sensitive understanding. They'll cling to her, and the warmth of her love will make their home as rich and comfortable and bright as a palace, even if it's a shack. You might suffer a slight loss of attention when the babies come along. Cancer rules motherhood, you know. There will still be room for you, but you'll have to move over a few inches. (A childless Cancerian woman will love an animal or her friends with her stored up maternal affection, and the pets and pals will be fortunate.) Like baby birds, her youngsters will probably be fed every time she finds their mouths open, and always the food will be hot and nourishing.
Nothing is too good for her family. When a child sneezes, he'll get plopped into bed with medicines, hot tea and chicken broth until he gets old enough to resist. The offspring of a Cancer mother won't get away without wearing his thick sweater on a cold night, his scarf and mittens in the snow or his galoshes in the rain. A child has to have lots of will power to fight the crab's protective solicitude. He has to be pretty tough not to get spoiled, too. It's often quite a jolt when he goes out into the world and finds out he's not the center of everyone's universe. Such complete dedication and devotion can give him a wonderful featherbed of security to fall back on when life gets too real, but it can also make him abnormally dependent on home ties, and unable to see his own faults. It's often impossible to tell whether a Cancer mother ties her children to her apron strings or they choose to tie the knot themselves. She'll save every spelling test paper, proudly hang clumsy crayon drawings on the wall and tenderly wrap baby shoes in tissue paper. Those little wrinkled bits of white kidskin are precious, because the lunar parent with her clear, photographic memory will recall a child's first steps long after he's flown away from the nest. The flight itself may be painful. Cancer women are reluctant to give up their youngsters to the ties of marriage. They tend to hang on too hard and too long, and think no one is good enough for them. Sometimes, the potential bride or groom of a man or woman with a July parent has to pass everything but the ink blot test to get approved.
I once knew a Cancer mother who used to meet her small son every day after school. He would always come bursting through the door like a jet-propelled rocket, and immediately run furiously around the schoolyard a few times before he came near her. Once, when she was accompanied by her sister, the aunt started to go after the little boy, but the Cancer mother stopped her. "No, let him be," she said quietly. "He's just working off steam. He'll be back when he's through running." Finally her son walked over to her, took her hand and said, "Let's go home. Mom. I'm hungry."
That sums up the whole attitude of the lunar female toward all forms of love, and most of all toward her m arriage. It's her strange brand of possessiveness that's unshakable, but never aggressive. She knows, in her secret heart, that no matter how far away you go to follow your dream, youll always come back again and she'll be there patiently waiting. Her eyes will still be beautiful with the Moon magic you remember, the kitchen will smell deli-ciously of warm spices, and she'll ask you
how things went, how you feel. If things went badly and you feel miserable, shell tell a joke to get you to laugh. Then she'll fill your stomach, and after you're relaxed, she'll gently smooth away your worries with her sensible advice and her rich humor. Later, in the firelight, you'll look at her serene face and ask yourself all over again, "Is she really a Moon maiden from some misty garden or a lovable loony bird?" But the answer won't seem very important.
The CANCER Child
Dear, dear, haw queer everything is today! And yesterday things went on just as usual.
Write it down so you'll remember it and not be surprised every day of your life:
your Cancer baby will change his moods as frequently as you change his diaper. It's a strange new world for the lunar infant. He'll be fascinated by delicious things to eat and drink, and he'll love all the colorful pictures which pass before his sharp little eyes, and impress themselves on his indelible memory. What he experiences will never leave him. When he's old and gray, your Cancerian boy or girl will remember every feeling and emotion, and be able to give it back as an exact image.
One of the dearest Cancerian women I ever knew was born in Europe, and when she was ill, she would sing every word of the Russian lullabies she had heard as a child, even though she came to America almost half a century ago. Most of us would be lucky if we remembered the tune or words to "Rockabye Baby."
From breakfast until bedtime, the busy mind of the Cancerian child will be recording what he sees and hears.
It's difficult for worldly adults to follow him up his Moon mountain of dreams or go beside him as he wades in the streams of his luminous imagination. His emotions are rich, colorful and varied, but for all that, he may be lonely.
Playing with lunar babies can be loads of fun. They're funny little creatures, with droll expressions and eyes that almost talk by themselves. Their features constantly eon-tort with tears, twist with a grimace or spread wide with smiles. It's interesting to watch those elastic expressions, but you may frequently wish you could predict when he's going to giggle, or get that faraway look in his eye as he listens to the curious music every Moon child hears.
These youngsters have more emotional needs that Pisces boys and girls. Much more than with any other children, the strongest influence on Cancerians is always the
early home environment. From infancy through the teens, young crabs are tremendously dependent on the reactions of their parents and their brothers and sisters. Your lunar child may be too shy to express his real inner desires, but he secretly wants to be made over, cuddled and adored. If he doesn't get attention and approval from his family, relatives and friends, the rejection can simply crush him. I have a close friend who was born in July. Late one night in her kitchen (where else?), we were talking about her childhood.
She told me, "When I was a little girl in grade school, my parents gave me ten or fifteen cents a week to spend. But I never spent it. I saved it, so I could give a prize."
"For what?" I asked her.
A wistful look passed across her wonderfully mobile features. "Well, I used to offer fifty cents at the end of each month to the friend who treated me the nicest."
At first I was amused, and started to remind her of all tfae candy and treats she had missed by passing out her entire allowance for kind treatment, but something in her eyes changed my mind.
Although your young Cancerian may briefly turn into a rebel without a cause in adolescence, during his tender years the little crab is usually easy to manage and discipline. His inner life is very real to him, and he'll happily play by himself for many hours. He may even have an invisible playmate called something like Boris or Betty, who helps him make mud pies, plant imaginary flowers or play cowboy and Indian. The make-believe Boris or Betty are always well-behaved and courteous. They will always let the Cancer youngster win, and they'll give in to his desire to be a gentle leader without a murmur. Sometimes these imaginary playmates will disappear for weeks at a time, but they'll return as soon as a real, live neighborhood chum or schoolmate wounds those little lunar feelings or bosses the Moon child around too much. As docile and quiet as most Cancerians are. Cancer is a cardinal Sun sign of leadership. Despite their tender emotions and gentle manners, they are not followers. There's a great deal of independent thinking and individualism.
If your offspring follows the pattern of most July children, he'll get his way and be slightly spoiled around the edges. It's the squeaky hinge that gets the most oil. He won't exactly squeak, but he can get mighty weepy when he's ignored or treated harshly. Talk about tears! A Moon child can cry rivers and flood a room. It's as if someone left the kitchen spigots running. If all that dampness doesn't get him the tender sympathy he must have for healthy emotions, the little Cancerian boy or girl will grow up into a dry-eyed adult with a barren heart, unable to give or receive love easily-seeking solitude, forming very few warm friendships-and become a recluse in old age.
When such a sensitive little crab is in your care, it's really urgent to laugh and cry with him and to calm his fears. Hell have a whole passel of them. Your own. lunar
child may not have each one on the list, but he's sure to have quite a few. He can be afraid to go to sleep in the dark without a soft night light, afraid of fire and matches, afraid of fast cars and loud noises. He can fear strangers, large animals, bright lights, food he's never tasted before, lightning and thunder.
Lots of young loony-birds get the blues when it rains. A spring or fall shower can do strange things to the inner nature. It can make him suddenly want to write a poem, paint a picture or make music. At other times, it can cause him to hide his frightened little head under the bedspread, while his bottom half protrudes and trembles visibly.
This child requires much emotional empathy to develop his fine, loving, artistic and creative qualities. If it is given wholeheartedly in his formative years, it will help him grow into a patient, generous, quietly confident and open-hearted adult. If attentive understanding is denied him, his natural compassion and gentleness may be warped and twisted into self-pity and bitter, silent brooding. Fear, unless coped with early, can become illogical prejudice and hatred. Little crabs who have been stunted in their emotional growth sometimes turn into suspicious snappers, often revengeful and even suicidal. At best, these moody, unhappy men and women lead sad, uneventful lives, unless they make a dramatic decision to bury themselves in building a financial empire or developing a latent talent. Either one can mercifully replace the love and affection withheld from the gentle lunar heart when it was the most vulnerable -in childhood.
It can't be emphasized enough that these sensitive children can imagine hurts or slights, and dream up a rejection which never existed. Special care has to be taken to convince them that they're good, smart, pretty, handsome, loved and wanted. Many parents sense this, which is why lots of little crabs are pampered so much at home that they get quite a shock as adults when they discover the world takes a cool, disinterested view of their personal desires. No wonder so many Cancerians fondly remember Mama and practically build a shrine to her as they grow older. No one else will ever again care quite so much. The big question with a Moon child is always whether to be overly firm and warp him, or overly permissive and spoil him. Finding the middle road is never easy, and the problem can keep you up a few nights. The keyword is: relax. Love usually finds the way. The best formula is a good old-fashioned spanking when he needs it, with plenty of hugs and kisses and lots of physical expressions of affection at all other times.
Teachers normally find the Cancerian boys and girls whizzes in history. They seldom forget dates or events. That's because, thanks to their mirror-like sensitivity, they can read about something that happened years ago, and almost believe they were there. If Paul Revere, Thomas Jefferson, or Abraham Lincoln themselves could return and tell their stories, they probably wouldn't be recounted with much more color than the typical young Cancerian uses when he discusses the happenings of the dim and dusty past. It's as if they actually saw the Battle of Lex-ington, the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the shot fired on Fort Sumter. There's hardly a detail they can't imagine. It's easy to see why so many of these
sensitive boys and girls go on the stage, become creative photographers or follow a distinguished career in music or art. Instructors of the young lunar mind may now and then complain of stubbornness or daydreaming, but it's not often that either failing becomes pronounced enough to be really troublesome. There may be some exaggerating. The boy may describe the ordeal of being attacked in the woods by a dangerous bear to explain some scratches caused by a fall from his own front porch. The girl may give a sad recital of how she was locked out with no supper by cruel parents, after what was only a mild argument with her family. But a few tall tales can be expected when you consider the strong mental impressions created by reading adventure stories with the lunar imagination. When there's real heartache, instead of make-believe tragedy, the typical Cancerian child will normally remain quiet and decline to speak about it. There's an old Chinese proverb: "He who is really hurt-doesn't talk."
Like the Libran child, happy Cancerian youngsters can run up the family food bill to fantastic proportions and soothing hurt feelings caused by the nickname Fatty is common. If there's a lot of brooding or nervousness, the nickname may be Skinny. It's best to bypass all nicknames with Moon children. They should never be teased.
Most young crabs look forward to working for pay, and they'll scour the neighborhood for odd jobs. Your Cancer child will begin early to cut grass, sweep leaves and babysit. He'll return bottles for refunds, help hang out the laundry, assist the trash men, sell lemonade at the curb, or anything else he can think of that will make his pockets jingle. The pennies, nickels, dimes, quarters-and finally the dollars he makes will be carefully accounted for, and a good portion of them saved. After a while, you may be able to save some yourself-on his allowance. He'll probably sup-ply his own spending money sooner than other children, and be proud of it. You'll find him easy on your pocket-book in many ways. These children often work their way through college. The boys will have a healthy curiosity about the business world. The girls will be efficient in cash matters, too, but they'll also spend lots of time with their dolls and baking brownies, practicing for their future careers as mothers.
The Cancer child will keep you amused with his jokes and his contagious laugh. He can make funny faces that look like Halloween masks, and he sees the humor in every facet of the human parade as it passes. Give him, if possible, a little plot of earth he can call his own, where he can plant things with his green thumb and watch them grow. He'll be tenderly concerned with relatives who are ill, financial emergencies in the family, and the difficulties of his friends and neighbors. Lunar youngsters love books about heroic people who braved hardships to do great deeds, and they'll be especially gentle and sympathetic with animals. But if they feel cruelly treated themselves, they may pass on the cruelty, or rather, reflect it to others smaller than themselves in a sort of "kick the cat" progression. Young crabs can live up to the name and be quite crabby, but such moods seldom last more than a few hours, before they're replaced by a lovable loony grin.
As you turn off the lamps at bed time, you may wonder, as all parents do about a
day in the not too far distant future when the little head that keeps popping up "for one more drink of water" will be missing. The house will be still then, and empty of his alternating tears and laughter, after the funny, imaginative little crab crawls away to raise his own family. Will he forget? Not if he was born in late June or July. Years can go by, and he may sail on distant seas, but you can keep his bean bag-the one he gave you that Saturday afternoon you quarreled-on his dresser. And you can leave her rag doll in its place on the window seat. Your Moon child will come home again ' many times throughout every tomorrow-to meet old memories and return to the past. No matter how many miles separate him from yesterday, anywhere he lives is always handy to home. Keep the cookie jar full
LEO, the Lion
July 24th through August 23rd
The LEO Man
" 'Tis love-'tis love that nukes the world go round!"
When Gray wrote the lines about a flower "born to blush unseen and waste its sweetness on the desert air," he certainly wasn't describing a Leo. You might see this man basking in the bright sunlight, and you may find him making flowery speeches, but it won't be in the solitude of the desert. Most likely it will be on a stage or in front of a circle of adoring friends and relatives. He may waste money, but he's not about to waste his sweetness in the empty air. There will always be an audience.
There you are, in a nutshell. The secret of snaring the lion is that simple. Be his audience. Totally different from the reluctant Virgo and Aquarian males, your Leo pal will happily succumb to the throes of delicious romance, if you play your cards right, adore him, flatter him, and respect him.
Is he a flamboyant August male? Wear dark glasses and submit to his brilliant sunlight. Is he one of the gentle, quiet Leos? Don't be taken in by his sleek softness. Stroke him the wrong way and sparks will fly. Remember, he's only playing the role of the meek soul. Beneath his courteous manner and patient fixity are smoldering fires of proud dignity and arrogant vanity, ready to flame up and bum the pushy female silly enough to think she can rule him.
The lion will be a chivalrous and gallant suitor, tenderly protective and sentimentally affectionate. You won't need to lay much of a trap to tempt him into romantic advances. One might say Leos possess a kind of instant passion. Just add opportunity-mix well with candlelight and lush violins-and love's in bloom like the red, red rose. As a matter of fact, you can leave out the candles and music if they're not handy, and just use the first ingredient. Same thing.
If love is missing from his life, the fiery lion will simply pine away-dramatically, of course. He has to be worshiped or die, and you can just about take that literally. Leo males seldom spare expenses when they're courting. You'll be taken to the best restaurants, showered with perfume and flowers, proudly escorted to the theater and you'll tie a ribbon around some pretty fantastic love letters. To tell you the truth, you'd have to have a heart made of stone to resist.
By now, you're probably thinking you've got it made.
Think again. That leonine romance won't be completely trouble free. You might take a lesson from the pampered favorites of royalty. Leo will invite you into his den and warm you at the hearth of his big heart, but the lion's lair can turn into a plush, luxurious prison. Is he jealous? The answer is "Yes," and you can spell it with big electric light bulbs. You belong to him, body, soul, and mind. He'll tell you what to wear, how to part your hair, what books to read, which friends are best for you and how to organize your day better. He'll want to know why you were gone for two hours shopping when you said you'd be back in one hour, who you met on the way, what they said- and he'll even pout if you don't tell him what you're thinking as you stare out the kitchen window while you're scrambling his eggs. After all, you could be thinking of another man. Just don't ever forget the force of his impulsive temper
when it's aroused. Teasing him by occasional flirtations to prove to him you are still desirable is absolute folly. He knows you're desirable. He needs no proof whatsoever. Besides, your Leo man is liable to flatten your innocent masculine friends to the floor-if not put them in the hospital-when he's pushed too far.
All is not roses and honey in a love affair with a lion, and that includes the quiet pussycats along with the flashy torn cats. There's no difference in the basic nature. Every woman in love with a Leo should get a copy of Anna and the King of Siam and study it well. The Siamese monarch was a typical Leo and youll get invaluable tips from Anna's technique. First the provocative challenge to interest him, then final feminine submission after you've taught him you won't be completely devoured. Truly, her story is a must. Sleep with it under your pillow.
Be prepared to balance his great enthusiasms with calm reason and willing to soothe him as he blows up problems intr> hnop. (timensions. The eentle Leos do this quietly, but what's the difference? Whether he roars and rages because his employees refused to obey him, or pouts on the back porch because the neighbors snubbed him the end result is identical. He needs your stability to balance his irrational pride. If you don't possess it yourself, your love may turn into a constant battle royal. You'll be breaking up and making up with such speed that your astonished friends will ask, "Where's the fire?" Where? Why, right inside your cozy lion's den. .
Don't try to be a career girl. He'll never stand for it He's your career. The lion may permit his mate to go out hunting for a few skins when the bank account gets low, but she'd better make it clear the job comes last, after him and the home nest. He won't tolerate competition from a male or an outside interest. If you're brave enough to accept these challenges, go ahead and buy your trousseau, but be sure it's stylish. He'll want to show you off in his own Easter Parade, in December as well as in ApriL Embarrass him by appearing in public looking anything but queenly and you might miss a familiar face in the church while the choir is singing "Oh, Promise Me"-his.
After you're married, mated, and deeply loved, count your rewards. Your Leo husband will be as kind and good-hearted as King Arthur, provided you let the family revolve around him. If he gets the respect he demands, hell repay it by pouring out generosity. You may be told how lovely you look repeatedly, he'll probably give you a large allowance, and-wonder of wonders, with his romantic dis-position-he'll be likely to remain faithful. There's always a better chance of that after marriage than when he's single, and I'll tell you why. The lion is usually too lazy to chase pretty faces, once he's found a lioness who will capably run his kingdom, while he luxuriously snoozes in the hammock. Hell play affectionately with his cubs, protect his mate from all danger, and thrill her with his ambition to rise to a position of impressive superiority in his career.
You will lead an active social life with your Leo husband, as long as he gets his beauty sleep. But there will be a few nights out with the boys, and there may also be
some juggling of finances, due to sudden gambling urges, or a chance investment he thought would pay off. A Leo man I know once bought ten shares in an oil well. Although he was onlv one verv minor stockholder among thousands, about twice a month, he would visit the site of the drilling and look important. When anyone asked him what he wanted, he would tell them, "I'm just checking to see how things are going with my well." The drillers treated him with great respect. They thought he was a member of the Board of Directors.
Take it all in stride-there are compensations. How can he scold you for buying that expensive mink hat after he lost the price of a mink coat in a little game with the fellows or after he spent your savings at an auction on two box cars of folded cardboard cartons in assorted sizes, when he took a notion to go into the mail order business? (Then he couldn't use them because it turned out that they were stamped all over with the words "Rat Poison" and a large skull and crossbones.) Keep him away from auctions if you have to lock him up, because he has an irresistible urge to bid higher than anybody on anything at any time He'll be quite the check grabber in public too, cheerfully saying, "The treat's on me," with the money for the new freezer. Leo would be right at home in Texas or Las Vegas, where he would instantly be recognized as a high roller (unless his Moon or ascendant dictates econ-omy).
There's one thing about the lion you may find very handy. Almost all Leos have a marvelous knack for fixing things. It can be anything from a broken door knob or a stubborn bathroom faucet to a tape recorder or a complicated stereo hi-fi set. If he's a typical Leo, he won't be able to resist trying his hand at making something work when it's on the blink. If all else fails, he'll give the offending machine or whatever a resounding kick in splendid leonine anger, and suddenly the door knob will turn, the water will spray like Niagara Falls, the tape recorder will start talking and the hi-fi will start singing. There seems to be something mechanical about this Sun sign. Lots of Leo men can take engines apart and put them back together again, hardly soiling their hands in the process. He's not the type to let a hinge hang for months un-screwed or a carpet lie on the floor untacked. A surprising number of lions are experts at making their own furniture and building an extra room on the house with no professional help. He may have his own workshop in the basement. Don't complain about a little sawdust on the floor. It keeps him contented-and home at night.
The lion is the life of most parties, but he's no fool. He wears the jester's mask to get attention, and his audiences usually sense they'd better respect him during his temporary playful spells. Regardless of appearances, there's nothing easygoing about the inner nature of your Leo man. He's far more steadfast and tenacious than he seems. He knows what he wants, and he usually gets it. He's pretty good at keeping it, too.
If you expect him to be faithful during the courtship, be sure you keep him well nourished with romance and affection or his huge need for love and admiration will make him stalk all over the jungle in search of it. If your relationship is real and
deep, he'll probably be true to you, but his eyes may wander a bit. Other than keeping him blindfolded, there's very little you can do about that. Leo appreciates beauty, so if you're the type to get jealous over an appreciative glance at another female, you'd better get tolerant fast. A Leo man whose lady love leaves him because of his flirting will be honestly hurt and astonished. He's entirely capable, then, of faking anything from a heart attack to a tear-stained farewell note to get you to sympathize and run back into his big, warm arms, and hell be so convincing you'll feel like a cruel monster. Unless you enjoy emotional, dramatic scenes yourself, it's much less trouble to understand him in the first place. His capers will probably be innocent and harmless anyway, if you're treating him right. Never overly sensitive to the feelings of others, in spite of their basic kindness, most Leo men are so wrapped up in themselves that they can be brutally frank and untactful. But his dazzling smile soon clears the air. The warm lion doesn't have a malicious bone in his strong, graceful body. He may blow off terrifying steam, yet malice is not a part of his make-up and he can't cope with real cruelty (unless there's an affliction in his natal chart). He will enjoy sports, but as he grows older, he will prefer to watch them from the comfort of his padded throne, while you wait on him.
Not always, but very often, there's an odd twist to Leo males. Unlike the Capricorn, who seeks to rise socially through wedlock, the lion sometimes tends to marry be-neath him. He has as much desire for social status, but he just can't resist acquiring a "subject" to whom he's superior. Sometimes he makes a wrong choice, and the shrinking violet who sat adoringly at his feet makes a surprise move to grab the sceptre away from him. When that happens, the dethroned Leo is a miserable husband who .wears the tragic compression of an exiled monarch.
It's sad. but true- that Leos seldom raise large families. Many of them have no children, are separated from them, or raist an only child. Too bad, because they make warm, wonderful fathers, perhaps somewhat too permissive between sten talks about prope' behavior. Your offspring may chafe under his demands and be bored with his long lectures, bui they'll soon learn how to flatter him into sub-mission. He'11 insist on their respect and get it, but they're liable to wheedle him out of anything by the clever usage of "Yes, Sir. You're right. Sir." Therefore, the real discipline may be up to you. The children may resent his arrogant ways. but Leo fathers are almost always remembered with affection in later years. One tip. Don't give the youngsters more attention than you give him, or you may end up with quite a lot of trouble on your hands in the form of a giant bruised ego, which will be nearly impossible to heal.
How can you size up the puzzling male Leo? Is he kindhearted or dangerous, generous or cruelly selfish? Is he really a sociable fellow who loves people? Does he gain his reputation for superiority under false pretenses, or does he, like the real lion, deserve to be called King? Obviously, by his own standards at least, he does deserve to be the Lord and Master in his love life and his career. You have to admit that he's usually highly successful in both romance and business.
Whether the Leo man is truly a king, or just a pretender to the throne, we may never
know. But there are several things you do know about your own lion. He has in-satiable appetites, and he's as proud as a peacock. He has am enormous need to command and to be loved by those he rules. Remember that Leo secretly fears he may fail and be ridiculed. It's a constant inner torture, and the true source of his vanity and exaggerated dignity. Yet, when his nobility has been aroused by a great cause, he knows no fear. Only then does the lion learn that the magnificent strength and courage he's been pretending to have has really been there all along.
Your Leo may drive you wild by his antics during courtship, but he's not at all a bad mate for a long term possibility. If you don't mind submerging your ego, and building your life around his, once you've tamed this man, you'll be adored and youll never be lonely again. Besides, he can fix those bathroom faucets.
The LEO Woman
* 'Tis an honor to see me, a favor to hear:
'Tis a privilege high to have dinner and tea Along with the Red Queen, the White Queen And me!"
There's one thing the Leo woman probably owns that you won't like. A scrapbook of pictures and mementos from all her old boyfriends. It's no use trying to get her to burn it, because the lioness is sentimental.
She's not a wallflower. She's a sunflower. Chances are she's ridiculously popular, and you'll have plenty of competition if you want her to descend to using your name for the rest of her life. You will be a few leaps ahead if your name is St. Hoyme or Mountbatten, Cabot or Lodge. Anything that sounds royal or noble or important. I honestly can't imagine a Leo woman marrying anybody with the name Carbunkle or Smith. It's possible. Anything is possible. But she'll probably change Smith to Smythe.
Most likely, she'll be the social leader of her group, lording it over lesser women like a queen, but with such disarming warmth and such a beautiful smile, no one really minds. Perhaps the other girls sense she was born to rule and dictate styles, customs and manners. Anyway, it wouldn't do much good to try to usurp her authority.
Nature seems to have shown some prejudice when she fashioned the lioness with enough vivacity, cleverness, grace, beauty, and just plain sex appeal for at least three women, with some left over. If you're the victim of an inferiority complex,
you'd better set your sights on a bird with less brilliant feathers. Don't expect to tame her into a docile little maid who hangs on your every word. The man who expects a Leo girl to worship at his feet is living in a fool's paradise. Consider yourself lucky if she meets you halfway, respects you, is willing to be your partner and allows you to possess her emotionally. By the very act of permitting you to love her, she's practically knighted you, for heaven's sake. Seriously, you could do-a lot worse. A lioness is a lot of woman. She's rather a luxury item, not available in the bargain basement.
It pays to remember that the Leo female can act up a storm, and pretend to be as sweet and harmless as a bowl of jelly beans. She may have a voice like a whisper, gentle, courteous manners and big, soft eyes that sparkle delightfully when she bats her lashes. A Leo female can appear to be as smooth and calm as a cool and placid lake. On guard. That's just a role she assumed because it got good reviews. Remove her as the star of your love production, cast her in the part of the understudy or second lead, and you'll soon find out just how shy and submissive she isn't. Of course, most of the Leo women to whom you pay homage will openly make it clear that they're too proud and dignified to take any nonsense. I'd just hate to see you stumble in case you get involved with the other kind of lioness, who hides hei claws, but sharpens them every day just the same.
The first step when you're courting this girl is to go prepared with gifts. It doesn't make much difference what they a-e, so long as they're expensive, in excellent taste, and you're dressed properly when you offer them. Then you should practice different ways of complimenting her. Please be original and creative. Phrases like "You send me, Baby," and "You're really cool, sweetheart," will get you thrown right out of the palace, back with the peasants, Vulgarity and slang both leave her ice cold. Remember, you're wooing royalty. She can't exist without flattering appreciation, but keep in mind that she admires your masculinity, and she has no desire to turn you into a henpecked weakling. A Leo woman couldn't love you if you weren't strong. It's just that she won't permit you to insult her with a condescending attitude. In her mind, she is definitely not the weaker sex.
Lots of Leo girls are athletic and enjoy sports, but you'd be smarter to take your lioness to the theater than to the ball park. The stage and footlights will never fail to magnetize and transfigure her. (Better buy orchestra seats. Forget the balcony.) Choose a play in which the heroine behaves the way you want her to behave that night, and your chances are better than average that she'll act the part unconsciously and never miss an inflection. After the festivities are over, don't take her to a hamburger stand and expect her to sit at the counter munching french fries because she's so much in love with you. You're better off to take her out less often to more glamorous places. She's not necessarily a gold digger; in fact, she's usually generous -she won't object to frequent Dutch dates and she'll probably shower you with almost as many gifts as you give her. But she's just plain uncomfortable in shabby surroundings. The poorest Leo woman in the world will manage to accumulate enough pennies to buy draperies for the windows, rings for her fingers and bells for her toes. Now and then she may go slumming, out of curiosity, but only as a
spectator, aloof from the crowd. Poverty depresses her and makes her physically ill. If you dress like a slob and offer her a shack, you haven't got a chance.
There's a story about a noble Frenchwoman who turned to her lover in the gardens of Versailles and asked, "Darling, do the common people know this exquisite emotion of love?" When she was assured that they did, she cried out in injured surprise, "It's entirely too good for them!" She was probably a Leo.
Don't blame the lioness for her occasional arrogance and vanity. It's her nature to feel herself above the common masses. People seldom resent it, because the Leo woman who's warmly loved and respected can be the kindest and most generous of females, with a womanly compassion for children and for the helpless and the forsaken. You can't really expect her to step down from a throne that's her birthright. If she's a typical Sun child, she's so gracious and dazzling that most people gladly give her credit for being out of the ordinary. Truthfully, she is. She's intelligent, witty, strong, and capable, yet deliciously feminine at the same time. No one in his right mind could call that common.
A little flattery will get you everywhere with your Leo lady. You've already found out it's her secret weakness. And here's another secret, if you plan to marry her:
eventually, she'll tire of her gilded cage and want to roam the jungle to see what's doing with all the other cats out there. Confinement inside four walls and under one roof can soon rob her of her sparkle. Let her have her career. Shell wither on the vine if she's forced to be just a haus-frau, unless you have enough money to allow her to be a constant hostess and an extravagant home decorator.
The Leo girl usually makes a jewel of a wife. You'll seldom see her dressed frumpily in a tatty bathrobe, wearing curlers and wrinkle cream. Not that she skips the beauty treatments. The typical lioness will spend hours in front of the mirror and a fortune on cosmetics, but she wants you to see the results, not the strategy. There may be times when you feel you're supporting her hairdresser's entire family. Many a husband of a Leo woman finds himself pleading, "Honey, do you have to spend so much money at the beauty parlor?" But few lionesses like to do their own hair. A shampoo and set makes them feel pampered, and feeling pampered does something for every Leo.
Unless she has a Cancer, Virgo or Capricorn ascendant, you may have to watch her with charge accounts. Leos easily slip overboard when it comes to spending for fine feathers, furnishings for the home or gifts for friends. Her wardrobe can be quite extensive. She can look luscious in evening gowns, dripping with sequins and rhinestones, or low-cut, dressy outfits. But she'll probably prefer casual clothes and sportswear, if she's a typical Leo girl. She likes tailored cuts and rich materials, but not necessarily frills and ruffles. Soft cashmeres, good Italian knits and imported English tweeds are her favorites. Her taste is usually excellent, if a bit expensive. An occasional Leo woman will overdo and bury her sense of style in gaudy, shocking clothes, but she's an exception to the general rule of the traditional leonine
exquisite flair for fashion.
You'll find her a superb hostess when you bring the boss home for dinner. He'll think you're a genius to have won her. She'll probably make a hit with his wife, too, because the lioness is popular with both men and women, and each sex gets treated to her friendly smile and her outgoing personality equally. Anyone who happens to be standing in her bright sunlight feels the warmth. Leos seldom cast a shadow.
As a mother, shell pour love on her children generously and lavish affection on them. It won't be easy for her to see their faults, but when she does, she'll be strict. Since she can't stand being taken for granted, if the children don't respect her she can pout in regal silence. Many Leo mothers have a peculiar way of spoiling the child without sparing the rod, quite a contradiction when you think about it. She may romp and play with her cubs, have long, chummy talks with them, but shell also teach them to snap to attention like soldiers, polish their manners, and be obedient to their elders. At the same time, there's a danger of providing a shade too much spending money, and giving in to requests for luxuries. In a way, you might say she treats her offspring like petted members of a royal family, deeply loved, but expected to mind their p's and q's, especially in public. She'll be fiercely proud of their accomplishments, and heaven help the outsider who attempts to hurt them or judge them unfairly. With all this, she won't smother the youngsters. She's too independent to hover over them every second. She'll lead her own life, keeping a watchful eye out for her cubs, from a distance. Many Leo women are working mothers, but their youngsters seldom starve for attention. The career-minded Leos usually manage to balance motherhood and a job with perfect aplomb.
There are times when she'll lose her dignity and poise and become a rollocking, playful lioness, with a flair for pure slapstick. She can roar with laughter like a healthy animal, but when the moment is gone, the satin voice and regal bearing return. No one can squelch a fresh remark or a rude question with as much cold contempt as a Leo female. She doesn't appreciate familiarity from strangers. Although she'll clown around and be surprisingly casual with intimates, outsiders are expected to keep their place.
In the area of faithfulness, the Leo woman may remind you of the old toast, "Here's to me and here's to you, and here's to love and laughter-I'll be true as long as you- not a single minute after." Enough said.
Don't be jealous of her knack for being the center of attention in a roomful of admiring males. Heads always turn when the lioness smoothly glides by. She feels it's only natural for men to pay court to her. She may encourage masculine compliments and indulge in light, innocent flirtations, because her deep need for applause and adulation covers a strange fear that she's not feminine enough and she must constantly reassure herself that she's desirable. It doesn't mean she's not still in love with you, just because she smiles at your best friend and tells him she adores his new sports jacket. But don't try telling her best friend you like her new 나 irt. That's a whole different ball game. What's sauce for the gander is not sauce for the
goose, to reverse the old nursery rhyme. If she hears you call your secretary anything much more intimate than "Miss What's-her-name," your purring kitten may scratch.
Of course, it's not fair. But if you want to be the proud possessor of all those gorgeous brilliantly-colored feathers, you have to make a few concessions. After all, owning a peacock is hardly the same thing as owning a cuckoo bird or a cooing pigeon. Humor her vanity. She'll probably be important in her own right, because few Leo women can resist competing with men for prestige, if not income. Your lioness could be anything from an actress to a surgeon.
One of my best friends and favorite Leos is a well-known New York psychiatrist. Granted, it's a career which permits her to lecture and advise (Leo's favorite pastime), but she gives her counsel with such a warm smile, sparkling eyes and deep compassion, her patients feel better just being in the same room with her. Her husband pays her all the respect and adoration she demands as her royal right, but he has a profession of his own to match hers. He's a gifted writer and poet, talents which always impress the sentimental Leo. They share equal billing in front of the footlights, yet he's the man and the boss behind the scenes. A perfect success formula for taming the lioness.
And that's the key to a smooth relationship with your Leo girl. Don't let her smother you-but don't try to top her. Just paste a big, bright star on her dressing room door, and puff up your ego. You're quite a guy, you know-to have won the hand of the proud lioness. Tell me, how did you manage to do it?
The LEO Chid
"Tweedledum and Tweedledee Agreed to have a battle;
For Tweedledum said Tweedledee Had spoiled his nice, new rattle."
Remember the game you used to play called Follow the Leader? Remember the little fellow who always sulked when he didn't get to be leader? If he was the same pal who loaned you money to buy licorice sticks and Eskimo pies when your allowance ran out, you must have had a Leo in your neighborhood gang.
The typical lion cub is sunny, happy, playful, and jolly when he gets his own way. When he doesn't, storm clouds gather out of nowhere, along with a thunderous roar, or a hurt, brooding withdrawal. Even if he does seem to be a bit full of himself, the young Leo shouldn't be constantly put down. Suppressing his enthusiasm and high spirits can cause deep scars that may darken his Sun for years. Little lions and lionesses have a habit of bossing the other children which often annoys the mothers of more inhibited youngsters, but they should be restrained gently and never scolded harshly in front of playmates. The great pride of the Leo reacts violently to an attack on vanity, especially in public.
It's good to encourage the natural leadership in Leo children, but they should be taught that everyone must have his turn, because that's the fair way, even if they are stronger than the others.
The leonine sense of justice will usually cause the youngster to see the light. He's not maliciously aggressive. He just has a compulsion to head for the front of the parade. These boys and girls have a strong urge to show off, and it's hard to discourage if it's allowed to get out of hand. The little lion is the one who proudly stands on his head in the schoolyard or walks on a fence to thrill the girls. Wise parents will begin early to make the Leo child realize that showing off is really very undignified. This normally works like a charm, since Sun-ruled children have an innate sense of dignity.
You'll notice it in the tiniest Leos. There's a sort of regal bearing, which creates the impression that baby is monarch of all he surveys. The term "His majesty, the baby" was coined to describe a Leo infant. Little cubs will begin early to rule the roost, wrapping mother and daddy and the entire retinue of relatives around their fingers with very little effort. It's the oddest thing, but a small lion sitting on his throne-I mean in his high chair-covered with prune juice and egg yolk, and needing a change of diapers, will somehow manage to keep his dignity intact. It comes naturally to a Leo baby to allow doting parents and admir-, ing friends to pay homage to him, while he graciously accepts their attention, gifts, and nattering tributes. He finds adoration very easy to take. Notice the pleased, smug look on his face when strangers stop to make a fuss over him.
Your Leo child will be more reckless than the average youngster, take more chances and be more active. Then will come those periodic spells of leonine laziness, when he'll lie around the house too tired to lift a finger, except to motion for you to wait on him. Leave him alone and make him understand no one is his servant. If he wants something, he can get it himself when his energy returns. Otherwise, a spoiled Leo child can become a regular tyrant. Now and then, of course, it doesn't hurt to bring him a book, hand him a glass of chocolate milk or otherwise perform a friendly favor. But a little such submission to the lion's whims is plenty, unless you have a secret urge to be a lady-in-waiting or a prince's equerry. Leo youngsters who have been trained that they must respect the rights of others if they are to be respected themselves can be lots of fun to live with. They're as playful and affectionate as those adorable little cubs you see at the zoo, and like the cubs, they need strict and loving discipline. The warm kiss and the tough birch rod will both have to be employed frequently by lion tamers. Either one without the other is always ineffective and dangerous.
There arc two kinds of Leo boys and girls. The first kind are the extroverts, gay, cheerful, outgoing, warm and generous, if a bit pushy at times. The others are
quieter, almost timid on the surface. Such outwardly bashful little lions may have suffered a serious blow to their vanity from domineering parents or from too much attention being paid to brothers and sisters. Secretly, they need power and applause as much as the others. The danger in such situations, if they're prolonged, is that the Leo child will either get the attention he seeks later in life by forcing issues at the wrong time with the wrong people, or retreat into painful shyness and destructive frustration. Leo ego, unnaturally bottled up for long periods, is most unhealthy.
As youngsters, Leo boys may like to play with soldiers and enjoy games of challenge with a strong element of chance. The little female Leo will be ladylike, if strong-willed, may enjoy nice clothes and being told she's pretty, and will probably like being given responsibilities around the house. An occasional Leo girl is a tomboy, but vanity will eventually win out, and the phase passes. Don't expect these youngsters to enjoy taking out the garbage or clearing the floors. They will rebel against menial tasks, so assign them more important and dignified duties that give them a sense of authority.
Teachers can expect the Leo students to do a little instructing of their own. They love to explain things to others, and nothing delights them more than playing the role of substitute instructor when the teacher has to leave the room. It puts them in the spotlight. Normally, the Leo child left in charge at school will administer discipline happily, but now and then his playful spirit will come forth, and the teacher can return to find a three-ring circus in progress.
Young Leos can leam fast when they want to. They're intelligent, and are often richly rewarding to the patient teacher, but they have a tendency to be a little lazy about learning. They prefer to slide by on sunny personality and ingratiating charm. Teachers can be a little sun blinded by their smiles and compliments, and it's not unusual for little cubs to get better grades than they deserve. They may have to be forced to develop good study habits. On second thought, forcing is a waste of time. The easiest way to raise the grades of a Leo child is to appeal to his vanity, to make him want to be superior to the others. That will usually turn the trick. When he's good, pat him on the back so he really feels it. Light taps won't do. No matter how many compliments he gets, he's always hungry for more.
These children will probably require more spending money than their more frugal friends. Your Leo child may give away most of his spare nickels, but he won't short-change himself, either. It's a good idea to teach him the rule the Rockefeller children were taught about finances:
"Give some, spend some, save some." Especially the last
When they grow older, the young lions and lionesses will notice the opposite sex much sooner than youngsters born under other Sun signs. Expect a turbulent adolescence, because your Leo child will be up and down emotionally a hundred times a day. Both his friendship and his romances will be terribly dramatic, and full of colorful ecstasy and heartbreak. All Leo children love to go to parties. Give them
plenty of freedom, or they'll simply take it. Harsh orders destroy their pride and dignity. If you build the courage and flatter the ego of your young Leo by telling him sincerely you know he can do it, he'll proudly be strong for you.
It's never an easy task to raise an August child. There will be moments when you feel your caged lion will never be tamed. But he can be, if you remember that he needs gentle and continuous discipline-and love and affection are the two magic keys that unlock his golden heart. It's not the lions who were adored as children who grow up into unhappy adults. It's the little cubs who were emotionally starved and neglected. Remember that he'll pretend to be very brave, but secretly fears he isn't. Hug him tightly every night and love him with all your heart.
VIRGO, the Virgin
August 24th through September 23rd
The VIRGO Man
"Why, if a fish came to me, and told me he was going on a journey, I should say, 'With what porpoise?' " "Don't you mean 'purpose'?" said Alice. "I mean what I say," the Mock Turtle replied in an offended tone.
We may as well get this out into the open right away. Don't pin your hopes on a Virgo man if your heart is hungry for romantic dreams and fairy tales, or you'll find yourself on a starvation diet. A love affair with a Virgo will dump a warm
sentimentalist on the cold ground with a hard thud, and it can hurt.
This man lives almost entirely on a practical, material level, and he has little use for the abstractions of storybook romance. Of course, the whole problem may be academic anyway, since it will take no little effort to bring him anywhere near the threshold of a man-woman relationship in the first place. He's not the type to serenade you beneath your boudoir window. You'll have a long, lonely wait on your moonlit balcony until he starts climbing the rose trellis (or the fire escape, if you live in a walk-up).
Actually, Virgos are deeply involved with love from earliest childhood, but not the Romeo-Juliet kind of love. His chief way of expressing the word is concerned with unselfish devotion to family, friends and those weaker or more disorganized than himself. He was born with an instinctive love of work, love of duty and discipline and devotion to the helpless. Even the unevolved Virgo, ,who doesn't quite reach such heights, feels slightly guilty that he isn't living up to a selfless ideal in some way.
The kind of love which displays itself in dramatic emotions, sentimental promises, tearful declarations and mushy affection, not only leaves a Virgo man cold, it can frighten him into catching the nearest bus or train out of town. (Planes are too fast and too expensive for him, unless he's really desperate.) But he can be melted if the temperature is just right, even though he seems to be made of a combination of steel and ice. There are definitely ways to the Virgo heart. Secret ways. Aggressive pursuit is not one of them. Neither is coquetry nor sexuality, as many a flirtatious vamp and slinky siren has learned, to her surprise and disappointment.
Virgos seek quality rather than quantity in romance. Since quality is at pretty much of a premium in any category, they have few real love affairs, and the few they do have are destined to be unlucky or sad in some way, more often than not. Virgo's reaction to such a disappointment is normally to bury himself in the hardest work he can find, stay away from society in general, and be twice as cautious at the next opportunity. You can see that you'll have to use considerable strategy and patience. The basic Virginian instinct is chastity, and he's turned from it only for a good cause or for a mighty good woman. Many Virgos-though admittedly not all-can live with celibacy far more easily than any other Sun sign, just as they put up with rules of discipline they don't understand, because obedience to fate without struggling comes naturally to them. If fate decrees a single life, Virgo is prepared to accept it without excess regret or emotional trauma, so there are lots of Virgo bachelors around-but still, in their quiet way, they can manage some very poetic, if fragile, love affairs.
Although he's never obvious, Virgo can be a master of the art of subtle seduction. A couple of generations of women who have trembled inside when a certain French-man smiles his shy, gentle smile can tell you all about it. Maurice Chevalier didn't become a legend because he has a singing voice like Caruso, you know. He may not be of my generation, but I too get butterflies in the heart region when I see or hear
him.
The Virgo man is a blend of sharp intellect and solid earth. He can be detached enough to break lots of hearts with a cool kind of flirting, but his critical analytical sense and his fastidious discrimination seldom allow these frequent excursions to leave the platonic arena. It has to burn with a white heat to produce real passion in a Virgo. His modesty and selectivity alone prevent undue promiscuity. Of course, there may be an occasional fall into an earthy, physical experience, but such indiscretions are the exception, rather than the rule. The rule is aloof interest. I know pne Virgo man who accepted a part in one of those really raw "for adults only" films, but he did it strictly for the cash-he was flat broke at the time-and he still blushes when anyone mentions it. Naturally, a man is a man, and not all Virgo: remain technical virgins, but they do always emain puu in outlool-. There's invariably something clean ind chaste about Virgo love, which is never allowed to become soiled--cven in the midst of passion- -no matter vhat unfortunate events may give the outward appearance pf casualties^.
He'll take his own precious time about finding a love object, because he's as critical and painstaking in the selection of a woman as he is in his eating, grooming, health [and work habits. Don't try to fool him or lie to him. Your jvirgo lover holds no illusions. He wants a decent, honest (and genuine relationship. He knows very well how small |his chances are of finding it, but it's useless to expect him |to accept anything less. If circumstances ever do involve |him in a sordid affair, you can be certain he won't remain |in its clutches for long.
| He is a difficult man to stir emotionally. He can go for |a long time without feeling any burning need for a perma-Inent mate. It's enough to make you cry if you've set your | cap for him. You'll wonder if he's made of marble or if he |was born without a heart. No, he isn't made of marble |and yes, he does have a heart. Be patient. To her who (waits comes eventual success.
| Now and then a curious, frustrated Virgo may try a | fling at deliberate promiscuous behavior, simply to see if |he's lacking in masculinity. He's not, of course, and as | soon as he discovers it, he seeks no more artificial expe-|riences to prove himself. No cool, clear and collected Virgo can be immune to the call of human nature fotever, but once he does succumb, hell be shy about admitting it. When he's on the threshold of submission, he'll cover his true feelings with elaborate casualness. There is more than a spark of subdued, but extremely refined acting talent in Virgo. He will pretend to be disinterested as cleverly as he pretends to be ill when he's not enjoying himself at a party. Don't expect him to respond with any great display of ecstatic surrender even after he's committed, and while he's still deciding if you're really the one for whom he'll forsake his single state, he'll play it mighty cool, indeed.
Once he's decided it's for real, however, he'll declare himself with touching simplicity. His love will burn with a steady flame, never fluctuating like the love of other Sun signs, and it will give warmth over the years with wonderful dependability. Is that so bad? The one quality of fairy tale romance about Virgo is that, if he's genuinely in love, he will wait for years to claim his true mate, or travel over a thousand mountains to bring her home to his hearth. He's capable of enormous sacrifice in the pursuit of that one dainty foot he's discovered will fit the glass slipper. There's no denying that the flame is strong, once it's been kindled. It's almost impossible to extinguish it. You'll be as eternally adored as Cinderella herself. The trick, I suppose, is in the •original kindling. It's a rare foot that fits his glass slipper. Virgo is enormously particular.
After you've caught him, hell seldom if ever invite your jealousy, and he'll be determined to overcome any rough spots caused by financial problems, relatives or outside interference. He'll show incredible strength through emotional and material hardships, as long as you remain by his side. You couldn't ask for a more tender, gentle companion when your heart is broken for any reason by a cruel world or when you're physically ill. He won't shower you with money, but you'll be well supplied with necessities, and he will shower you with consideration.
A Virgo man is invariably kindly and thoughtful about all those little things which matter to women. He has a crystal clear memory and probably won't forget special dates, though he may be a bit mystified as to why you think they are so important. He won't be wildly, passionately jealous, yet Virgo males are possessive in the extreme. This sounds like a fine line to draw, but it's important. Even though he doesn't throw emotional scenes of jealousy over the attentions other men pay you, his deeply rooted pos-sessiveness should warn you that a little freedom goes a long way. The wife of a Virgo who wanders too far away from the home fires too often may find herself without a husband to return to. Virgos are utterly loyal and they dislike destroying family ties intensely, but when their sense of decency has been finally outraged they won't hesitate to make a cold, clean break in the divorce court. No messy, complicated trial separations for them. When it's over, it's over. Goodbye and good luck. Even the Virgo's sharp, unusually excellent memory won't cause him to cry sentimental tears over the past, simply because he's able to discipline his memory as firmly as he does his emotions. Self-discipline is part of his very nature. The Virgo man with his mind made up moves on-and having moved on, all your tears and apologies are useless in getting him to change his mind. He'll never fall victim to the illusion that gluing together the broken pieces will recreate perfection in what has once been seriously flawed.
If your heart is set on a Virgo man, you'd better brush up your thinking cap and wear it when he's around. Virgos hate ignorance, stupidity and sloppy thinking almost as much as they hate dirt and vulgarity, and that's a lot. The girl who snares the Virgo heart had better be smartly dressed with a sizable brain under her neat hair style-and you'll notice I said neat hair style. Virgos look for women who are clean in body and mind, and who dress well, but not in flashy extremes of fashion.
You won't have to be Julia Child, but for goodness sakes, don't ever be naive enough to think a Virgo husband will let you feed him out of cans. A pleasure-seeking, selfish, mentally lazy woman will never make it with a Virgo male, even if
she's fairly oozing with sex appeal. This is the very last man in the world you can expect to find running off with a topless Go-Go girl, though he might loan her his sweater if she's chilly. When it comes right down to the nitty gritty, he's looking for a wife-not a mistress in any sense of the word.
Virgo men have no strong yearning for fatherhood, as a rule. Their particular kind of ego doesn't seem to require children for emotional fulfillment, and Virgos tend to have small families. Yet, once a child or children have been born, the Virgo is an extremely conscientious parent, and will never take his responsibilities lightly. Hell spend many hours teaching his youngsters skills and transmitting hia own high standards of conduct. He'll be cheerfully willing to help with homework and will probably make no end of sacrifices for hobbies, music lessons, camp and especially college. A Virgo father will place great emphasis on intellect and train his children rigidly in matters of ethics, courtesy and good citizenship. Even the divorced Virgo will eventually see to it somehow that his offspring are well ared for, wherever they may be, and that they get an edu-ation. Children of Virgo fathers usually grow up with both love and respect for books and learning. You'll seldom find a Virgo""parent spoiling a child, and there will always be plenty of necessary discipline. All this is fine, but there may be a need for more physical expressions of love between a Virgo father and his youngsters, since affection is not something that comes naturally to him. Unless a serious effort is made in this area from babyhood on, there's more than a small chance that he'll one day discover an insurmountable barrier has grown between him and the offspring he loves so deeply. There's also a tendency to be too critical, to expect too much too soon and be too strict.
A Virgo will expect you to fuss a bit over his health, but hell wait on you when you're sick, too, and allow you to be a regular Camille. He may have his cranky and moody spells now and then, perhaps even frequently. But one thing is sure. If you leave him alone, he won't go out of his way to start an argument with you. Just let him get over his grumpiness and he'll surprise you with tenderness to make up for it. Let him worry. It's good for him, sort of a Virgo mental exercise. But when you see it's affecting his physical state, snap him out of it by suggesting something interesting or different to do. It isn't hard to catch the mental attention of a Virgo, though it may be hard to keep it.
Now that you know what you're in for, if you're still in love with that Virgo man, you can look forward io a pretty contented future. You'll have a husband who's alert and well-informed, who won't expect you to wait on him hand and foot or expect you to run around looking sexy all the time with a dab of perfume behind each ear and a rose in your teeth. (Although he may expect you to go around with a cake of soap in each hand.)
Hell be reliable and pleasant, if you're tactful about his faults. He won't have many of them anyway-unless you call the way he runs his finger across the furniture every night, looking for dust, a fault. Little habits like that. No matter what he does, try not to nag him. Remember, he's not constituted to be able to take the critical analysis he applies to others. Get used to his habit of criticizing you, and laugh it off with the realization that he can't help being such a sensitive hairsplitter. Once that resentment is out of the way, you can relax, and really enjoy your bright, loyal Virgo. He's not an angel. There are no wings sprouting on his shoulders. But lots of wives will be jealous of you.
After all, how many women are married to a hardworking, handsome man who's neat and tidy around the house, who remembers anniversaries and performs miracles with the checkbook? How many wives have a smart husband who dresses well, seldom goes out with the boys or makes passes at other women, and is usually gentle and considerate? Look closely again. Is that just the reflection of the street lights around his head, or could it be . . . ? No, it couldn't possibly be a halo. Not after the way he snapped at you when you spilled the buttered popcorn in his lap at the theater tonight. Of course not. That cranky character? Still, there is a kind of an aura. And when he smiles-and you can see yourself in his clear eyes-well, he'll do until someone with real wings comes along.
The VIRGO Woman
She had never quite forgotten that
if you drink much from a bottle marked "poison,"
it is almost certain to disagree with you,
soon or later.
Sometimes she scolded herself so severely as to bring tears into her eyes.
Do you visualize the Virgo girl as a gentle, virginal maiden, pure as the driven snow? You may be about to get some illusions shattered. She is no White Rock nymph in a gauzy tunic, kneeling by the pool. Sorry to spoil your image.
A Virgo woman can leave her husband for a man she met beside some faraway ocean, bear her lover's child before the benefit of marriage, and face a hostile world with her head held high. That's not very maidenly or virginal. There's a lot to leam about this tender, fragile little symbol of spotless womanhood. For one thing, her spine is made of stainless steel.
It's quite true that she's basically shy. No argument there. Virgo girls don't climb on soap boxes to make fiery, aggressive speeches or chop up saloons with hatchets, like Carry Nation. They don't get arrested for drunken driving, either, and 111 give you a
five dollar bill for every one you find featured in a burlesque show. But a Virgo woman is a woman. She has all the necessary wiles and weapons, including a determination to pursue happiness wherever the path happens to lead her. A few prickly thorns along the way won't cause her either to faint or cry weakly for help.
When you hear of a Virgo woman who has outraged the laws of society, be sure you read between the lines. She is basically pure-minded-true. But so is love. Real love. And Virgo is not interested in any other kind. She'll climb the tallest mountains and storm the raging seas in galoshes and a pea jacket, once the spirit of Mercury has been exalted, which can considerably dim that wispy, chiffon image. Remember, too, that Virgo's true ruler, the distant Vulcan, is the god of thunder. A Virgo woman who recognizes her marriage as imperfect and finds a-love without a flaw (or thinks she has, which is the same thing), won't hesitate to cut former ties. When she uses the knife, she'll be as cool and precise as a surgeon. Much as she hates to break the family circle, the Virgo hates hypocrisy more.
Once she's accepted a love as true and ideal, the purity of her own concept of the relationship reigns supreme over all the pieces of legal paper in the world. She's the one woman in the zodiac who can be deadly practical and divinely romantic at the same time. That situation of the love affair beside some faraway ocean may seem casual and immoral on the surface. Actually, it's a predictable example of a Virginian behaving true to character when caught in a difficult decision. She'll suffer agonies of embarrassment over the condemnation of society in such an affair, but that won't alter her course of action any more than it will alter the purity of her motivation. It's a perfect example of the firm practicality of Virgo's earth element, blended with the mental, airy, ideal-seeking Mercury. There's a white heat to Virgo love, once it's ignited, that can put the passions of other Sun signs to shame by its very intensity and singleness of purpose. Igniting it may take some time, however.
I will admit that the fiery, physical aspect of love may be somewhat subdued in the typical Virgo female, but there's a mysterious, quiet, waiting quality in this woman. and "passion of the spirit" is a most satisfactory substitute to men who prefer the delicacy of understatement in romance.
She's a perfectionist, but that doesn't mean that she herself is perfect. She has her negative traits, and they can be very trying. To begin with, Virgo females have this dogged belief that no one can do things as orderly and as efficiently as they can. What really drives you wild is that- usually-no one can. They're also sticklers for promptness. Did you ever keep a Virgo woman waiting for a date? When she's upset or cranky, she won't rage and storm and break bottles over your head, but she can be shrewish and fussy when you've annoyed her. You might as well expect a frank scolding. An occasional Virgo woman can come pretty close to behaving like a virago, but most of them don't carry it that far. Take her flowers. Admit you're wrong and don't argue. It won't do you a bit of good, you can't win with a Virgo. The earth is her element, so she appreciates the creations of nature, and the posies will soften her irritation. As for the apologies, keep them brief and accurate. The Virginian is nobody's fool. Her clarity of vision will spot an elaborate lie by the
smoothest talker, and the faintest smear of lipstick on the edge of a collar. She may be pure-minded, but she's certainly not naive.
I'm not implying that she'll go through your laundry, at least not before you're married. After that, it will be in her house, and she won't feel so guilty about it.
This girl has a mental block when it comes to admitting she's wrong-like a block of wood right in front of her brain-so you'd be smart to take the blame right away. Most of the time, she'll be right, frustrating though it may be. So why fight it? When you've put her back into her normal mood, she's such an exquisite delight, you won't care who won or lost.
If you can bear the wound to your male ego, you might profit from taking her financial advice, or letting her handle the budget. She's concise and practical, and she catches tiny errors even a CPA might overlook. (Unless there are afflictions in her natal aspects, or she has an impulsive ascendant.)
Brush up on your manners and your grammar if you're dating a Virgo female. She won't take kindly to abuse of the language, swearing or drinking from the finger bowl. Don't chew celery close to her ear and it's better if you pass up corn-on-the-cob altogether. That's enough of a challenge at any time, let alone trying to eat it daintily in front of her. Tell the waiter to cut it off and serve it to you on the plate. You'll never pass inspection with sloppy clothing, either. Once in love with a Virgo, you might as well resign yourself to shaving twice a day, and the same goes for showers. Splash on after shave lotion, brush off the lint, spruce up your hair, wear a fresh shirt, mind your manners, and polish your shoes before you go a-courting this girl. And here's a very valuable tip: the next time you're late, pretend you don't realize what time it is. Walk in her door angrily. When she asks you what's wrong, tell her that silly, ridiculous, blasted library (that's about as profane as you'll dare to get) keeps closing five minutes before they're supposed to, according to their rules. It wouldn't be so bad now and then, but they lock the doors on you every night when you have all those heavy scientific journals to put away. She'll forget all about the tardiness.
Don't take her to the racetrack and let her see you throw away a week's pay on Golden Chance in the fifth, on the nose. Save your off-color stories for the men at lunch, and tell her constantly you're glad she's not the flighty type, You are, aren't you? She's not a clinging vine, either. Virgo goes to no extremes. She can take care of herself, thank you. But she doesn't have to act like a man to do it.
Don't overpower her with your physical charms or bear hug her on the subway, and don't rush the goodnight kiss on the first or even the tenth date-wait for better things. In general, underplay the whole scene. Move in slowly, with grace and taste, or you'll end up in the orchestra pit with all the other banjo thumpers. Speaking of the theater, she'll probably love it. Parades, too. The pomp and pageantry, the dramatic emotion, give her an outlet for her own tightly controlled emotions. Besides, she's one great critic. Her highly developed intellect and artistic taste com-bine to give her a keen perception. If you could make Broadway producers understand this, you'd be showered with free passes to out-of-town openings. A Virgo woman will call the critics' reviews in advance almost every time. Discrimination is one of her keywords. She loves plays, concerts and books, but she's severely critical of the content. She's just as critical of your tie and how you wear your hair, what you do and what you say. To criticize is as natural to her as breathing is to you. Virgo is the eternal perfectionist, and without her, we would all be pretty •nessy and sloppy around the edges. Don't cr iticize her, lowever. That's against the rules. The golden rule definitely does not apply here. What she does to you, you'd better not do to her. Her crystal-clear thinking makes her inwardly as aware of her own imperfections as she is of yours, and she judges herself frequently and harshly, which is why she feels she doesn't need any help from you. Of her it can be truly said that she's "her own worst critic."
One nice thing about being in love with this woman is that she'll do all your worrying for you, and possibly even enjoy it. She'll keep you from goofing without robbing you of your manhood, an art that women born under other Sun signs might well imitate.
As for the matter of faithfulness, you may hear of a rare Virgo female who, for her own unfathomable reasons, has decided to toss away virtue with a vengeance, but there's usually a desire to prove something to herself at the bottom of such a spree, and it won't last long. Virgo females who take an occasional whirl down the primrose path of promiscuity are clever enough to cover up the lapse, and such behavior is most certainly an exception. Ordinarily, if she really loves you, you'd be safe to trust the typical Virginian woman with the sexiest man you know on a desert island for a month. For two months? Well, Virgos are human, you know. They're not walking, talking computers. They have hearts warmer than people suspect, and emotions that can thunder with feeling, even if they don't care to rent a billboard to advertise it. The emotional nature of Virgo is controlled, but not nonexistent. Remember that. It will give you courage.
The Virgo girl is annoyingly meticulous about small things, but she can also be the kindest, most generous and affectionate little creature in the world. Consider her perfectionism a virtue, instead of a vice. With all the impulsiveness rampant in the world, what would we do without the sharp eye and mind of Virgo? Even while she's irritating you with her critical ways, there's a lovable quality about her that's downright irresistible. But of course you've already discovered that, or you wouldn't be shaving twice a day and going to the library every night. Her modest manner and soft, clear eyes have done their job well. You've probably even found out how much fun she is when people don't pick on her, and what a clever wit lies inside that pretty head. It's a lovely and strange thing that when Virgo women laugh it often sounds like the peal of little bells.
She has no illusions, so don't try to sell her any phony ideas. To her, truth is beauty-and beauty is truth. Get used to her emptying the ash trays every three seconds, be kind to her stray kittens, and she'll perform the pipe and slippers routine with feminine grace. She'll share herself cautiously, only with one she trusts, and little things mean a lot to her. Despite her modesty and natural shyness, she's tough enough and strong enough for others to find comforting when dark clouds gather. The quiet courage and deep sense of responsibility of Virgo women often acts as a magic glue to hold large families together. She'll probably be a good cook, and she'll never poison you with her soup. Your house will be clean and cozy, and the big bowl on the coffee table will hold apples instead of chocolate candies (bad for the teeth and general health).
You'll probably never see your youngster running around the neighborhood with a runny nose, a jam-stained face or torn sneakers. You won't find tiny fingers scatter-ing your tobacco or coloring on your private papers, either. She'll be a firm disciplinarian. Virgo women seldom have more than one or two children, and don't seem to need motherhood to satisfy their femininity. But once baby has bounced into her life, she'll never neglect his physical, moral or educational needs. She may not supply his emotional needs as easily, but if she's sure of your love and knows she's appreciated, she'll relax and give her offspring plenty of warm affection. Little ones often find Virgo mothers delightfully funny and gentle. They'll be firm, and try to instill good habits, but they have a tender touch that tells a child he's securely loved.
Remember the poem that says you shouldn't buy bread with your last sixpence, but "hyacinths for the soul"? Give this woman both. You may often catch her busy with sewing or mending, and if you have a really typical Virgo wife, your house may be full of the heavenly mixed fragrance of fresh flowers and hot home-made bread baking crisply in the oven. It's pretty nice to come home to. She'll dust off all your old dreams and make them shine again, and you'll have a woman who will never borrow your razor or use your toothbrush for her mascara. She'll nurse you like an angel when you're ill, and she won't embarrass you by flirting with your best friend. She'll dress neatly and be able to talk with you about something besides diapers and beauty parlor gossip. You'll get every ounce of loyalty and devotion you deserve. She won't throw emotional scenes of jealousy or throw your money away foolishly. She'll keep your secrets in her heart, help you organize your work, and probably won't get wrinkled in middle age. Now really, isn't all that worth minding your manners and keeping your fingernails clean? Her eyes are cool pools of pure love, and when she smiles, she can light up a whole room with her radiance. Better keep her. You may never get so lucky again.
The VIRGO Child
But four young oysters hurried up,
All eager for the treat:
Their coats -were brushed, their faces washed,
Their shoes were clean and neat-
As he tries to imitate the sounds he hears in the nursery, the tiny Virgo infant carries the seed of a seldom-mentioned Virginian talent for acting. The ability to mimic manifests itself almost from birth. The Virgo baby is alert and quick, yet at the same time more peaceful and tranquil than other infants, a contradiction which foreshadows a future personality that will soothe and irritate by turn.
Don't try to feed your little Virgo applesauce when he wants peaches or you may be in for a long siege. You'll end up with applesauce all over the high chair, but baby won't end up with a speck of it in his stomach if he doesn't like it, though he'll smile charmingly as he firmly turns his head away. He may surprise you by preferring spinach to ice cream. Virgo's meticulous selectivity about food shows early.
Aside from being fussy eaters and an occasional spell of fretful indigestion, raising a Virgo youngster is a pleasant experience, with little conflict and few tantrums. Even when they're very small, these children are inclined to be neat and put away their toys cheerfully. Your Virgo youngster may be bashful and quiet in company or crowds, but around family and friends the cat certainly won't get his tongue. He'll probably talk early and fluently, except in front of strangers. A Virgo child is seldom troublesome, and he's a wonderful companion as mother does her house-work. He'll happily imitate whatever she is doing and he'll usually mind the first time he's told, with little scolding necessary.
In school, Virgos are apt to be teacher's pets, simply because they're the easiest boys and girls to discipline and the ones who study their lessons carefully. It's a delight to instruct the typical, bright Virgo child with gentle manners. Criticism, however, should be used sparingly. Too much stress on mistakes will cause him to worry unduly, sometimes to the point of actual illness.
A lecture in front of the class will be painfully mortifying, and it may smother the desire to leam for a long period. Virgo youngsters need to be told only once, quietly, if an error has been made. They'll be just as concerned as the teacher with correcting it, perhaps more so.
Often the mundane chores, disliked by the rest of the class, will be accepted as important responsibilities by Virgo children. They're efficient, dependable little people, with a serious, but friendly, pleasant disposition, though they're sensitive enough to become cranky if teased by more extro-verted classmates. The Virgo child is markedly adaptable, probably just as adept at painting scenery as he' is at editing the school paper. It wouldn't hurt to suggest that the Virgo youngster try out for dramatics. He won't seek the spotlight, but he might show a surprising ability to interpret characters with convincing reality, if he can overcome his stage fright.
Virgo's honesty and careful attention to details make him a favorite choice to grade papers when the teacher needs help. As a class monitor, he'll be ethical and alert. But there are occasions when the teacher can get a red face when she's made an erroneous statement (teachers being only human) and the normally shy, quiet little Virgo raises his hand to point out the mistake in no uncertain terms. Virgo students want to know the whys and the facts. They'll rarely question authority, but they will question knowledge in books unless they know what's behind it. The printed word often isn't enough for the inquisitive, painstaking Virgo mind. These children need plenty of educational toys, and when they're very young they should be read to as much as possible. They'll become most unhappy misfits as adults if they haven't received a full education. To know less than others turns Virgos into irritable introverts who are painfully embarrassed by their inadequacies.
It's best to ignore the Virgo teenager when he or she begins to notice the opposite sex. Teasing a girl about her first boy friend can give her a permanent emotional scar, and probing into a boy's dates can head him toward bachelorhood. Virgos don't easily accept close relationships leading to marriage, and the path should be made as smooth as possible.
You'll have to supply your Virgo child's emotional needs with signs of physical affection. He'll never show you how deeply he desires this kind of love, but the lack of it will strongly affect his future relationships. Even very pretty and very smart little girls-and very handsome, clever little boys have to be convinced they're interesting. It's hard for them to believe that their modest unassuming ways are as attractive as the more aggressive personalities of their friends. The Virgo ego can stand lots of encouragement without becoming excessive, so don't be stingy with bear hugs, kisses, sincere compliments and pats on the back. Your Virgo child needs large, daily doses of such emotional vitamins, along with his cod liver oil.
He'll have many exact habits, and hell complain if his belongings are moved or his privacy invaded. He does certain things at certain times, and if his personal schedule is upset, he will be, too. It may be dangerous to ask him for a frank opinion; otherwise, he'll usually be refreshingly polite to company. This child will criticize every member of the family, sometimes with amusing, but cutting imitations of their faults. He'll probably ask for his own room early and be fussy about your cooking. No lumps in the mashed potatoes, please, and not so much seasoning in the stuffing. But he'll show an excellent sense of responsibility before most other children have learned the alphabet. He'll be sympathetic with Mother's headaches and Daddy's financial problems. You can expect him to try sincerely to make good grades at school, willingly help around the house and manage his allowance carefully.
Although he's far from a model of perfection, and you'll feel like shaking him
ironed because it has two small wrinkles-most of the time, a Virgo child is a joy to have around the house.
These children should have a kitten or a bird, so they can learn the lessons of love quietly and unobtrusively, by caring for the helpless. Don't buy him a St. Bernard or a police dog. If he's a typical Virgmian youngster, he'll prefer a smaller pet. He'll be fascinated by one of those ant villages. Watching the tiny ants industriously going about their business at close range should really intrigue his curious, practical little mind.
Listen to him when he talks. He has a wisdom beyond his years. You can afford to keep nagging at a minimum, because he'll try very hard to please you if he knows exactly what you expect of him. Remember that his imagination needs plenty of boosting and lots of room to grow, or it can easily become stifled. You need never worry about spoiling him or giving him too many illusions. The Virgo child is made of sterner stuff than that.
Give him all the lovely dreams you can crowd into his heart. Such bright moments of fantasy will guarantee him a much-needed emotional balance when he grows up. Be very sure he has a secret star to wish on. Memories of magical daydreams will keep him from being lonely in the years to come, and there will be many occasions for future loneliness. Unlike other children, the young Virgo may not be very fond of fairy stories and make-believe. He's a true little realist. Perhaps that's why he needs them most of all.
LIBRA, the Scales
September 24th through October 23rd
The LIBRA Man
"In my youth," said his Father, "I took to the law. And argued each case with my wife;
And the muscular strength, which it gave to my jaw, Has lasted the rest of my life."
You'll get plenty of free advice from this man. Hell have the perfect solution to all your problems and an answer for every question you ask. But there's no use expecting him to be the answer to all your girlish dreams. He'll change some of them and argue with others. A Libra male can be as cranky as a crocodile with poison ivy, and his habit of rationalizing everything, including love, will drive you to frenzy-or leave you limp with defeat.
Still, I must warn you that once you're caught and enmeshed in the Libran charm, it won't be easy to break away. Trying to escape from a bear trap is a cinch, compared to liberating yourself from a Libran man. If you try to run, he'll persuade you to stay with such logical, intelligent arguments you couldn't hope to top them unless you graduated from Harvard Law School. In addition to using his unmatched reasoning powers on you, he'll turn so sweet and gentle you'll forget the frustrating inconsistencies of his nature that upset you before. Then he'll smile at you and something will happen inside. Your heart will turn over.
From that moment on, the battle will be lost. His dreams will be your dreams, and nothing will matter so much as making him happy. You'll seek that smile and need it to survive the way a thirsty traveler needs water. Only a really hard-hearted Hannah could resist a Libran smile, and she'd have to summon all her determination to avoid being magnetized by its purity. The Libran charm is not like the hypnotic persuasion of the Scorpio. The attraction of Libra is logicul and real, not supernatural in any sense. There's no black magic about it, just common sense submission to his heavenly aura.
On the other hand, to use his favorite catch phrase, there will be times when those Libra scales dip back and forth with crazy contradiction. You'll have to shout at him, push him into the lake, or stand on your head to get his attention and force him to make a move. Don't be so naive as to think love will be smooth and eternally tranquil, even if he is ruled by Venus. If you're up on your Roman mythology, you're aware that Venus had her off days. Still, when the scales balance, life with Libra can be as intoxicating as a goblet of golden ambrosia, with lots of laughs and a casual freedom known only to the gods who cavort on Olympus.
Making up his mind is a chore no less strenuous to the average Libran male than taming a wild buffalo, and once he's made it up, he's liable to change it with no warning if he suspects he's made a mistake. There's a woman I know Who hoped to go into a business partnership with a Libran, and she learned the hard way about this legendary Libra idiosyncrasy. They had a breakfast appointment together one summer morning, and both of them were full of enthusiastic, optimistic plans for the future. After he dropped her off on the way to his office, she began to worry. His promises were almost too good to be true, so she phoned him, just to make sure she hadn't been dreaming. He was still excited, he repeated all his promises and ambitious plans, and they made a date to get together again the following week. Before they hung up, he guessed what was on her mind and reassured her. "By the way," he remarked, "I want to say something, since I won't see you again for a few days." He hesitated slightly (she missed that clue), then continued with conviction. "I wanted to tell you that, well-I guess what I wanted to say is don't worry. I won't change my mind. We'll go through with it, just the way we planned."
The next week, when he didn't call, she phoned him again. "Were you out of town?" she asked. "No," he said slowly. "I didn't call you because I wanted to think it over." A long pause. "I think I should try something with a smaller budget first. We'll get together on our project next spring. I promise. It's just that, well, I've decided it's best to wait until then, and put it on the shelf for a while, you know?"
Filled with natural resentment and disappointment after such an unexpected letdown, she made a decision of her own. She would never speak to him again. The man was obviously undependable, untrustworthy and cruel, besides. A month later she passed him on the street, and he stopped to say hello. Caught off guard, she stammered an aloof, cool sentence or two of greeting, and instantly regretted that she hadn't cut him dead. Then he smiled. That did it. She was once more his strongest booster. He could do no wrong, even to her. To this day she defends him fiercely, and if she hears that one of his dreams got shattered, she has an illogical desire to help him pick up the pieces so he'll smile again.
Now, if that could occur when a woman is involved with a Libra man only in a business way, can you imagine your state of mind and your ability to insulate yourself if you should happen to fall in love with one of these impossible charmers? You simply can't be too careful. Steel yourself to turn your head when he smiles. Stuff cotton in your ears when he starts his convincing arguments in that smooth-as-silk voice that makes the back of your neck tingle.
The word love and the word Libra are practically synonymous. Libra invented romance, and refined it to an art with even more finesse than Leo, Scorpio and Taurus, which is saying a lot. The delicate strategies of Cupid are inbred Libran talents. He'll use every trick with casual ease and seldom fail to get the girl. However, once he gets her, he isn't always sure what to do with her. Having thoroughly charmed her into willing submission, he hesitates. Should he take advantage of her helpless state or should he propose marriage? Or both? Or neither? The mental struggle begins, and life in the garden of Eden with this particular Adam becomes' considerably less than ecstatic.
He won't lose interest in the opposite sex until he's at least ninety. It may be purely an academic interest if he's happily married, but the subject will never bore him, even if he only speculates what it would be like to whirl each pretty girl he sees around an imaginary ballroom.
Since the art of love-making comes so easily-and shockingly early-to the Libra male, and since he almost always wears the crown of success on his romantic excur-sions into love's jungle, he gets tangled up with a lot of clinging vines. Libra hates to hurt anyone's feelings, though he remains blissfully unaware of the damage done
when he's in an argumentative mood. He hates to say no, and seldom realizes that postponement is more unkind than an outright break of an affair which has no chance of happiness. In the opposite situation when the mutual feeling is as close to sublime as humans ever reach on this earth, the prolonged agony can be equally tortuous. Only an Aquarian can be more shy of making a drastic move in one direction or another. If he senses he's being unfair to someone in his own life, to you-or to someone in your recent romantic past-there will be no end to his painful indecision. Being unfair is, to him, a crime roughly on a level with murder. The reluctance to be cruel can push him into a mistaken proposal of marriage, predestined for the divorce courts •-or else his endless procrastination can cause him to miss (he love of his life. So you can see his attitude is a two-edged sword, which can either slice away true love or cut him a piece of indigestible matrimony. Tossing out false sentiment is the cure for both.
The tendency toward fickleness in Libra men can't be denied. They do tend to trifle, especially in youth. The natural Libra impulse is to to size up every third or fourth woman they come across, and weigh her possibilities of being the true soul mate. They often get friendship and love hopelessly confused. Surprisingly, it's not often that the Libran will suffer from a broken heart, for all his dabbling and experimenting. He can forget with insulting quickness, and be less apt than anyone, except perhaps a Gemini or Sagittarius male, to allow himself to regret the memory of unrequited love or a romance that was fated never to be. He may sustain a few bruised spots, but there will be no permanent damage, except in very unusual cases. Then the hurt can be devastating beyond imagination. But it happens so rarely you won't find many examples. It's easier to find a soft-hearted, guileless Libra man in the clutches of a passionately determined female who has made him feel that deserting her would be a sin second only to breaking all the ten commandments at once. Caught in such a net, he can be a pretty miserable prisoner of love. But both extremes are the exceptions, and most Libra men manage to keep free enough to enjoy romance to the fullest, without letting sentimental ties rope them in.
He isn't too interested in rooting out your secrets. He may seem to be, at first glance, but take a second look. Often he misses what's going on two inches under his nose.
Everyone will notice what's happening but him. Though he'll argue until hell freezes over, his purpose is not to dig out personal motives, but to dwell on abstract theories so that he can reach a balanced judgment. His questions aren't aimed at uncovering anyone's hidden neurosis. He just wants to sort the facts and assemble them in the proper places. He'll discuss pros and cons with brilliant logic and astute rationalization, and his conclusion will usually be fair, accurate, sensible and practical. Not even Solomon in all his wisdom could top a typical Libran's final, balanced decision. But he doesn't have the inclination to figure the personal nuances or emotional tangles that lie just beneath the surface. The facts and the facts alone are sufficient. The Piscean, Scorpio or Aquarian's deep penetration of character would, to his mind, muddy the crystal-clear picture he seeks. He instinctively feels that such psychological examination is out of his line. It is.
If you're extravagant, he'll simply deduce that you spend money like water; therefore you aren't a good credit risk. The fact that you seek emotional security by wasting cash isn't in his field. He's not your psychiatrist. If you're stingy, he's only interested in carefully examining your thrift to form an accurate appraisal of your customs. There's no desire to uncover your secret fear of losing your independence through poverty. Promiscuity will make him argue against its pitfalls; frigidity will, bring on even lengthier discussions about isolation from human companionship. But he'll avoid learning about the traumatic experiences that brought on the former, or the deep-seated feelings of inadequacy that triggered the latter. Libra is the judge. You'll see lots of judges handing down fair decisions, based on weighing the facts in the case, but you won't find many of them asking you why the color red makes you nervous, or sympathizing with your compulsion to lock your husband out because he wore those red-striped pajamas. Always remember that the Libran argues with only an abstract curiosity. He appears to be a prober, but he's not. Nor is he as nosy and gossipy as he seems to be. It's like breaking the seal of the confessional to pry a secret given in confidence from the typical Libran.
All this makes him terribly trustworthy, but a little hard on your feelings. You can confide in him with faith. But you'll suffer when he misses sensing your innermost needs. He wants to please you, but there's seldom enough under-standing of your silent hopes to satisfy all your longings (unless there's a water sign on the ascendant, or the Moon is in a water sign). Just because he's an expert lover technically doesn't make him the soul of empathy in relation to your moods. He has enough trouble coping with his own. Nothing can be more irritating than when you rush to him with a story about how someone has hurt you deeply. You seek sympathy, and what do you get? His first question will be, "What did you do to him (or her)?" Then he'll point out where you were just as much in the wrong, until you could scream with unsatisfied indignation. Go ahead and scream, he still won't take sides if he thinks you've been unfair, and the emotional implications will escape him.
Trouble invariably arises from this Libran lack of awareness of the partner's need to be understood in depth. It may seem unbelievable that he can be so intuitive about the abstract, so brilliantly logical in deduction, so capable of clear, open-minded and open-eyed deliberation, and still be so aggravatingly obtuse about what makes you ache or thrill inside. But it's one of those inconsistencies you have to live with, if you live with a Libran. His gentleness and that smile, of course, make it easier to bear.
Unless there are financial afflictions in his natal chart, he won't be tight with the budget. On the contrary, the typical Libran has a rather lavish hand with cash. He believes in spending it on objects or activities that bring beauty or happiness. Be prepared to be a good hostess, because his home will be a regular hospitality center at most any hour of the day or night (except during those times when he's resting and won't take kindly to being disturbed by doorbells, telephones or people). Don't drag him to crowded places where he's forced to feel the press of flesh and where the noise offends his sense of harmony. Crowds of strangers affect his inner equilibrium. All Librans have an instinctive distaste for physical contact with masses of humanity. His social life will be generously sprinkled with intelligent, sparkling people, but when the group expands to over a couple of dozen warm bodies, he'll Struggle for air. A Libra man can suddenly leave you alone in a crowded theater with no explanation. He doesn't hate you. He was just overcome with claustrophobia, a typical Ubran affliction.
The fastest road to the disinterest that leads to divorce Ffs a disorderly home. Keep the radio and TV sets toned down, and don't let the odor of cooking penetrate hia sensitive nostrils. If you must make onion soup and garlic bread, spray pine-scented deodorant around until the house smells like the great northern woods. A wife who serves a Libran husband bread right out of the wrapper, makes him use paper towels for napkins and leaves the milk bottle or cereal box out where he can see them is beaded for the life of a not-so-gay divorcee sooner than she may think. Hanging stockings across the shower rod is out. Forgetting to dust or make the beds can keep him in a constant state of emotional discord. Hell retreat from the disharmony with longer and longer naps and more and more nights out alone, and eventually, there will be no communication. He may be as sloppy as six pigs himself, but he'll expect you to pick up his socks and fold the papers be scatters on the floor. If the chartreuse draperies clash with a maroon rug, he can pout for years, and you'll never know why. Better keep the decor pastel. With the typical Libran kindness, he may not complain, but his secretary and her exquisite taste may look more attractive to him every day.
The Libra male hates confusion, and he really needs harmony to remain stable. His home must be a beautiful, quiet oasis from the jangling discord of the outside world, or those scales may remain permanently out of balance. Since he seldom probes motives, you'll have to be smart enough to guess why he's never home or why he sleeps all the time when he is. Remember that he's weak on introspection, so you must be the analyst. He'll never suspect his unhappiness stems from seeing you covered with cold cream and the youngsters covered with jelly. He may not realize he hates the orange shower curtain or that the lithograph of George Washington crossing the Delaware which hangs over the mantle goes against his artistic grain. He won't quite understand why he keeps forgetting to kiss you goodnight and good morning, but his logical mind will tell him something is off balance, and he'll suffer from it more than he lets on. Pick up the papers and toys, spruce, Up the house, dab on your best perfume, take the curlers out of your hair, turn down the television, buy some heavenly blue shower curtains and get a good Degas print to replace George over the mantle. Youll wake up some morning and find you're married to a completely new man With a .otally changed attitude.
The children will always benefit from his sense of fairness. He'll make sure the biggest youngsters don't take advantage of the baby, or the youngest doesn't break the oldest's bicycle spokes. Libran fathers will exercise discipline with quiet authority, and they'll try to give a logical reason for punishment, which will seldom be administered in anger. Like you, the children will melt under his charm; and like you, they'll also chafe under his constant debating and challenging. Strangely, a Libra man usually doesn't look forward enthusiastically to the birth of children. But after they arrive, he weighs the advantage of their love against loneliness, plunges into fatherhood with a sincere desire to enjoy it, and normally ends up as a doting parent. However, he'll never allow parental affection to replace his romantic feelings for you. With typical Librans of both sexes, the mate comes first, offspring second. You needn't fear that his love for you will decrease as the family increases-assuming, of course, you got rid of those chartreuse draperies or the maroon rug, one or the other- and that the dirty dishes don't continually pile up in the sink.
One final word of astrological advice. If you're in love with a Libra man, and you're sure it's meant to be, go right ahead and propose whatever it is you want to propose, up to and including marriage. Hell be relieved that you took the initiative. But watch out for that perverse streak-which causes him to let you decide, and then when it doesn't work out, cheerfully point out that "You made the decision. I didn't." Make sure you know what you're doing, or you'll never hear the end of it. There's only one way to even the score with him. Say "Yes, I decided. If I had left it up to you, we'd still be standing under that lamppost in the rain saying 'I love you,' and we'd both have caught pneumonia." He'll argue with you, naturally, but just before or after you bounce the teapot off his head, he'll accidentally smile, and there you'll be-standing under that lamppost in the rain again, saying "I love you," once more. I believe this is where I came in.
The LIBRA Woman
And so she went on taking first one side
and then another and making quite a conversation of
it altogether...
She generally gave herself very good advice (though she seldom followed it) ...
Once a child asked me a question that wasn't easy to answer. "Why is it," he wanted to know, "that ladies wear trousers and men use pretty smelling cologne?" In typical Aries style, I dashed off an impulsive reply. "Well," I told him quickly, before he could think of any more embarrassing riddles, "that's because there's a little bit of woman in every man, and there's a little bit of man in every woman. Now let's play checkers."
Looking back, I'm rather proud of my instant Mars wisdom. That statement is true to some degree of all the Sun signs, and it's super-true of Libra. You can find a trace of the opposite sex in the most virile, rugged Libran male, and Venus plays the same trick on the female scale balancer.
She may be as dainty as a fluffy, white bunny and she may whisper with gentle persuasion. She can dress in silks and laces, and her hair can smell of fragrant cologne. She might even look like a little doll you could lift with one hand (though a Taurus or Sagittarius ascendant would make her considerably more hefty). But with all her femininity, sweet mannerisms and lovely grace, this girl wears a pair of trousers with surprising ease, and they'll fit her rather neatly. Her mental processes operate with male logic and they can match yours in any discussion you care to start. They can even top yours on occasion, although the female side of the Libra woman is usually too smart to let you catch on to that until you're safely past the honeymoon. During the mating season, she'll be careful not to beat you at chess, but she won't hide her sharp mind behind those soft dimples forever. EventuaBy, you'll be treated to a display of her brain power.
Most Libra women will air their clever wits any time a subject appears with the slightest possibility of debate. It could be anything from why you shouldn't wear button down collars to what's keeping you from getting a raise at work. (She'll feel the latter is partly your fault and partly your boss's fault. Everything with Libra ends up as six of one and half a dozen of another-just so it all comes out even.) If you refuse to rise to the bait, she'll argue with herself. A Libra girl can start a donnybrook alone, pursue it alone and finish it alone, in a grand flourish. Your only contribution may be "But why?" or "I don't think so," but sometimes that's all she needs to deliver a brilliant monologue, which may last for an hour or more. Through it all, however, you'll probably be drowning in her charm. She'll turn on that unbearably delicious smile every third sentence or so, and you'll end up changing your mind as effortlessly as she changes her sex by taking over the man's prerogative, then switching back to a cuddly love bunny. She'll convince you with pure clear logic. You won't lose much-except your pride, and you'll hardly miss that, under the spell of that gentle Libran smile. She's usually right, because her final decisions are as carefully considered as those of the Supreme Court. Libran females don't need much encouragement to start a verbal comparison going between any two points of view. A politically active season will give her lots of chances to sharpen her rhetoric and her argumentative talents. She makes a great political worker, once she's made up her mind which side and which candidate is right.
Aside from the typical Libra penchant for weighing everything twice to make sure she didn't miss a point, she can be quite a lot of woman for a man who's interested in romance or companionship or both. Her tendency to argue is really based on a sincere desire to reach an impartial decision. It could be worse. At least she doesn't make up her own rules as she goes along, or stubbornly resist all reason, like women born under some other Sun signs. Besides, most of her opinions are presented with diplomatic tact, which somewhat softens the blow.
Perhaps the best way to get you to appreciate your Libra woman is to give you a
quick rundown on what you would face with other Sun signs in a simple situation. Let's say you're discussing the subject of calling cards. Should people use them today, is it old-fashioned, and what should they look like? Take a fast flight around the zodiac. Pretend you're the only man in a room with twelve women. (That should be a pleasant supposition.) The discussion would run something like this:
Aries: Don't need them. I use the telephone. Taurus: It's rare that I go calling. People visit me. Gemini: Calling cards! Who has time for calling cards?
Leo: Well, if they were really wild, and impressive looking-
Virgo: I'll have to check Emily Post and see exactly what she says.
Sagittarius: My gawd! You mean people stffl take time for that junk?
Scorpio: If they're not home, they miss me. Ifs their loss, not mine.
Aquarius: I wonder if it's raining outside? I thought I heard thunder.
Cancer: Cards are so impersonal. I'd rather write a note.
Pisces: I always sense when people aren't there, and I only I call on them when I get a subliminal message they want to see me.
Capricorn: The custom is perfectly proper. But there's no I point in discussing the design. If it's not en-| graved, it's not a calling card.
Libra; Well, it all depends. If you want to do the correct thing, you should have them. It's a charming gesture. On the other hand, using them might seem pretentious today, and the modern woman is too busy to bother with them. Of course, you have to consider the reason behind the custom. Then again, there are people who can't afford calling cards. If if's a strain on the budget, they aren't really necessary. Looking at the other side of it, however, I can't help feeling the beauty and grace of yesterday is missing in today's frantic pace, so it might be money well spent. I suppose they should be engraved. Yet, it's true that something different would reflect the individual personality. A creative person could design his own. But such individual cards might be misunderstood by very social people, you know? I mean, the Rockefellers would think it was gauche. On reflection, who calls on the Rocke-fellers? Your own friends would love your being original, but plain engraving is probably more acceptable. At least I think it should be. But still-well ...
Now she's run out of pros and cons, and she frowns slightly, under the strain of sorting out her own arguments and trying to dredge up an actual, firm decision from the lot.
You can see the Libran female is nothing if not fair, and committed to balanced judgment all around. You may get a little bored with her digressions on mundane
subjects such as calling cards, but you'll sincerely appreciate her efforts at fairness, and her ability to judge correctly by weighing all sides, when it comes to something that really matters. Other women might toss off opinions that reflect their own individual natures, and seldom care much about what you think, or about a fair answer. To a Libra woman, there's no such thing as what she thinks is right. Your opinion deserves as much respect as hers and Plato's, until the decision is made, based on the flaws in her arguments, yours and all the philosophers.
Most Venus girls work both before and after marriage. They seek cash for the lovely things it can buy. The Libra bird needs lots of fine feathers for her luxurious nest. She loves beautiful clothes, expensive perfumes, classical music and-did somebody say she was masculine? Yes, I did. One side of her. But you will barely notice her hard head when it wears such pretty hair-dos. Mostly, Libran women need plentiful sums of money to remove them from the squalor and ugliness of discordant surroundings, which can actually make them emotionally and physically ill. But there's another reason she works, another reason she wants money. Her man. If there's one thing a Libra female treasures above all else on this temporal earth, it's the man she's chosen to love, honor and manage.
She hates to play solitaire. Partnerships, in both business and romance, constitute her deepest .need. She doesn't like to work alone, and she's literally incapable of living alone. libra women who visit astrologers have only two questions they really care about. If it's not one, it's always the other. Either: "When will I meet someone I really love?" or "When will I find someone to go into business with me?" With her, marriage is a joint venture, and the rules are almost as strict as those in a corporate setup. You are the president of the association, and you're honored as such. She's the chairman of the board, who will keep you from making mistakes, in her own feminine, protective way. Her nature is built for teamwork. She'll want to participate in as many of your interests and activities as possible. She's willing to entertain in her husband's behalf, and she's female enough to follow his lead when he wants to change his career, move to another city, or cultivate new friends. That's all his department. She's only there to smooth the way and be sure he doesn't goof anything by impulsive actions and ill-considered judgment.
You really have to give her credit. The typical Libra woman has no desire to be a stone around her husband's neck. She simply wants to remove all the stones in his path. She's not nearly as domineering on the surface as she is inwardly, because the last thing she wants to do is make a lot of positive statements you can hold her responsible for later. She'll tread gently in most cases (unless she has an Aries ascendant-and if you're mixed up with a woman who had a double cardinal influence like that at birth, you have a sizable problem).
The average Libra female is highly intellectual and has amazing powers of analysis, which can be a real help in solving your business problems. She seldom lets her emotions keep her from dispassionate decision or a-balanced view, and she can usually give you better advice than your banker. Naturally, her abilities along these lines can cover a multitude of vices. Not only that, but if she's a typical Venus girl,
she offers her pearls of wisdom on a silver platter of charm and amiable suggestion. Her iron hand wears a soft, velvet glove, and she can nudge you off the wrong track and in the right direction so gently, you'll swear the switch was entirely your own idea. An Aries, Scorpio, Leo or Taurus man will normally put his Libran wife on a pedestal and worship her. That's only fair, because she worships him, too. Outsiders who visit the love nest of a properly mated Libran and her husband may feel as though they were seeing Adam and Eve, before the snake came along and spoiled everything. (Two Librans wed to each other invariably become cooing lovebirds or snarling adversaries. They'll go to one extreme or the other, sometimes on a permanent basis, sometimes every other day.)
There are many rewards when you're living with a Libra female. She'll never open your mail. It simply wouldn't occur to her to be so dishonorable. She'll never reveal your business secrets to your friends or embarrass you in front of your boss. She'll probably charm him into submission, too, with the same smile she used to melt your heart when you first met her. There are some Libra women with afflicted Mars positions who may over-indulge in excessive emotions at times, or eat and drink more than is good for them, but they're few and far between. Even if a Venus female does occasionally trip over her own scales, sooner or later she'll gracefully achieve her normal state of heavenly harmony. There will be moments when you'll wonder if she's an angel or devil, but the angels fight on her side more often than not.
You probably won't complain of lack of physical proof of her love, because she's as sentimental as old lace, and as affectionate as a woman has any right to be. Although she's sincere about her billing and cooing, those sweet glances, tender touches, warm hugs and frequent kisses are also a pretty effective smokescreen for her hidden masculine drive. There's no law that says sincerity can't have a practical application.
Your home may look like one of those magazine ads for wall-to-wall carpeting. The colors will harmonize, and the furniture will be in good taste. Pictures will hang straight, and meals will usually be served on time. With most Venus girls you can also count on cloth napk^s, sterling silver, flowers on the table, good china, candlelight, wine, soft music and a balanced menu. Taking into consideration her clever mind and her sparkling wit, there's not a whole lot more you could ask. Being a woman is sort of a lifetime occupation to her, and she's bound to arrive at perfection somewhere along the line. The masculine side of her will rarely disturb you, unless you're one of those impossible males who want to go shouting around like King Henry
VIII and expecting the women in your life to behave like obedient consorts, fearful of losing their heads if they gay anything other than "yes" or "no." Your Libran con-sort will definitely say more than "yes" or "no." She likes to talk. But she'll also make a flattering listener, when you have a need for a good audience. This woman is both tough and soft at the same time, and it's not every female who can manage that delicate balancing act.
Her sweet manners and smooth ability to cool your fevered brow can lead you to think she's weak and helpless, or that she'll be fluttery and feminine when a crisis erupts. If so, you're much mistaken. That dear, womanly little creature is composed of nine parts steel. Just because you missed it when she was shrewdly and bravely planning to hook you during those early chess games when she kept letting you beat her, you shouldn't remain blind forever. Open your eyes wide the next time there's a family emergency, and see who keeps the boat from rocking. Who really does it, I mean. The truth needn't rob you of your masculinity. No one but you will know how much you need her helping hand at the helm when things get choppy. Shell never brag about it, or take anything away from you-except a large part of the responsibility. Be grateful she's so dependable. Besides, she looks kind of cute when she wears her slacks to garden or to the supermarket, doesn't she? Women in trousers are all right, as long as they have enough sense to wear frilly organdy to parties and slinky silk in privacy. She does. One of her most valuable assets is her ability to hide her sharp, keen mind behind utter femininity.
The children will be loved and tenderly cared for by a Libra mother, but in all honesty, they will come in a poor second to you. They're junior partners, but you are the president of the company, and shell never forget that basic fact. They'll get a large chunk of her heart, but she'll never allow them to steal the comer she gave to you before they came along. If their play interferes with your rest, she can be pretty strict, and if they disobey you, shell be angrier than if they disobeyed her. The youngsters will be sweet and clean as infants, neat and polite as adults-unless you spoil them and she doesn't interfere because you're the lord and master. It's just another one of those decisions she may leave in your hands so she can avoid making the wrong judgment The Libra mother is normally gentle, yet quite firm when the need arises. Her children are never neglected or ignored, but the truth of the matter is that the reason she wanted to become a mother in the first place was so she could give you more happiness that way. One of the first things she'll teach them when they learn their prayers is to say, "God bless Daddy." She'll never permit them to disrespect their father. Still, if you get a little overbearing, she's a pretty soft pillow for their tears, and she may sneak them a peppermint stick behind your back when you've put your foot down too severely.
It's true that she may nibble on sweets too often and get fat. She may linger too long at the dance or over the wine bottle. There may be times when she's a little bossy, and Other moments when she talks your ear off. But these things will only occur when her emotional scales are temporarily off balance. They will never fail to settle into even steadiness when the occasional dipping is over. Unless somebody stands there with his foot on one of them, Libran scales always eventually balance themselves. If one side is a little low, add some affection and it will rise. If the other side drops from the weight of too much sadness, lighten it with understanding and her-beautiful harmony will return.
What other woman could look like a princess when you take her to the ball, then turn right around, lace up her boots, zip up her red plaid lumber jacket, and help you saw logs for the fireplace? She has sweetness enough for the first and strength
enough for the second. If her name is Peg, you'll be whistling "Peg-0-My-Heart." If it's Sally . or Mary, you'll happily hum "My Gal Sal" or sing "Mary Is a Grand Old Name." In case the song writers have forgotten to pay her a tribute, write your own melody in waltz time, with a good, strong beat, and dedicate it to your Libra woman. Fortissimo.
The LIBRA Child
"She's in that state of mind," said the White Queen, "That she wants to deny something-only she doesn't know what to deny!"
"My, what a beautiful baby!" Parents of October infants hear that phrase so often, they can be forgiven for feeling smug. The little Libran does seem to be a plump, pink angel, right out of the pages of a baby book. With his sweet expression and those pleasant, well-balanced Venus features, he's quite a charmer. He seldom kicks off his blankets in red-faced, screaming rage, or punches Mommy in the nose when she tries to give him his bottle. He's too well-mannered for such wild shenanigans. When he smiles, it lights up the whole nursery. "My, what a dear, good baby! So quiet and calm. So chubby and dimpled. Surely a gracious fairy touched him with her magic kiss."
I don't like to play the role of the mean old witch at the royal christening, but would you mind checking to see if he has a dimple in his chin? Most Libran babies do. You found it? Well, just for fun, you might turn to the last page of your baby record book and write a line Grandma was fond of quoting. "Dimple in chin-Devil within." (Grandma may have secretly studied astrology.) There will come a time in the future when you'll glance at that line and silently pay tribute to her wisdom.
It may be some morning when he's sitting at the table, slowly stirring his spoon in first one dish, then another. The dish on the right contains his poached egg, all nicely mashed the way he likes it. The dish on the left contains his oatmeal, all nicely covered with brown sugar, the way he likes it. Both are getting ice cold, and he hasn't taken a bite. Isn't he hungry? Yes, he's starved. Does he have a fever? No, he feels fine. Is he angry about something? No, not at all. Then why does he sit there so stubbornly and keep pushing his spoon-around like that? Why won't he take a bite of something?
He can't decide which to eat first-the eggs or the cereal. You just compounded the confusion by giving him a glass of orange juice and a piece of toast to try to tempt him. That was a mistake. Now he'll never be able to make up his mind. Better just forget breakfast today. Tomorrow morning, give him one thing at a time. First, the orange juice. He drinks it. Then the cereal. He eats it. Next the eggs. He loves them. Finally, the toast. As he sits there chewing happily, you'll be amazed that he ate all
his breakfast in less than ten minutes. You have just learned the most important lesson in raising a Libra child. Never give him a choice. He hates to make a decision.
If there's anything a Libran child hates worse than making up his mind, it's having to make up his mind in a hurry. Don't rush him. Let's say he's learned to dress himself and in the excitement of such an adventure, over a period of weeks, he forgot his typical indecision. Now getting dressed is kind of old hat to him. You give him a start by helping him into his training pants. You lay out his overalls, shirt, shoes and socks. He sits there. "Get dressed, Harvey." He sits there. "Hurry up and get dressed, Harveyl" •
The next thing you know, you'll be telling people your Libra child is stubborn. That's not fair. A Taurus child is stubborn. Not a Libra child. You are trying to rush him into deciding quickly which sock goes on which foot first. The whole thing is difficult enough, but just when he had made up his mind to put the left sock on the right foot, you shouted at him, disturbed his equilibrium, and now he's back where he was in the beginning. Which sock first? You see, it's your fault, not his. How does anyone expect him to make such a momentous decision if people are always shouting and hollering and yelling at him? It hurts his ear drums, and besides, it makes him forget what he was about ready to decide.
It's the kind of thing that can make you a little trembly, especially if you're the nervous type, and you're not the only one. Someday there will be a wonderful girl he's in love with. They will be discussing marriage. When and if. Hell sit there. Should he? Or shouldn't he? The girl waits patiently. Hell have the same pained expression on his pleasant features he has right now. Finally, "Harvey, are we going to get married?" He sits there. Then: "Harvey, when are we going to get married?" Poor girl. That's the same mistake you made with the orange juice and toast fiow he has two things to decide. Not only should they get married, but when. You'll have to have a talk with her.
But that's quite a few years off. Today it's the shoes and socks. Walk over to him firmly and say, "Harvey, let's nut this sock on this foot first." Say it in gentle tones. Don't scream or be shrill. If you can, put the words to music and sing it to him. He'll love that. Now, you have removed two obstacles. You helped him decide, and you created a pleasant atmosphere. In five minutes, he's dressed. That's what the girl will have to do someday. She'll have to sing to him softly, "We're-getting-wed-on-June 26th" (to the tune of "Here Comes the Bride"). If she's the shy type, you may have to wait a long time to become a grandparent. The happy ending to the story is this: If you train him to make up his mind, without pushing, shoving or trying to rush him, the girl will profit, too. By then, he will have mastered his indecision.
Libra children whose parents have confused their delicate balance by constantly insisting that they decide things too fast often grow up with quite a neurosis about choices. Suggest a solution to him gently, over and over again. Eventually, he'll pick up the knack and you'll have helped him overcome one of his greatest difficulties.
Show him' how it's done. That's all. He may appear to be stubborn, but he's just reacting in typical Libran fashion to discordant interruption and the emotional trauma of being rushed through his careful moment of decision. He'd like to please you, he really would, but he can be efficient only' when there's harmony of sound, color and thought in his. world. Tension makes it hang crooked, like a lopsided picture. When hasty grownups force a young personality into the wrong mold, it may harden into an odd shape.
(It may help you feel less frustrated to know about my friend, a dental technician whose wife presented him with two Libra children, three years apart, both girls. You can just imagine what went on in that house every morningi Four shoes-four socks-four feet-and two confused small minds. Until the parents discovered astrology, those little Libra girls went barefoot nearly every day.
It will also help if you remember the reason behind your child's hesitancy. Libra boys and girls are born with minds that seek the truth. They're kind-hearted, and they want to be fair. Your youngster dreads making a mistake or misjudging something. He hates to hurt your feelings, but his nature forces him to seek that balanced answer before he rushes pell mell into things, including socks. Still, that Libra caution builds character and it's great for avoiding accidents and keeping out of trouble, both now and in the future. Think positive. The little Libran may take so long deciding whether or not to draw a blue turkey on your living room wall, you'll catch him before the damage is done.
If your Libra youngster is being falsely accused of stubbornness, it may be that you keep the volume too high on the radio or TV. Perhaps the colors in his bedroom lie behind his restlessness at night. Garish, clashing tones will keep his emotional scales dipping back and forth. All shades of blue and pastels will quiet him, and it really works, too. Play music-but softly-when you want him to eat, get dressed or pick up his toys. If the sounds and colors around the Libran child are discordant, his actions will match. Being forced to be a witness to any kind of violence can destroy something deep inside him forever. Even as an infant, he'll jerk or tremble if he hears a sudden noise. The Libra child needs peace, quiet and rest in large doses.
That brings us to another problem. Libra laziness. It isn't actually laziness at all. He plays hard, for long periods, then he must rest. He isn't loafing. He's just gathering himself together. The Libran pattern demands periods of activity-then inactivity. It's the only way he can manage to stay emotionally and physically healthy. If he's made to feel guilty about it, he'll really be lazy, in self-defense. When you see the Libran youngster being idle, don't fuss. He'll soon have his inner scales balanced again and be ready for action. He's just recharging his energy. His planets made him that way. He can't change it.
Venus children are experts at softening hard hearts. They have such charming manners, they wheedle so sweetly and who could resist those smiles and dimples? The little Libran's gentle, endearing ways can turn his parents into two large genies who grant his every wish and desire (not to mention various assorted magic elves in
the form of doting relatives). Consequently, these youngsters often start their school days so spoiled they're well nigh impossible to handle. After all, you can't treat a tot like a prince or princess for years, and then expect him to take orders. Young Librans don't need discipline as much as they need less coddling.
The average Libra child, raised with the proper balance, is a delight to his teachers. Their minds are bright and logical, they're fond of debate and they have a great curiosity that makes them good students. However, once they start to read and learn facts, both you and the teachers may be subjected to constant arguments.
It never works to make a flat statement to a Libra boy or girl. Always give both sides of any issue, or they'll think you're being unjust. When you give the edge to one side, the Libra student will make a big issue out of defending the other side until he forces you to be fair. If you're partial to the pros, the young Librans will always make a good case for the cons, which can give them a reputation for being rebels, when nothing could be further from the truth. These children will be sticklers for obeying the rules, as long as they've convinced themselves the rules aren't loopy. The scales must always balance, or Libra feels an unpleasant tug. He'll argue away until he feels things have been faced squarely, and the scales of justice are harmo-niously lined up. October-born boys and girls always sharpen the wits of their parents and instructors, because it takes some good, logical thinking to keep up with them. They'll argue with you about everything from the newspaper headlines to who's right or wrong in a family disagreement. The Libra child won't like to hear grownups gossip. To him a confidence is sacred, and he also frowns on hasty judgments of character. Hell take the side of your worst enemy if he thinks you are wrong.
Never invade his privacy. He won't invade yours. Be »ure mealtimes are pleasant. The girls will coax you to use candles and flowers; the boys will want a balanced meal and will probably love sweets. There may be some problems with overweight and the bathroom scales will get a workout.
One blessing about having Libra children is that if they haven't retreated into resentment through harsh handling they'll usually be neat and clean without being forced. Most of these boys and girls hate messes and an untidy house so much they'll help to keep it neat. Since Libra is both musical and artistic, you may have a budding composer or artist in the family, so make sure he has an 1-opportunity to develop any latent talents.
The tiny Libra girl may dust your expensive powder all over her dress, pour your best perfume over her curly bead, and hate to get out of the bathtub. She's just reacting to Libra's love of beauty and pleasant things, like scents and warm water. When she's a teenager, she'll monopolize the bathroom for hours with her bubble baths and use up all your guest soap. Remember, she seeks harmony; and to her, peace, beauty and comfort equal harmony.
The Libra boy may drive you to distraction with his snoozes in the hammock, and
his irritating way of always knowing more than you do about subjects that should be over his heads. (Yes, sometimes you'll swear he has two.) But those periodic naps are refreshing his energy. It didn't die, it's just replenishing itself. As for his know-it-all attitude, he may be practicing on you for a future career as a lawyer. Take an optimistic view. The jury will someday be his captive audience, but you can always go start dinner or hide behind the evening paper. Encourage both boys and girls to write if they feel an urge. Remember that Libra rules books, too.
The teenagers of both sexes will keep a constant cloud of romance hanging over the house. There may be so many cases of puppy love youll feel as though you live in a sentimental kennel-but even this shall pass away. Those wedding bells will ring someday, and your Libra offspring will raise a nice, peaceful, balanced, harmonious, argumentative family. Some sunny October morning you may once again stand in front of a hospital nursery, and hear a nurse or visitor coo, "My, what a beautiful baby! So dear and good. So quiet and sweet." And you'll say, with all your hard earned wisdom, "Yes, but do you see that dimple in his chin?"
SCORPIO, the Scorpion, Eagle or Gray Lizard
October 24th through November 22nd
The SCORPIO Man
And her eyes immediately met those
of a large, blue caterpillar
that was sitting on the top with its arms folded, quietly
smoking a long hookah . . .
The caterpillar and Alice
looked at each other in silence,
If you're in love with a Scorpio male and the word passion frightens you, put on your track shoes and run as if King Kong were pursuing you. He is.
I'm not speaking of romantic passion alone, though that may be at the head of the list. I also refer to passionate intensity about politics, work, friendship, religion, food, relatives, children, clothing, life, death and any other categories you can think up. A Scorpio man is not exactly what your psyche needs if you're repelled by emotional excess. Don't look back. Just run.
You'll think I've taken leave of my senses if you've just met that particular Pluto person. He's so calm and steady. How could anyone with such obvious self-control be passionate, let alone dangerously so? How indeed. Because he's only bluffing with the surface cool. Inside, his passions are as red hot as that stove you burned your hand on when you were three or four years old and getting into things out of your reach. This man may also be out of reach. He's sizzling underneath his deceptively controlled manner. Don't touch. You know perfectly well how long it takes for bums to heal. Remember? Your hand was stinging for weeks after that episode with the stove when you were in your Buster Browns. After this experience, your heart will burn for months, maybe years, and first aid kits will do little good. Grandma's favorite saying, "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure," applies to both stove burns and Scorpio singes, so play it safe. Make sure you know where you're going and with whom.
If your Sun sign gives you an asbestos, fireproof nature, go ahead and play with explosives. You may be able to keep the flames under control and have yourself a powerful fire to warm your heart for a lifetime. Perhaps you're passionate about things yourself. Fine. Then it's simply a matter of degree of heat. If your passion has an automatic thermostat, so it can be turned down to cool when his reads hot, you're safe. Let's pretend you are. The girls who are in danger should be in the next state by now, if they ran fast enough. They'll thank me someday after they've married a nice, safe Libran or Cancerian.
As for you women who have analyzed yourselves as safe in a Pluto relationship, let's see if we can find what's hidden behind those hypnotic, piercing Scorpio eyes. It's pretty certain he hasn't made a neutral impression on you. He's either got you thinking he's boyish and sweet, or that he's wicked and passionate. (There goes that word again.) The trouble is, he's neither. Or maybe I should say he's both. Well, this isn't getting us anywhere. Let's start all over again.
In a word, this man is invincible. Just behind his frosty reserve is a huge pot of boiling steam that bubbles and seethes continually. If you're lucky, he'll keep the lid on. tight for a lifetime, but a deep injury can blow it right off with a brilliant explosion. It's kind of fascinating to watch. if you're not in its direct line of
destruction. Step aside, if you feel it coming. And don't do anything to cause it yourself.
Hell bewilder you with his twin Scorpio traits of passion and reason. He's master of both: intellect and emotions rule him equally. Scorpio is more than intelligent. If he's a highly evolved specimen, he's also deeply philosophical, concerned with mysteries of existence, and he'll come close to knowing the answers.
There are Scorpios who can live a spartan existence in a bare room, denying themselves every comfort for some obscure, aesthetic reason, but the true nature of the sign is sensual. Normally, Scorpio will surround himself with luxury. He'll lean toward excesses in food, drugs, drink, and yes-in love. Most assuredly in love. He's geared for it, with confidence. Romance will never frighten him, puzzle him, or catch him unaware. It's been on his mind ever since he rode his first bicycle. Maybe even his first tricycle. Of course, you could conceivably know a Scorpio who is so absolutely innocent-looking, with such disarming, youthful charm and lack of obvious seductive mannerisms, he's convinced you that passion is over-rated in Pluto males. He may even have freckles, and a whole drawer full of Boy Scout merit badges. But ask his wife. Try something like, "Say, Bertha-or Rosalie-or Sheila-or whatever-is your husband, well, is he passionate?" She might summon enough dignity to tell you it's none of your business, but your answer will most likely be hysterical laughter. Between her peals of mirth, she'll be remembering many days of his intense, passionate declarations about air pollution, housebreaking the dog, narcotics, long hair, birth control, and many nights of ... well, and many nights. This will be true even if her husband looks like Huckleberry Finn, and doesn't even remotely resemble King Kong.
These men have an explosive temper that can strike a life-time wound. When the Scorpio lashes his deadly tail, the sting bites hard. He not only enjoys winning, he has to win. Something inside him dies when he loses, even in small ways; yet oddly enough, a Pluto man normally practices good sportsmanship. Like all his other emotions, disappointment never shows on those set features, and his reactions are rigidly controlled, including his romantic intentions. If there's a good reason to avoid the relationship, hell bum inside while he's projecting a glacial calm out-wardly. He's also capable of torturing a girl cruelly before he finally decides to grab her by the hair and drag her off to his jungle of honeysuckle vines. Naturally, there are some November fellows who will gently propose on bended knee. They'll behave very properly, with or without a chaperone, but don't be deceived. It's merely the Scorpio desire to keep dignity at all cost. Your reputation must be spotless. He won't stand for ridicule or cheapness, for all his erotic nature.
Pluto people can have either a Sunday School teacher horror of sin, an attitude which produces intensely dedicated evangelistic religious leaders, like Billy Graham, or they can be driven by curiosity to penetrate every dark corner of the human mystery. Sometimes, both attitudes are combined, resulting in the hypocrisy or self-delusion of an Elmer Gantry or a Reverend Davidson in Rain.
Every Scorpio is a law unto himself, and completely unconcerned with what others think of him. He would like to be respected as a good, solid citizen, but if it interferes with any of his intense ideas or goals, then he couldn't care less, and those who gossip can just go to the place Pluto rules. None of his important decisions are hampered by the opinions of his friends, relatives, neighbors or enemies. I'm sorry to say, not even by you. Don't run away yet. Such beautiful self-containment and sureness of purpose can create a mighty attractive, free spirit who's not always fussing about what people think. Are honesty and courage and integrity such bad bargains? They may have lost a little of their sparkle in today's marketplace, but rub off the dust they've collected, and you can still get them appraised as genuine.
It's quite an experience to see the Scorpio man operate under adversity's black clouds. While others are mumbling and crumbling and grumbling, he is at his forceful, courageous best. He seldom wallows in envy or self-pity, and he doesn't happen to think that life owes him a single farthing. You can just imagine how much time that saves. Instead of pouting in hurt anger when real troubles hit, he meets them head on. Conquer them? But of course.
That's what he was born to do.
One thing is a little frightening, and may require courage on your part. Scorpio loves mystery and there's not a single one that crosses his path he won't solve in detail. Since the eternal feminine mystery is any girl's most potent defense and offense, being stripped naked of your mystery can leave you feeling a little exposed. You'll scarcely have a secret left when he starts probing with those burning eyes and piercing questions.
He has high standards, and he won't choose his friends loosely. They'll have to measure up. This is a marvelous, rare kind of man who can share a jug of spirits and joke with rough humor among other men like a bawdy Elizabethan; then tap that deep, inscrutable nature and turn into as gentle and tender a lover as Robert Browning. If there's anything more to ask for in a male animal, I don't know what it might be. Submissiveness and forgiveness? Detachment and caution? That's not fair. You knew he was short on those qualities back in the beginning.
He can be cruel sometimes, for his own, unfathomable reasons, and he may even exhibit a sadistic sense of wit by describing you as fat, dumpy, shrewish and square in front of friends. It's his private joke. Grin, if it kills you. You've been warned that Scorpio is compelled to conceal his motives, and this tendency isn't watered down in love. It may even be intensified. He's not about to display his true emotions in front of the world like a vulnerable, smitten schoolboy. Later, when you're alone, he'll tell you what he really thinks.
Marriage gives you a certain security, but if he pulls some of his Pluto tricks before the knot is tied, it may hurt, and you'll fail to get the humor. Still, don't even think about telling him that his harsh, self-sufficient who-needs-you? game makes you feel like jumping off a bridge. The Scorpio man will just tell you to go ahead and
jump. It may take a while to adjust to his personality, but it will eventually toughen you up. If you're too soft, you'll bruise easily with a Scorpio. Never ask him what he thinks of a new dress or hair-do, unless you're prepared to be stung by the brutal truth. At least you'll know his positive statements are honest, and not pasted together with the sticky glue of bored, insincere flattery. It's better to brave a good, healthy "You look awful," now and then, and be rewarded by an occasional "You're really beautiful, you know," than to swallow a constant diet of vague remarks like: "Yes, dear, it's lovely, sugar. Mmmmm-just fine, pigeon," from other men. Don't you think so? I do. But then, you're the one who has to live with it.
When it comes to jealousy, you'd better tread very, very carefully. He could bum and erupt like Mount Vesuvius in its heyday if you should accidentally wink near a man when a cinder gets in your eye, and if you ever give him a real reason to be suspicious, you're a very brave woman. But you'd better pack away your own jealous streak in the trunk, and then lock it. It will make no impression at all to drench him in angry tears or reproachful recriminations. No matter how he behaves, just say to yourself, "He loves me, and he will never discard real love for physical promiscuity. He's loyal to his deep ties, and he's only practicing his hypnotic art with those girls." Say it once before each meal, in the morning and at bedtime. Especially at bedtime. Women will find him irresistibly attractive, but keep remembering that if anyone is strong enough to resist such continual flattery and temptation, it's a Scorpio. Doesn't that make you feel better? It should. It's true.
He'll probably be a stern father. The children won't get away with an ounce of lazy or frivolous behavior. Hell teach them to respect property, but he'll also teach them to respect themselves. Youngsters will seldom get the chance to form any false values around a Scorpio papa. Although he'll love them with as much sincere passion as he puts into everything else he cares about, he won't Stand for any nonsense. He'll protect them when they need it, but they'll soon get the message that he expects them to stand alone. If they borrow money from him, he's liable to charge them interest on it, but it's for their own good. They may not realize that until he's gone some-day, but the lesson will eventually come home to them. Lots of children of Scorpio fathers resent his high-handed authority and tight discipline throughout childhood, and especially during the rebellious years, but as adults, they realize how lucky they were to have his firm guidance. From no other father can children learn so much truth about the way life really is. Often his offspring will find him gentle and funny; still there won't be any question about who is boss. He'll joke and laugh with them, and give them a sense of freedom, but the chalk line will be drawn, and they'll know not to cross it. Even as they resent his attitude of command, the children will secretly admire his strength and try to imitate it, but occasionally it works the other way. A gentle child may feel bullied and cowed by Scorpio power, and retreat into neurotic introversion, fearing to risk his displeasure. Then you'll have to remind him that affection and tenderness sometimes get more results than his normal, unbending, autocratic manner. Just be sure you remind him tactfully and respectfully. A Scorpio man will never allow a woman to dictate to him. Never in a million years. He is the man and you are the woman, and if you have any doubts about it, you will be set straight so surely that you'll never need but
one lesson. Yet, a Scorpio husband with a wife who truly understands him, will be tender, sympathetic, considerate, and repay her loyalty with the kind of love most women only read about and wish for.
It won't help much to try to resist this man, once the flame has been stirred and he's decided he wants you. Hell hypnotize you right out of all your good intentions. The magnetism of Scorpio men is almost tangible. You feel you can reach out and touch it. When you do, you may get a surprise. It will bum you only if you're over-sensitive and scorchable. If you're patient and strong, it will be like touching cool marble. Girls are out of their league with him. It takes a brave woman to fly with the eagle and not crash. He can soar higher than his symbolic bright star Antares in the constellation of Scorpio, then dip down suddenly to earthy expression. Hang on tightly, but keep your eyes open wide, and you'll see horizons with him the timid will never see. Look over there, just beyond the tall fir trees-did you ever in your whole life experience such a sunrise? Sunset will be just as grand.
The SCORPIO Woman
"Consider anything only don't cry . . ."
The female Scorpio has a deep, mysterious beauty. She's magnetic, proud and totally confident. But she has one secret regret. She was not born a man.
I can almost feel the heat from here when Pluto women hear about that revelation. There's not a Scorpio female alive who doesn't think she's all woman, and you may wonder what I'm talking about yourself, if you're in love with one. This girl certainly has enough glamour, and she's enormously seductive. But I didn't say she looked like a boy, nor did I intend to imply she doesn't do a bang-up job of being a female. It's just that, unconsciously, she would prefer to be a man. Less restriction-more opportunity. It's the one secret she even hides from herself, and seeing it exposed won't sit well with her.
Once the Scorpio girl has figured out the difference between blue booties and pink booties, she'll resign herself to wearing the pink ones, because she's fabulous at making the best out of a situation. But pink is not her natural color. The true shade of her nature is dark maroon, or deep wine-red, not a female color at all. However, to give her proper tribute, she's able to make you think it is. I know one who's great at pretending to be a fragile, fluffy kitten. She purrs so contentedly most men guess she's an ultra-feminine Piscean. They topple into her trap and wake up later, sadder but wiser. She is no kitten.
Scorpio women have a scornful contempt for members of their sex who flop in the roles of sweetheart, wife and mother, once they're stuck with the parts. A Pluto girl will control her desire to dominate, while she gives a glorious performance of womanhood, and she'll do it with more finess than the masculine Aries, Leo or Sagittarius girl. At least she'll do it during courtship. There may be a few cases when the unsuspecting male gets a rude surprise after he shakes the rice out of his shoes and the illusions out of his eyes. Unlike the Mars female, for example, a Scorpio will subdue her drive and magnetize a man with the heavy perfume of her exotic glance as she allows him to use his lighter to ignite her cigarette. That's far sexier than aggressively striking a match herself and blowing the smoke in his face, and she knows it. She knows lots more. Another girl might rush headlong into your arms and shout her love from the rooftops. The Scorpio girl walks toward you slowly, seductively, and silently delivers her private message. It's puzzling, but these women can look seductive in jeans, jodhpurs or basketball shoes. Maybe it's her husky voice that creates the image. I know one who wore a baseball cap (honest) the entire time her future husband was courting her, and she spent a lot of time talking about batting averages. But she was as seductive as Mata Hari just the same, and she got her man. (He was hypnotized, as usual.)
You can give her a tumble, but she won't fall all over herself reacting to your overtures. Don't expect her to bat long, sweeping eyelashes at you, and adore you with blind devotion. Lots of female Scorpios are tomboys with stubby eyelashes. Besides, with those beautiful, mysterious eyes that can read your mind so clearly, she doesn't need any extra trimming. Whisper something romantic that would melt another girl out of her senses, and the Scorpio girl will simply give you an intense, penetrating look that will see right straight through to your real intentions. She's a human X-ray machine, so don't flirt. Unless you mean business, you're wasting her time and insulting her. I wouldn't advise you to insult a Scorpio. It's just not healthy. If you don't know what I mean, ask someone who has. He may have some stories to tell that will curl your hair.
I'm well aware that this dangerous femme fatale can hide her power of retaliation with a tremulous smile, gentle mannerisms, and the most breathless voice this side of an angel. But astrologers are expected to be up on these things. It's more important for you to be well aware. After all, you're the one who's seeking to tame her-or protect yourself against her-whichever. Probably both.
You can be sure that heaven certainly has no fury like that of a Scorpio woman who's lost her normal steady control over those inward, seething, Pluto emotions. She can be overbearing and domineering, sarcastic and frigid- then turn as hot as an oven at 500 degrees Fahrenheit. She can hate with bitter venom and love with fierce abandon. She can shriek like a furious banshee or whisper like an affectionate turtle dove. One thing you can be sure of- she's never wishy-washy.
The Scorpio woman has a disconcerting gift that can make icy shivers run up your spine. It's a peculiar form of black magic, and she weaves it so expertly it can seem like real witchcraft. You have very little chance to escape, once her eyes meet yours.
Because of her mystical sixth sense, she can often recognize a future mate at first glance, and somehow, she'll transfer this perception instantly. You'll have one of two reactions. You'll be hopelessly caught in her spell, and down you'll go, in a dizzy spin toward surrender, or you'll be scared right out of your socks, and feel like running for help. What's your rush? Stay around awhile. You might find out what life is all about. She knows. And she'll teach you. Anyway, you should be flattered that she considers you worth that strange gaze. A Scorpio woman can't excuse weakness in a man. She looks for ambition and courage. She wants a mate who can dominate her and make her proud, without disturbing her secret individuality. He's expected to be strong, masculine and better-looking than average. A high degree of intelligence is required to match her own excellent mind, plus more than a passing acquaintance with abstract, philosophical wisdom. So put your socks back on and practice a superior smirk. Everybody you know will think you're pretty super to have her staring at you. The men and women both. It could open new vistas, when you think about it. Your personal stock should zoom several points higher than it was before she noticed you.
Having once achieved closeness with a female Scorpio, you can be positive you're a unique and unusual man. You can also be sure that her love for you is unmatched by any you'll ever experience-and you can take that in several ways. You'll be the most important interest in her life. If she's a typical Pluto girl, she'll boost you loyally, and try to please you with passionate intensity. If you're too hard to please, she'll show her frustration with passionate attempts to conquer your disinterest.
The word "passionate" probably caught your eye. Most men have heard exciting rumors about the passion of November females. It's true. She's brimming over inside with passion, though it's kept under rigid control by a poised, frosty attitude toward strangers, and a surface smoothness suggestive of black velvet. But the male sex is too inclined to relate passion strictly to romantic action; and that's selling her short, because Pluto's definition of the word is far more encompassing. It's involved with her feelings about everything she touches. She's never just slightly interested. It's impossible for her to be detached or casual. She seldom likes or dislikes a play, a book, religion, furniture or people. She either bitterly resents or she intensely worships. If one of these two passions can't be aroused, then she totally ignores, with ice around the edges. Yet, through it all, she'll remain essentially untouched by emotional storms, judging at least from her placid exterior, which always drapes itself around her after each minor or major nuclear explosion. It may be difficult to convince your mother-in-law that her daughter really broke all those dishes and tore all those draperies to shreds after the fury has subsided and her black velvet poise has returned. People may look at you as if you're a character assassinator. What do you mean? Shame on you, accusing that cool, controlled, lovely girl of such a temper. You have my sympathy, if that's any help.
She has such fabulous virtues, you might know her vices wouldn't be skimpy, either. So think about her good points. All right, then, think about her good points after that lump on your head has healed.
Because she's drawn to investigation of the shadows, she may at first seem to be tempting, forbidden fruit, and the deep, strange expression in her eyes intensifies the impression. It's true that the Scorpio girl sometimes wanders into dangerous waters in her efforts to penetrate life, and since there's not the slightest trace of fear in her (unless she has an affliction to her Moon, and is full of nameless terrors), her search may indeed take her into some weird byways. But the typical Scorpio will emerge from any discovery still strong and pure. If she allows the journey to soil her inner spirit, Pluto will punish her with anguished remorse and guilt; yet she can still call on her great strength of character to rise again, like the phoenix, from the ashes of her experiments. In Kahlil Gibran's writings, the Prophet replies, in answer to a question about Evil, "Of the Good in you I can speak, but not of the Evil. For what is Evil but Good-tortured by its own hunger and thirst? When Good is hungry, it seeks food, even in dark caves, and when it thirsts, it drinks even of dead waters." A perfect description of Scorpio.
She may have been a fascinated spectator to a million human foibles, and she may have tasted a variety of experiences to savor the knowledge. But she can mysteriously emerge from all her explorations above suspicion, and still superior to almost every other woman you know. She could be the keeper of quite a few secrets. It's surprising how many dark deeds are confessed to Scorpios, though their own inner lives are marked: "Private-Keep Out." She likes to hear secrets, but she'll seldom tell anything anyone has confided in her, not even to you (unless there's an afflicted Mercury in her natal chart). You can also expect her to have a stack of secrets that relate to her personally, and don't try to pry them out of her. There's a private part to this woman you'll never touch, a part of her mind and soul that belongs strictly to her, and there's absolutely no trespassing there. She's not untruthful, in fact she's more oftien too brutally honest, yet there will always be those special thoughts and feelings she won't confide to you or anyone else.
A Scorpio woman will be incredibly loyal to those she finds strong and deserving, but the weak ones will never be honored by her glance. Her dignity in human relationships can make her seem aloof and snobbish. In a way, she definitely is, because she practices a personal caste system, and it's more clearly marked than that of her Leo and Capricorn sisters. All Scorpios are highly selective in friendships. They'll keep the worthy companions through an entire lifetime, and freeze the shallow, the common or the unworthy. There's an immense store of perseverance and determination buried in the nature of a Scorpio woman, and any time she chooses, she can call on these to help her master the excesses which may tempt her, from drink and drugs to self-destructive, ruthless revenge and dangerous depression. Sooner or later, she'll probably investigate some form of the occult, and ancient mysteries and unseen worlds will eventually have her respect, though Scorpios can range all the way from religious fervor to total atheism during a lifetime.
A Scorpio woman need not be a legal wife to give wifely love and devotion. If circumstances beyond your control make marriage impossible, she'll love you from hell to breakfast, and not give a hang what the neighbors think. In most such unusual situations, the relationship is real and honest above and beyond the shallow,
selfish love of many a legitimate marriage. The hypocrisies of society will never keep this courageous woman from seeking the sun. She answers to no law but her own, and in her Pluto heart, she has more total understanding of the vow "till death do us part" than half the brides who blissfully murmur the phrase.
.Despite her own strong individualism, the typical Scorpio girl will let her man be the boss. Instead of overshadowing him with her force and drive, she'll apply her talents to help him attain his goals. Your future will be important to her, and she's not likely to insist on retaining her own career after marriage (unless you've disappointed her deeply or a second job is needed in a temporary domestic crisis). She may fight you wildly in private, but she'll defend you fiercely in public. She won't stand for anyone maligning you or taking advantage of you. Those who try will feel the lash of her righteous anger. Your happiness will always come first. Unless there are adverse aspects to her Sun sign or ascendant in her natal chart, she'll patiently help you persevere until you get what you want, and while you're getting it, she won't whine or complain or become restless, though she might turn a little bitter if you lose your courage on the way. She'll expect you to aim as high as your abilities will reach. Anything less may bring on some pretty sarcastic taunts and reproaches, especially if she has an afflicted Mercury.
Scorpio women love their homes, which usually shine with cleanliness, taste and comfort. Meals are served on time, and things are generally under control. If the opposite is true, something is making her mighty unhappy, because her natural inclination is to beauty and system. To the typical Scorpio woman spring cleaning is like vacation. They love to dig into comers to see what they can find. Just be careful she doesn't find any cryptic notes that smell of perfume in your old jacket pockets when she's clearing out the closets. Scorpio is unreasonably suspicious, even when there's no basis for suspicion, so you can imagine what happens when she finds a real clue to possible infidelity. Picture the shape of a mushroom cloud and you'll get a general idea of what may happen, figuratively speaking. It's no good being suspicious of her, no matter how many opportunities arise; and there will be a goodly number of them, because she never exposes her deepest feelings. Naturally, this can arouse a few questions on your part. Just swallow them, along with the lump in your throat. Like that locked chest or drawer she's had since childhood, certain things about her are off limits. It will get you nowhere to probe. I realize fully that it isn't fair. So does she. But that doesn't change things a bit. That's the way it is. Take her or leave her. You'll probably take her. It's almost impossible to leave her. If nothing else, she'll haunt you the rest of your life. Adjusting to the idiosyncrasies of her nature is easier than suffering the nightmares that will surely result if you walk away. No one walks away from a Scorpio. Not really. Didn't you know that? Those who have tried can educate you. Anyway, you have a very special woman.
As much as she needs the security of home roots, shell move if it's necessary to your career, and without any visible flinching at the uprooting. She makes an excellent wife for an army or navy man and a real jewel for a politician. There's no one she can't see through, no deception that escapes her. A Scorpio woman can tell you
exactly who can be trusted and which ones you have to watch. The Pisces wife has the same ability, but she may be too soft to criticize, too ready to make excuses for the failings of others. Not so the Scorpio female. In fact, she may frequently have to check her sharp tongue and tone down her brutal analysis.
In the budget department, Scorpio women are completely unpredictable. She can scrimp and save and pinch a penny until it bends double, then have a sudden spell of being magnificently extravagant. One thing is sure. She'll enjoy money, whether she saves it in an old shoe or spends it on luxury. But this woman always leans heavily toward prestige, and she won't let cash compromise that. She'll be satisfied if you choose a smaller income, as long as it insures that you are your own boss, with the potential to rise to become somebody of influence, Scorpio females like power, and they will sacrifice much for it. Your power will do, because Pluto allows her to be adept at living vicariously through others when it suits her. Remember that although she'll sacrifice and put up with very little for a planned goal, she's too proud to live amid shabby surroundings forever, and she'll become mighty sour and discontented if she's forced to do so for an unreasonable length of time. She'll either try to force a change in the family fortunes after a certain period, or she'll gradually retreat into the dismal world of the gray lizard, outwardly accepting and almost seeming to enjoy poverty, but inwardly intensely bitter.
She'll be possessive but she won't want to be possessed. One of the worst traits of both male and female Scorpios is a refusal to see any viewpoint but their own when the emotions are involved. It takes weeks of introspection to bring them around to a semblance of humility. Her natural interest in the opposite sex, even if it remains platonic, may give you as much reason to be jealous of her as she is of you. She'll probably fascinate every male in sight on occasion, and you may have to sit by while they're mesmerized. It seldom leads to anything serious, but it can cause some uncomfortable moments. It can also lead to some explosive disagreements. In the heat of battle, it pays to remember that her compulsion to even the score usually makes her the winner in any kind of skirmish. She gets the last word. If you tell her a lie, she may tell two. If you stubbornly refuse to kiss her good-bye in the morning after a tiff, she may refuse to kiss you goodnight for a month. Just let your mother (or anybody's mother) criticize her cooking, and the Scorpio woman may forget to invite her to dinner for several Sundays in a row. An accidental injury, however, she'll forgive, if she knows it's unintentional. The Scorpio sense of justice is as strong as the sense of revenge. Most people forget this. She'll remember every kindness and give you back double for that, too. It works both ways.
With the children, her expression of love may lack a certain tenderness and open demonstration, but the youngsters will probably sense her deep devotion and feel emotionally secure anyway. A Scorpio mother won't let the talents of her children go unnoticed or gather dust. She'll spend many an hour encouraging them toward higher goals, and be willing to provide any support they need. Her offspring will find her strong and helpful when youthful problems arise, because her knowledge of human nature makes her a wise counselor. She'll teach them to meet difficulties with her own courage. But she can be bund to their faults, an attitude which can
naturally cause a lot of trouble if it isn't recognized and checked in time. Anyone she imagines is a threat to the happiness of her children, in any way, however small, will be crushed, and I'm afraid that includes her husband. She won't appreciate it if he's stricter with them than she thinks he ought to be.
A Scorpio woman will sometimes nearly drown you in her passion for living, yet in a real storm, her cool, calm reason and steely strength will be a life raft. Though she works her magic in strange and secret ways, her haunting eyes will always gaze at you with basic honesty, even while she remains just beyond the reach of human understanding. She's a little dangerous, perhaps, but undeniably exciting. Let other husbands cope with the flighty girls. You've known the compelling mystery of a lovely witch who brews a pretty good cup of tea and never bums your toast. (Well, almost never.) When the cup is empty, let her read the tea leaves for you. She can-if she wants to.
You mean you didn't know? I told you there are things she keeps to herself....
The SCORPIO Child
"What else had you to learn?" "Well, there was Mystery ... Mystery, ancient and modem,
with Seaography . . . Drawling, Stretching
and Fainting in Coils."
The usual reaction of proud parents at the first glimpse of their newborn Scorpio infant is pleased surprise. "He looks so much more 'finished' than the other babies in the nursery," they murmur. "He's calmer too-and just look at what a strong body he has." That's right, even the tiniest Scorpios normally have extraordinarily strong bodies. They were designed to match their extraordinarily strong wills.
Scorpio children enjoy a good fight, and they intend to win it. Compromise is not one of their virtues. Even if they pretend to give in, they're just biding their time until the contest can be resumed on another front, where they have the advantage.
As soon as you know the stork is due in November or (hereabouts, go right out and buy a large, sturdy playpen. You'll need one. After baby arrives, you can climb inside it and read a book or eat your lunch, safe and secure behind the bars. The saleswoman may look at you oddly when you lie down on the blue plastic bunny pad to measure its fit, but ignore her. If you can't take the stare of a stranger, how
are you going to face the burning gaze of your own child without flinching? The Scorpio infant will fix you with his intense eyes as soon as he can see people without the fuzzy haze, and you'll be hypnotized into obeying his every whim. Picture him sitting cross-legged on the floor in his diaper and turban, playing his flute, while you sway back and forth helplessly, like a snake in a basket. Good grief! So better start steeling yourself against his black magic right now. Give that saleswoman a frosty stare right back. It's your money you're spending.
If your actions seem a little peculiar, it's not her business to dictate to you. You are the customer. Therefore, you are the boss. With minor changes, this is the exact attitude you'll need to cope with your young Scorpio. It's your house. If your rules seem a little peculiar, it's not baby's business to dictate to you. You are the mother. Therefore, you are the boss. As you say it, stare him down.
You'll have your work cut out for you, but it's an interesting challenge. The Scorpio child will need constant and firm discipline. You'll have to impress the qualities of consideration for weaker people, being a good sport when he loses, respect for authority and forgiveness when others hurt him. As you train his fine character, you'll be impressed yourself with his brilliant mind and magnetic personality. His rare courage and honesty are well worth nourishing and protecting from the infection of a super ego that can pervert or destroy them.
There are two roads for the Scorpio to choose-the high and the low. For a while, you may be convinced that he's chosen the back alley before he's even learned to walk. Fluttery, nervous or soft mothers are beaten before they start. Your little Scorpio toddler will glare at you fiercely when you forbid him to touch something. Glare back at him, kindly but firmly. It may be difficult to accomplish a kindly glare, but keep practicing. Smile through your clenched teeth and say no loudly, with emphatic conviction. You'll only win a temporary struggle; it will be resumed again an hour later, but it's a step up that high road. Eventually, the Scorpio youngster will begin to admire you for your strength in resisting him. Hell learn only from someone he thinks is stronger than himself. Of course, he knows the victory is only due to his present size, and he'll top you someday, but meanwhile, he'll give you his grudging respect, as long as you're bigger. By the time he's tall enough to wrestle his older brother to the floor or win a game of Indian deadlock with his father your job will be done. You'll be a little exhausted, but proud, and he'll be well on the way to becoming a splendid eagle, instead of a stinging, revengeful scorpion. Warning: Be sure there's a generous spreading of love and affection on top of your firm discipline, or he could become a miserable gray lizard, tortured by fears and phobias, bitter and withdrawn.
Because of his blunt, often sarcastic speech and plain-spoken manner, he'll seem to be forthright and direct, but there will still be a great need for privacy. He has his little secrets and you are not to pry. Give him a large metal box with a key, where he can keep his personal possessions, or a special drawer of his own that no one else in the family can open by strict agreement. As female Scorpios grow older, they'll
want a diary with a foolproof lock.
These youngsters will conceal their own thoughts, but trying to hide things from them is impossible. They'll ferret out every embarrassing family secret from Aunt Bertha's false teeth and Uncle Percy's drinking sprees to Dad's "rug" that hides his bald spot. They're also whizzes at finding lost socks, keys, billfolds and lipsticks-regular miniature sleuths who use both witchcraft and cold logic to solve any mystery.
There's a miraculous ability to withstand pain. Even the stitches required to sew up an accidental cut will usually be borne without either tears or anesthetic. Your Scorpio youngster is wise beyond his years. There will be times when his instinctive understanding is a blessing. Daddies who are discouraged by financial problems often feel the surprising pressure of a bear hug from a little tot far too young to understand economics. He only knows his father is unhappy, and he'll want to express his desire to destroy whatever is causing it. When she's ill or depressed, a mother may get an unexpected, silent and tender touch from a tiny Scorpio who has somehow sensed her sadness.
Scorpio children are filled with boundless loyalty to friends and loved ones. They can be pretty hard on anyone else. If a bad-tempered playmate deliberately breaks his rocking horse, the Scorpio youngster may break the offending child's scooter, fire truck and blackboard-and punch him in the nose besides, just to make sure he knows he's stepped on a Scorpio's tail. Naturally, this must be discouraged, and I wish you luck. You can tell your November child that revengeful anger will come home to roost, that he's only hurting himself by getting even, but it won't be easy for him to see the logic. Get him one of those boomerangs they sell in toy stores, and let him throw it with all his force. When it's shocked him by magically returning to clip him on the ear a few times, he may get the message. It won't be as popular with him, of course, as a microscope, a book of magic games or a chemistry set These are sure-fire hits.
His teachers won't know whether to send him to the head of the class or get out the old birch switch. Theyll ; probably end up doing both. Scorpio boys and girls have sharp, penetrating minds and an uncanny perception of theories. They can be steadies on the honor roll or the biggest hookey players in the neighborhood. Given the good fortune of wise instructors, they'll leam to read quickly and be leaders of school activities.
The Scorpio child has a good chance of being class valedictorian if he's guided away from his fascination for the forbidden. Keep him active physically and interested mentally, and channel his passionate curiosity into science, literature, medicine or sports. Encourage his childish dreams of being a space engineer, sailor, fireman, minister, entertainer or even president. Never try to force him into your favorite idea of the proper career. That's a perfect way to send him down that low road to dangerous experimentation in the dark alleys of life. He knows exactly what he wants, and it's a serious mistake to impose your will. Be loyal to him, and never
break your word or a promise.
He needs opportunities to work off his gigantic supply of bottled-up energy because he'll seem to be more calm and relaxed than he really is inside. Displays of nerves, arguments at mealtime and family squabbles at bedtime will bring nightmares, and are extremely detrimental to both his mental and physical health. He has many intense passions and boiling emotions to manage, and subduing his volatile nature is a tough task for him, but he'll control it beautifully with careful guidance. Rough, thoughtless scoldings that lack a logical explanation, and permissive humoring are equally disastrous. Scorpios are fascinated by drugs, so keep them out of reach. Hell be drawn to fire, too, so don't leave matches around.
He'll love Halloween, monster shows on TV, science-fiction and ghost stories. He'll also be fond of the opposite sex. Don't be shocked if you catch your five-year-old Scorpio son making "mysterious eyes" at the curly-headed first-grader next door. He's going to be a Lover someday. You'll never prevent that. But you can prevent some future romantic tragedies by teaching both sexes in adolescence the importance of responsibility in affairs of the heart. Scorpio deeply respects the family circle. Explain that careless romantic behavior destroys it, and he'll listen. Whatever he becomes, he'll be the best in his chosen field. The Scorpio youngster is determined enough to get what he wants, and strong enough to hang on to it. But don't let his self-sufficiency keep you from giving him your support. He needs it, even though he appears to scorn approval. You'll have to help him find a worthy goal toward which he can direct the inner passions that threaten to consume him. This is a strange, enchanted child, with possibly an important destiny, and he has miles to go before he reaches it. Walk with him as long as he needs you, then let him walk alone. He'll return safely with whatever prize he seeks. Pluto gives him great courage, strength and intelligence, but it's up to you to give him what he needs most: a daily example of how to love-and be loved in return.
SAGITTARIUS, the Archer
November 23rd through December 21st
The SAGITTARIUS Man
"/ hope no bones are broken?" "None to speak of," the Knight said,
as if he didn't mind breaking two or three of them. "The great art of riding, as I was saying,
is-to keep your balance properly. Like this, you know-"
He let go the bridle, and stretched out both his arms
to show Alice what he
meant, and this time he fell flat on his back,
right under the horse's feet.
I don't want to discourage you, but Sagittarius men have this odd habit. They leap on a big, white horse and go charging through the streets, waving a sword and defending causes. Then they have another idiosyncrasy. They tumble around like clowns in a circus, indiscriminately mixing with (he elephants and the bearded lady, gaily scooping up cotton candy.
He can be captured with certain maneuvers. But first you've got to get him down off that white horse, away from those elephants, and of course the bearded lady has to go. Causes and circuses don't leave much time for family life, let alone sentimental hand-holding.
You have one thing going for you right away. So many Sagittarians charge around and tumble through life that you'll have plenty to choose from. Remember the Victor Herbert refrain; "Give me some men who are stouthearted men, who will fight for the right they adore; Start me with ten, who are stout-hearted men, and I'll soon give you ten thousand morel"? It happens like that. The idealistic enthusiasm and curiosity of a Sagittarian man is contagious. Of course, sometimes his innocent exuberance can get a little out of hand. Like he'll throw you up in the air in a moment of mad, impetuous exhilaration-and forget to catch you.
There's almost always a crowd around him. That's another obstacle. You'll have to push your way through all those people to get near him. But don't get pessimistic- because this man is an optimist supreme. He's so optimistic, if his enemies mailed him a huge carton of manure, he wouldn't be offended. He'd just figure they forgot to include the horse. That kind of optimism can be dangerous. It's really just another term for blind faith. The Sagittarian man has stacks of it. Now, blind faith is fine. I'm all for it, being a fire sign myself. But it can lead to trusting with such naive belief that he frequently falls into puddles. It's easy to fall into puddles when you're running with a bow and arrow, always looking up in the sky for some high goal no one else has ever had the courage to aim for-or no one else ever had the lack of common sense to try to reach.
Trusting is great, but trusting the wrong people can slow down even a race horse. In the strict sense of the word, he's not a misty dreamer. His dreams are always scrutinized by Jupiter's intelligent logic and compelling curiosity. If they stand up under the frank investigation of a Sagittarian, they're probably as practical as they are wild, even if the world isn't quite ready for them. Once he's established that there's some hope of fulfillment, he lugs out his paint pots and colors his practical dreams with the most vivid and courageous imagination this side of the designers of the Edsel. But the fuddy duddies are always waiting to stomp on progressive ideas and strangle them before they've had the chance to prove themselves, and you know
how many fuddy duddies there are around.
His soaring imagination can cause him to fall down or go busted. But wonderfully. Lady Luck has a way of rescuing him just in time. This man is usually so lucky it's disgusting and illegal. He could go prospecting in the hills, bring back a bag of rocks, find out they're not gold, cry awhile, then discover they're uranium. If you pick up that shiny object at your feet near the subway grating, it will be a piece of tinfoil from an old chewing gum wrapper. If he picks it up, it will be a chip from the Hope Diamond Harry Winston dropped when he was hailing a cab.
Naturally, with that kind of luck, he's optimistic. There's always that day when a rock is a rock and tinfoil is tinfoil, but the typical Sagittarian recovers quickly from such crushing blows. Your Jupiter man is very much that way about love. He's lucky. When he isn't, he recovers quickly. He discriminates against dishonesty, but that's about all, which is why he has so many friends and well-wishers. He looks beyond the external appearance of people for a truer, more intrinsic value. Not that he doesn't have enemies. There are a few, but far less than the number accumulated by other Sun signs. People who have been stung by his frank remarks may glare at him and feel like strangling him, but they usually come around to realizing his harmless intent. The sin of the Sagittarian male is tactlessness and thoughtlessness, never deliberate cruelty.
You may have discovered by now that his speech is as direct as his symbolic arrow. He can say outrageous things, and if you're in love with him, he may get away with it. But yotfll have every right to take offense when a Sagittarian man who has just met you gazes at you frankly with his bright, alert eyes and remarks that you're just the kind of woman a man would choose for a mistress. Just as you're ready to clobber him, he'll get an innocent, boyish look on his face, and explain with disarming candor that what he really meant was, well, the kings and aristocracy back in the middle ages married for convenience. Their wives, therefore, were often ugly, drab creatures, with good blood lines. But their mistresses were beautiful and brilliant, the kind of girls they would have chosen to fall in love with and marry, if the rules had been different. He's been reading up on it, because he's always been curious about that particular period. You may calm down, and even feel a little smug. You'll also be impressed. How many men spend hours reading history when they don't have to do it? He might even be a genius. Just think, you could be the wife of an intellectual! Wrong. You could be the mistress of an intellectual. By the time he has you ga-ga over his brain, you won't realize that, had your reaction been agreeable to his original proposition-and make no mistake, that's what it was-he would have moved in fast, and you would be a fallen woman.
Of course, not every female would accept such a fumbling explanation of an obvious pass; but it doesn't matter. Even after his victims explode in indignation, they return. to be the Sagittarian's close friends again, when their anger cools. That should show you just how much danger you're in with this apparently harmless chap. With that candid, naive grin, he doesn't bear the faintest resemblance to a
wolf. He looks more like a Boy Scout troop leader.
But he is not a boy scout in romantic matters. It would pay to keep that in mind when he asks you to go hiking.
The Sagittarius male lives his romantic life on a surface level, but he's honest about it. (After all, if you'll brush those sentimental cobwebs out of your ears, you'll remember he did say mistress. He did not say wife. He is not a king. And these are not medieval times.) Sagittarius seeks casual relationships, and sometimes they can get so casual they're downright promiscuous. Occasionally, the shenanigans of an archer can put a Scorpio to shame, and I promise you it takes a great deal to put a Scorpio to shame.
Let's get back to his honesty. It's a safer subject. If you've learned through bitter experience how fickle other men's vows of eternal devotion can be, you'll welcome his frankness. You won't even flinch when he tells you how many affairs he's had, and what he expects of this one with you, all very clearly and logically. He won't knowingly tie a legal knot with a lie in his heart or on his lips, but somehow, he can get himself involved in a flirtation which tangles itself into a proposal (possibly from the girl, not him), and have to run like sixty to avoid the altar. Since he's a little clumsy, he may trip, and shell catch him before he gets too far away. In that event, he'll think it Over and illogically decide that, since she appealed to him in one way-either physically or mentally, no matter which-she'll eventually appeal to him the other way. He'll give in, get married, and the seeds for another Sagittarian divorce have been planted. His normally dependable reasoning powers seem to desert him when he's romantically trapped.
Women often misinterpret the attitude of a Sagittarian, and think the relationship is more serious than it really is, and this same quality also sometimes makes it appear that he seeks a dark liaison, when he's only after a light, non-physical friendship, or just a girl to pal around with. It seems the archer loses both ways. But he's lucky, and most of his messes turn out straight. He's a flirt, that can't be denied, but he's not looking for sex alone. He likes variety and mental stimulation. If a woman gets sticky when he was only diverting himself, hell try to pass the whole thing off as a joke. She may definitely miss the punch line. (Remember how unsuccessful the typical Sagittarian is with jokes.) Lots of Sagittarians get accused of making passes at every good-looking receptionist or pretty girl they see-sometimes even the little old woman who sells newspapers on the comer, or a lady policeman. Now, no man in his right mind would seriously flirt with a lady policeman-at least, not while she's on duty-so you can see that unjustified suspicion is annoying to the archer. In all fairness, most of the time, he was just being breezily friendly.
If you're a smart girl, who uses her head for something besides an object to poke under a hair dryer-and you'd better be, because these men insist on intelligence in a woman-you'll have caught on by now. Don't be jealous. Don't be suspicious. Give him lots of rope if you want to hang him eventually. Don't question him, weep, nag or threaten to leave him. Smother him with freedom. Imagine how refreshing that
would be to him. If you take life in the same spirit he does, and take people as you find them, you have the basic requirements of being his kind of wife-woman. As long as you're basically honest with each other, flying kites together can be a ball. Why worry about when they'll hit the ground? They look so beautiful and free, soaring up there in the sky. No, you don't have to give this man everything he wants to get him. Just be what he wants. Be wide-awake-let him direct and dominate your energies. Love sports. Go camping with him and take your St. Bernard along for a chaperone. Be generous, affectionate, enthusiastic, and don't try to keep him locked up in your pantry making fudge every night. Make it clear he can't keep you all to himself, either. Let him know you're a free spirit, just as he is. Never throw water on his fiery ideas, and keep yourself busy with other things while he's out shooting his arrows at impossible targets. That way, he'll tell you honestly some lovely night that you are just about everything he needs in a woman. Once he's gone that far, then tell him just as frankly that he's okay in your book, too, but it's time to make a decision. Point out that you like him so much you'd even consider marrying him, if he'd promise not to interfere with your freedom. Otherwise, you really don't have any more time to camp around with him. It's a shame, you're so compatible, but you've always been curious what it would be like to have children. Motherhood is a new kite you'd like to fly. Be sure to arrange for an old flame to call you on the phone in the middle of your speech. Accept the date casually, in front of your archer. When you hang up, smile brightly and remark that there's no reason why you can't still good friends. Then invite him to come along on your date, so he won't have to sit around all by himself. That should do it. (You're welcome!)
After you're married, you probably won't have in-law trouble. Many Sagittarians are shockingly disinterested in family ties. They don't accept the theory of loving blood relations unless they deserve loving. Even those who are fond of their parents and brothers or sisters manage to keep a healthy distance. They visit and show warm affection, but they never expect relatives to interfere with their private lives. Better see that your own relatives don't meddle, either.
Keep your suitcase packed. You'll be doing a lot of traveling. You'll still want to take the St. Bernard along on camping trips-not as a chaperone anymore, but be-cause your new husband loves animals. (Tell the dog it's okay now, he doesn't have to stand guard outside the tent flap.) Keep yourself busy and give him as many nights out as he needs. Never question his honesty. When he's in a temper, the archer can break down a door, or punch a hole through a wall. He's just letting off steam, but it does make a lot of work, and how many times can you call the plasterer? It's a lot easier on everyone's nerves not to accuse him of a lack of integrity in the first place. When he does something wrong, he'll almost surely tell you. That will be hard enough to take without worrying about imaginary things. Practice facing his frankness, if that tomorrow ever comes, and be prepared to know he still loves you, instead of chasing after false rumors today. Be as practical as he is about human emotions. You'll be surprised how strong love can grow in such honest soil. Truth has a way of encouraging permanence in a relationship.
You'll have to put in some hours being a Polly-put-the-kettle-on woman. Since he's
a sports fan, he'll probably expect you to watch all the big games on TV with him. But he'll also take you along to all his many social activities if you're pretty and fun and you like people. Sagittarians can't stand droopy clinging women who aren't good mixers. He'll be proud of any special talents you have, and do try to have one or two. Read lots of books, and be prepared to defend a few of his causes, especially the lost ones. -'
He may be a little extravagant, and he'll like an occasional game of chance, but the same impulse will make him pretty generous about your spending money, if he's a typical archer. He probably won't mind if you want to work to buy yourself extras.
Expect a little forthright criticism, often painfully lack-; ing in tact. You should be used to it by now. Let it pass. You'll be busy enough patching up the damage with his friends. You're supposed to understand him, remember? You gave him that, the night you forced the issue.
He'll enjoy the children more when they're older, but babies and toddlers might puzzle him a little. Sagittarius fathers usually love to take the youngsters on outdoor excursions. He may be closer to the boys and share their sports and activities, but he'll be tender with the girls. They'll find him more of a pal than a father image. The older they get, the closer they'll be to him. Now and then, his frankness may disturb them when they need privacy. Children are sensitive about their secrets, and their feelings may suffer from his curious questions and plain-spoken observations. Youthful escapades will amuse him rather than anger him, but his very tolerance might keep them in line. He'll probably be strict only if they tell a lie. It will be one of the few occasions they'll feel his displeasure. Don't ignore him for the little ones. When he wants you to fly some kites with him, drop the diaper pins and the talcum, call a sitter (not your mother) and go.
The archer thinks with both his heart and his mind. He won't always be wise. Sometimes he'll be foolishly courageous. He'll stumble and fall, then get up and try again. But you'll forgive him for almost anything, because he'll set your heart free with a very great gift-an honest love.
The SAGITTARIUS Woman
"Then it doesn't matter which way you walk," said the Cat.
"-So long as I get somewhere,"
Alice added as an explanation.
"Oh, you're sure to do that," said the Cat,
"if you only -walk long enough."
She's not always going to say the kind of things you want to hear. Most of the time, she'll curl your sideburns with her remarkable, flat statements and her embarrassing questions. But now and then she'll say something so special and splendid it will make you feel like singing.
You may need a sample. Scene: Coffee shop. You've just gotten up the courage to tell her you love her, but before you can say it, she looks at you with wide-open, guileless blue eyes-or forthright, steady brown ones- and asks you curiously, "How do you feel about being so short? Does it make you neurotic or anything?" While you're gulping, trying manfully to recover, she'll add, "You shouldn't care about it. Lots of men were short. Like Napoleon. And Fiorello LaGuardia." That's almost adding insult to injury, but before you get a chance to walk out, thinking no woman ever deserved such ungallant treatment more, shell muse dreamily, "I hate men who look like bean poles. You're perfect. I noticed when we were walking over here tonight-we measure just right together."
Sit back down. You're staying. For a long time. A friendly, frank Sagittarius girl has just wound herself around your heart with her own, peculiar brand of charm. She'll always be a little outspoken, because she sees the world exactly as it is, even while she's wearing those ridiculous, rose-tinted glasses. That, you must admit, is quite a talent. It's not everyone who can apply clear, reasonable logic to every situation, and retain the happy faculty of believing things will get better or else deciding to accept them^or what they are.
Sagittarius females are regular Pollyannas. It will cut when she tells you she wishes you would make more money, but then she'll add, "Of course, too much money can make people selfish. Maybe it's lucky that you're poor." Admittedly, it's sort of a left-handed optimism, but you'll get used to it. This girt will never lie to you. Some-times, you may wish she would. Show curiosity about how she spends the nights you're not with her, and you'll get a detailed, perfectly honest report of the letters she writes to that handsome intern she met last summer on her vacation and how many dates she turns down on the phone. She may even relate her troubles with insomnia, brought on when she lies awake at night wondering if maybe what she feels for you is friendship instead of love. You'll feel like yelling at her, "For Pete's sake, lie a little once in a while, can't you? A man has his pride." Don't yell too loud. You'll offend her, and she's not exactly noncombustible herself. Sagittarius girls have been known to fly into some pretty fiery rages.
She will probably live alone. Sagittarius girls are very • independent, and both sexes have a strange aloofness to family ties. Maybe it's because they travel so much, they don't get home often enough to get to know their families well. Even if they only
travel to the movies and girl friends' houses, they're restlessly on the go. I don't want to frighten you, but I once knew a Sagittarius woman so unaware of the nuances of family relationships that she invited her rejected beau to come along on her honeymoon with her new husband. The poor thing looked so lonesome. He said he'd pay his own way. Why are you looking at her like that? Did she do something wrong?
There's one thing you'll have to learn right away, or the relationship will never get off the ground. When you want her to do something, ask her. Don't tell her. The cave man technique went out with Tarzan and Jane, as far as she's concerned. She enjoys being protected, but she doesn't want to be ordered around. Not even her mother gets away with that. Who are you, that you should top her mother? She may have an Aries mother, and if a Mars woman can't boss her around, no male on earth is going to do it. However, there's a queer twist to her nature. Although she dislikes being bossed, especially in public, when she's testing you for firmness, be firm. Jupiter women can't stand weak, wishy-washy men. If she gets too high-spirited and her clever tongue gets too sarcastic, or she threatens some action that really incenses you, give her a light touch of the Tarzan treatment. Just enough to keep her in line. Like "You do that and I'll break your neck." She may react with surprising meekness if she thinks you're serious. A Sagittarius female has no in-tendon of giving up her individuality for any male, but she kind of likes to know you think of her as a girl.
j She may confuse you, but that's nothing to what she does | to herself. Many a Sagittarius girl mistakes friendship for | love and love for friendship. If you're one of those old-| fashioned men who prefer evasiveness and timidity in your i women, you'd better look for another Bingo partner. This young lady has bright, frank ways with men, and she's not going to play any silly games of "Guess how I feell" or "Guess what I think!" How she feels and what she thinks are identical with how she acts and what she says. Her outspoken bluntness naturally causes misunderstand-ings, and a good share of fiery battles, let alone hurt feelings, but it doesn't crush her spirit. Jupiter pride comes to the surface and rescues her in a crisis, allowing her to pass off her heartache as the biggest joke of the season. Inside, she may be weeping, but she'll employ such clever wit in answering the questions of friends about the break that they'll decide the whole affair was a harmless flirtation on her part. Little will they guess how she soaks her pillow every night, wondering what she could possibly have said that fractured everything. It might have been when she told him not to stop by her apartment the time he called from the lobby around midnight-because she was "busy talking with a man who had a few problems." Actually, the man was her brother-in-law, but with the peculiar Sagittarius twist of leaving out the core of the story, she neglected to mention that. Why should she have to explain herself? (All Sagittarians show a raging, righteous anger when their integrity is doubted.) Or it could have been when he asked her if she minded him bringing his little sister along to the movies and she blurted out, "Gosh, I hope that doesn't mean she's going to be hanging around all the time when we're married." She may have sincerely liked the young girl, but the natural Sagittarian fear of being suffocated by in-laws brought on her thoughtless and forthright statement. Now she misses his
sister as much as the man, but it's too late to explain what she meant. Besides, no one would understand.
Impasses like this are impossible for her to fathom, for all her logical mental processes, and often lead the Jupiter girl into a never-never land of romance, not knowing where the fire might flame up, or why, and afraid of being burned when it does. Then she'll play it too cool and be unable to take anyone seriously, least of all herself. She'll flirt openly, but without any intention of making it a lasting or a forever thing, and gain the reputation of a cold heartless female. A fire sign is never cold or heartless, but then there are a lot of astrologically ignorant men out there who don't know that. If such a state of affairs should happen to lead to spinsterhood, she certainly won't be a dry and bitter old maid. She'll still clown with life and have a barrel of fun. She'll have a dozen interests to replace a man-and enjoy every one of them.
Of course, you're not interested in a Sagittarian spinster. You plan to make one your wife someday. (At least, I hope you have honorable intentions. This poor girl has enough problems without you setting out to seduce her.) Let's stop dwelling on promiscuity, and think about marriage. Like the male Sagittarian, she's a little skittish about wedlock. You'll need to use some bright, colorful pieces of tinsel as bait to get her pinned down (to accepting your proposal, that is). She's breezy and unconventional in her relationships with men. Since she considers herself your equal, she may copy your mannerisms, as well as wear your sweater. If she also likes sports and camping, as lots of Sagittarian females do, you may have trouble distinguishing her from the boys. But she's not the same. For one thing, your sweater looks different on her. Not that Jupiter women are offensively masculine by nature. They can be the softest, most feminine women you ever squeezed. It's just that she pals around with so many men you get used to seeing her in the crowd-everywhere but in the . steam room and the gym. Since she's so scrupulously honest and aboveboard, she may be a little careless of her reputation and contemptuous of the hypocrisy demanded by society. If you question her about it, she'll be plain-spoken. She'll probably t«U you that waltzing in at midnight doesn't indicate promiscuity any more than coming home at a more conventional hour indicates innocence. She knows her morals are above reproach, and that's all that matters. Naturally she's dead wrong. What other people think matters very much to a female reputation. But try to understand her attitude. Don't think she's fast and loose just because she laughs at a few jokes, usually without the slightest idea of what they're all about (the subtlety of the double-entendre often escapes Sagittarius). So- she stays up to watch the sunrise from the George Washington Bridge (or from the top of a silo, if you live in the country)-that doesn't mean she's the wildest girl in town.
The truth is, she's a trusting child at heart. Her outlook is so naive it makes her vulnerable to wolves, con artists and phonies (though oddly enough, not in other areas, just in romance). Forget about how cleverly she argues and how startlingly logical she can be. All that has nothing to do with her heart. Her mind isn't under discussion. It's bright and intelligent, and well able to take care of itself in any
emergency. But her heart is defenseless. It falls down and gets bruised quite often.
That's another thing. She's slightly clumsy. At times when the Sagittarius girl strides down the street like a thoroughbred horse, you'll think she's the most graceful woman you've ever watched-until she stumbles on a crack in the sidewalk, awkwardly grabs the awning over the fruit stand to catch her balance and upsets two crates of oranges. The owner may swear a little, but hell soon shrug his shoulders, tell her to skip it, and hand her some grapes. The sunny Sagittarian disposition can melt the hardest hearts. Now and then, this girl will remind you of a clumsy puppy dog, wagging its friendly tail, and walking all over your feet. But then friendly puppy dogs do get lots of people to love them and feed them. Of course, dogs are a little cheaper to feed. The typical Jupiter girl has a large appetite. She likes good food and wine, nice clothes, and when she travels, she likes to go first class. Sagittarians are extravagant by nature (unless the Moon is in Capricorn or there's a Virgo ascendant). Money for the sake of money doesn't interest them, and it takes quite a bit of training to teach most of them the meaning of a dollar bill. Check her ascendant carefully before you loan her your credit card.
The Sagittarian girl you're involved with may be in show business, because lots of them are drawn by the lure of the footlights. If so, start out on the right foot by expecting her to put her career first, until she tires of it. The sweet sound of applause and the thrill of the encore will ring in her ears with more conviction than all the romantic phrases you can conjure up. Never force her to choose between pleasing you and the excitement of pleasing whole gobs of people at once with her sunshine personality. After a while she'll grow disgusted with the hypocrisy and artificial glitter she finds all around her in the world of show business, and she'll come running home to try domesticity with someone who is real. You. Someone who believes honesty is beautiful and deception is ugly. You again. Leaving a career won't remove the wings from her heels forever. They were fastened there at birth. The travel bug will always be nearby to give her a case of wandering fever. Vacation with her when you can; otherwise let her go off to ride the carousel herself, and trust her. She loves you, not the clowns and organ grinders she likes to pass the time with.
Because of her casual attitude toward romance and her shyness of marriage, you may think she's lacking in sentiment. You are so mistaken. She'll cry rivers at sad movies and read poetry with wet eyes. She's probably saved every note you ever wrote her, scraps of the flowers you bought her in the rain, and the tickets from the hockey game where she met you.
As for her talent as a homemaker, be brave. And be patient. Sagittarius girls are acutely bored by the confinement of dusting and mopping. No sooner does she make a bed than it gets unmade. Gosh, you'd think the darned thing would stay neat for a few days anyway, it was such a drag tucking in those sheets at the corners. She'll hate it all with a purple passion. When she has a home of her own, however, she'll probably swallow her distaste. She'll prefer that you get her a maid if you can possibly afford one. If not, she'll doggedly keep it shining Her mother will never
believe it. That sloppy child waxing the coffee table? Impossible. Pride and the eternal Sagittarius logic does it. She needs to be surrounded with beauty and cleanliness to be true to herself. The message reaches her that, if she doesn't wipe up the linoleum, no one else will. If she was forced by circumstances to do a lot of chores in childhood, she may rebel at first, but she'll eventually reason it out, and settle down to sweeping the comers with a minimum of resentment.
Her cooking? Well-you can never tell. Maybe you'd iust better eat out on weekends. If she manages decent 'neals through the week, you can't expect her to keep a per-fect record on Saturdays and Sundays, too. Most Sagit-tarian women aren't exactly ecstatic in the kitchen (unless there's a Taurus, Cancer or Capricorn ascendant). But she can whip up a mean, fancy dessert when she's trying to cheer you out of the blues. Her own moods can be terrors, but they're rare, and they last so briefly you'll hardly notice them. When she's really hurt, her tongue can be bitterly sarcastic. But she'll forget what she said almost before she's finished the sentence, and she won't understand why you want to dwell on it. This is not the woman for a brooding, melancholy man. Gloom and pessimism, | can actually make her physically ill.
| Her children will probably adore her. Shell be their | buddy, and have a circus playing with them. Once she's lover her initial fear of responsibility, she'll cope with § diapers and daily baths like a crisp, efficient nurse. Almost | everything she does she does well, with grace, when she | finally decides to learn it. Just like the big people, the little | ones will get a good dose of her cheerful optimism and | outspoken remarks. If they survive her blunt truthfulness, | they'll grow up thinking she's the greatest big sister a | kid ever had. She'll read them funny stories with happy | endings, and take them on sudden, impulsive picnics in | the woods to look for the three bears. (She half believes 8 they're hiding there herself.) Her youngsters will probably be well-dressed, but not fussily so, and bright-mannered. If they pick up a few unconventional tricks from her, like making footprint curtains by spreading monk's cloth on the floor, stepping barefoot into yellow paint and walking across the material-at least you won't be raising a houseful of conformists. Her honesty will mark their characters. If they don't find those three bears after a careful search under all the fir trees, she'll probably tell them to forget it-it's a phony. But she will have looked first. The child who wrote the editor of the New York Sun to ask if there was really a Santa Claus just had to have a Sagittarius Sun sign. Moon or ascendant. She probably raised her own children by the frank, yet idealistic answer of "Yes, Vir-ginia . . ." The Jupiter mother may have to watch a tendency to be lax in discipline, except when she's tired or angry. That's the wrong time for spankings.
Youll have a lovely hostess. No one entertains as graciously as a Sagittarian woman, not even her Leo sisters, who are no slouches themselves in the social department. There's a quality about her sunny, outgoing friendliness that makes people feel deeply welcome, from the garbage man to your boss. A Sagittarian breaks the ice instantly at the stiffest affairs, though she may raise a few eyebrows, too.
As long as you let her call her soul her own, and don't make her feel tied down, your Sagittarius Pollyanna will give you a triple bonus: her loyalty, her trust and her
affection. The three are inseparable, because when she gives her love, her friendship trots right along beside it.
The Jupiter woman is an incurable idealist. And here's a secret perhaps she never told you: She fell in love with you many years ago, when she was a little girl and wished on the new Moon for someone to share her honest heart. There were lots of times when she thought she had found you and was disappointed. But when you finally came along, she knew you right away, because you were a gentle clown with a dream or two of your own who took her hand and showed her the way to the stars.
The SAGITTARIUS Child
"There is such a nice little dog near our house. A little bright-eyed terrier, you know, •with oh! such long curly brown hair! And it'll fetch things when you throw them, and it'll sit up and beg for its dinner and all sorts of things- I can't remember half of them."
In the building where I live, there's a dark-haired Irish girl who was born in December. She plays a guitar and sometimes writes songs. Once she wrote a line I thought was pretty fabulous, but she was having trouble with the rest of the lyric. She really didn't need to worry, with that opener. It was: "There you were, waving your heart at me. . . ."
Her quaint phrase sums up every Sagittarian from age one week to one hundred years. The calendar doesn't matter. They never grow up, anyway. Take a good look at your little Sagittarius girl. There she is, waving her heart at you, like a friendly sheepdog. Your little Sagittarius son waves his heart just as enthusiastically, needing desperately to be liked for his own honest self. When people don't say "hello" back to them, their tiny hearts droop in disappointment. Sagittarians are happy, playful, miniature clowns, who laugh with tears in their eyes when they're rejected. Even the infants show their sunny natures and desire for comradeship. The Jupiter baby will cry when he's left alone, but wheel his bassinet into the living room where the grownups are laughing and talking, and hell sleep contentedly, with the warm, reassuring sound of human voices in his tiny ears. His dreams will be all the sweeter for being wrapped in the cozy, familiar atmosphere of loving and happy people. Later, he may grow more removed from family ties, but when he's little, he needs the security of human smells and sights and sounds, exactly as a newborn puppy needs one of your old sweaters in his basket to snuggle up to cozily. If such close, human contact is denied the Jupiter youngster, he'll withdraw and maybe become a little sarcastic. Then hell adopt a substitute, like the dirty, torn blanket of Linus in "Peanuts." It can be a soft pinch pillow or a cuddly teddy bear, with its ears
twisted off and its nose missing, but it represents security. He'd much prefer you.
The Sagittarius boy shows his happy-go-lucky nature by wandering into the woods with a makeshift fishing pole and a can of worms, barefoot, cheerfully whistling, talking to everyone he meets, his faithful dog trotting behind him. Sagittarians are informal as youngsters, and they never, outgrow it. The little Jupiter girl may go through a tomboy stage, and you'll always be reminding her to "act like a lady" as she grows up. But these girls and boys have their own ideas of what makes "a little lady" and "a little gentleman." It starts out with honesty. Naked, unadorned, brutal honesty. They have it refined to an art and they will expect it from you-or else. Or else what? Or else they will refuse to be docile little slaves, meekly obeying every 'parental whim.
Your authority is fair game for the Sagittarian child's frank, curious investigation. He'll give in graciously if he's convinced there is logic behind your command. Parental orders must first pass the scrutiny of his inquisitive, reasonable mental processes, and if you don't come out with a good grade in his test, you will get left back. There you'll stand, waving your authority or a switch at him, and there he'll stand, waving his honesty and defiance right back at you. If you're fair and you try to be as honest as he is, the Jupiter youngster will leam to respect your rules. You'll have to be firm when you know you're right and give him a good, solid reason. When you're wrong, you'll have to admit your mistake and come right out with a straightforward confession of stupidity. Let's face it, many times parents insist on obedience to rules they make up for their own convenience, rather than for the well-being of the child. A Sagittarius moppet can smell that kind of dishonesty a mile away as his nostrils quiver like a bird dog's and his muscles quiver with anger, backed by righteous indignation. Better plan to explain all your orders and com-mands to him calmly, or be prepared to use up a lot of switches before the Jupiter obstinacy in the face of unjustified punishment will show any signs of weakening.
A phrase often used by mothers with December-born children is "curiosity killed the cat." Sagittarian curiosity never ends. The day begins with a question and they fall asleep with a question on their lips. When they're very young, just learning to talk and to explore the huge world, the questions will be, "Why is it naughty to touch the stove?" "Why does candy make my teeth fall out?" "Why do carrots make my hair curly?" "Why does Santa Claus need a letter if he's so magic?" "Why did Daddy wink at you when you were talking about a second honeymoon, •and why do you call a Moon honey?" "Why do you talk like there are two Moons when Billy says there's just One?" (Billy is the too-smart-for-his-bluejeans older Aquar-ian brother, and if you have that combination at your house, you're in real hot water!) All through lunch, nap time and supper, the questions drone on. "Why did you and Daddy say Grandpa was henpecked? Is he a chicken?" "Why did my teddy bear tell you I ate the cookies? Why doesn't he ever talk to me like he talks to you?"
You can see that most of the Jupiter youngster's questions are aimed at puncturing adult hypocrisy or grownup smugness and downright deception. It won't do you much good to get all worked up and yell, "Be still! If you say •why* once more, 111
paddle you. Don't ever say that word again." Then you'll hear the archer's clear little voice giving it to you right between the eyes: "Why not?"
Later, when he or she is older, it will be "Why do I have to come in at a certain time when you say you trust me?" (and you will trust this child, or you should). "Why does it matter what people think? Do you care more about people than you do about me?" That's a tough one. Better practice an answer to it while he's still in diapers. The Sagittarian teenager will never swallow your rules if they're based on social mores rather than on concern for his welfare. There are some good, sound, logical answers to your insistence on his observing certain social customs, of course. They involve a reputation and its precious value, but be sure you have them well-rehearsed and see that they ring true.
The ancient warning, "when children are little, they step on your feet-when they're bigger, they step on your heart," might have been written about a Sagittarian. There's no getting around it. This child is awkward, if not downright clumsy. Keep the medicine chest well stocked with iodine and band aids. Tiny Sagittarians clomp on your feet and get in the way of your dust mop, your vacuum and all your good intentions. You may have a constantly sore toe and a sore ego. But those are nothing compared to the sore heart you may have someday when the Jupiter boy or girl plants a foot on it firmly. His or her strong need for freedom includes freedom from family ties, and these children will strike out on their own extraordinarily early, sometimes neglecting to phone or write for long periods. It can cause some mighty painful stabs in the chest region. The best cure for such parental heartburn is to make sure when your Sagittarian child is little that he's learned to respect you for your sense of honor and tolerance. If you're narrow and prejudiced, you may only see him on holidays, if then. But if you refrain from judging his friends by any yard-stick other than their true value-and if you've proved you have faith in his decency and in his dreams, he'll come home to renew his love and trip over your feet to your heart's content. Otherwise, he'll stay out there somewhere with his blanket or pillow or teddy bear in the form of new friends who accept him for what he is and believe in him.
Expect romance to rear its lacy head quite early. The girls will probably not be serious; they're just trying out their femininity, if the right parental attitude precludes using dates as that security blanket. The boys may need a little special tutoring in the subject of birds and bees. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
Teach these children economy. They'll spend money like it's made of paper, which they've already discovered it is. They have to leam that when they spend their allowance, it's spent. Don't plug up the holes for them. If they waste their lunch money on comic books or Mad Magazine- let them take peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to school for the rest of the week. That may sound a little harsh, but it's necessary. Someday the Diners' Club will thank you.
Both sexes will probably enjoy school. Their multiple-faceted intelligence and great
curiosity will make learning a fascinating game, if their bright interest isn't squelched by too much dull, boring routine and too much insistence on strict regulations and rigid study habits. The more progressive education becomes, the better and happier students these children will be. They're restless, and making them sit still constantly or stifling their fanciful imagination will soon kill their incentive, sadly, sometimes permanently. Sagittarian children with severe, intolerant teachers or who are victims of unimaginative teaching methods tend to want to drop out of school and go to work.
The honor system works very well with young archers. A Jupiter child will never cheat in any way, if he's trusted not to do so. Otherwise, he may figure it doesn't matter. If no one believes in him, then why try?
There may be a deep and very serious interest in religion. These are the boys and girls who decide at a tender age to become a priest or a nun, minister, rabbi or mis-sionary in a foreign country. As they grow older, they'll question dogmas, perhaps change faith and church membership, searching eternally for truth. The Peace Corps invariably attracts Jupiter youngsters. They like the idea of seeing the world and the chance to put their idealism to work. A Sagittarian without a cause is like a dog without a bone to chew on. Fighting for causes develops their strength. Without a bone, the puppy may tear the couch or chair to shreds. Without a cause, the Sagittarian youngster may tear into ideas with such fervor and fanaticism that he can shred his future irreparably.
His eyes are fastened trustingly on the stars, and he may take a few spills as he trudges along, not noticing the rocks in his path. He's an independent, honest little archer. Give him lots of room to shoot and to practice drawing his bow. He needs to feel the grass under his bare feet, feel the rain on his face and bake his dreams in the strong, warm sunlight until they're well-done. There he is, waving his happy, optimistic young heart at you. Wave back at him with cheerful faith.
CAPRICORN, the Goat
December 22nd through January 20소
The CAPRICORN Man
"Don't keep him waiting, child! Why, his time is worth a thousand pounds a minute! And don't twiddle your fingers all the time ... Better say nothing at all. Language is worth a thousand pounds a word!"
He has a self-made brick wall around him. He's shy, but he's strong and tough. He's pleasant, but he's fiercely ambitious. Like the legendary, silent, earthy cowboy, the Capricorn man seems to prefer to be alone. He doesn't. Not really.
Secretly, Capricorn yearns for adulation. He'd love to thrill the crowd on a flying trapeze. In his private dreams, the goat is an incurable romantic, but Saturn chains his nature. The stern planet of discipline demands of him calm behavior, practical actions and serious intent. This is his cross, and it's often a heavy one to bear. Sometimes he'll cover his frustration with a brusque manner-and sometimes he'll startle you with unexpected and incongruous humor, although it will always be the ironic tongue-in-cheek variety. But that's often the funniest kind, and Capricoms can be quite a gas when they're wry and dry and juggling the jokes.
Turn a steady, dependable Capricorn male inside out, and you'll find a merry, gentle dreamer who longs for the free wind to blow through his hair and finds the sweet fragrance of compliments intoxicating-who hungers for excitement and thirsts for adventure. Only a chosen few can release this lonely soul from his secret prison.
Sun signs can be wonderfully helpful if you're inclined to judge a book by its jacket. Here you were thinking that Capricorn fellow would make a great school teacher but a miserable lover. You'd just about decided he'd rather be president than be yours. He impressed you as a man who would rather see his name written in the social register than in your diary. Now you discover that he has a heart as warm and friendly as a cozy wood fire on a winter night. I know it's exhilarating, but wait just a moment before yod dash off to give him a big bear hug and expect him to -fly you to the moon. Those surprises I just described are part of his inner nature. He'll be thrilled and impressed if you guess, but inner nature means just that-inner nature. Chances are he'll never let all those gauzy dreams of careless rapture escape and run around loose. Just so you know they're inside him. That's enough. Don't go expecting your Capricorn to dash barefoot through the buttercups. You can't change his basic. Saturnine personality.
What you can do, however, is laugh at his shaggy dog stories until he feels brave enough to tell more sophisticated tales. You can hint that you think there are banked fires beneath his conservative manner until he has the confidence to let a flame or two leap out. You can tell him you find his kind of dreams more colorful, because no dream is as bright as the one that really happens, so hell be encouraged to weave more of them. Someday, he will reach the top of his special mountain, and you'll be right there beside him, mighty proud of your determined goat-and mighty glad you believed in his practical dreams.
Capricorns pretend they can live without compliments, and the way they behave when they get one is pretty convincing proof. Did you ever say something nice to your Capricorn man and see it fall as flat as the expression on his face? Don't be hasty. Just because the goat is such an expert at fooling himself doesn't mean you have to be fooled, too. Actually, he desperately needs to be told he is good, clever, handsome, desirable and interesting, but since he'll seldom make his need visible, he gets few orchids. Consequently, he may be a little rusty, and won't know quite what to do when someone openly admires him, so he covers his embarrassment by making a wry joke or ignoring it, a reaction which can freeze people into deciding never to risk flattering that poker face again. The impression is created that he hates compliments, so he gets even fewer. It's a vicious circle. Maybe it's your fault more than his. Next time you give your Capricorn a verbal bouquet, look at his ears. See how pink they are? See that faint twinkle in his eye and how his nose twitches ever so slightly? He's as pleased as Sunday punch. Just because he doesn't dance a jig or roll in the grass like Leo, the lion, doesn't mean he hasn't been made deeply happy and ten feet taller. He needs to be seen as the truly great guy he is. Nature and the stars keep him from advertising. You'll have to be his press agent.
This man is what horticulturists would call a late bloomer. He's as serious as an owl in his youth, but he'll relax gradually as he matures, and if he's a typical Capricorn, he may end up as the youngest looking and acting man in the group. Now, that's a point well worth considering. With other men, you have to tolerate flighty foolishness for years and then look forward to a stuffy old age. With a Capricorn, you may have your enthusiasms smothered a bit at first, but just think what you have to look forward to! Your Capricorn lover won't run off to Paris with you in the spring of your romance, but he may take you to see the Taj Mahal by moonlight forty or fifty years later, when other men are complaining of creaking joints. It's not a bad switch. If you're the kind who likes to stuff yourself first with rich appetizers, and then dutifully have your vegetables, he's not for you. A love affair with a Capricorn man, provided it ends in marriage, is like having dessert last, where it belongs.
Naturally; the Capricorn reverse aging process may suggest to you that there's a catch in the faithfulness department. There is. It's true that youll have few worries about your goat straying when romance is young and dewy. It's also true that he may kick up his heels a little as he grows older. Still, with all that, he's a safer bet for fidelity than most other Sun signs, because the Capricorn man practically bums incense at the family altar. Whatever minor indiscretions he may contemplate when his late blooming begins, they'll never replace the home fires, the children and you. He's almost reverent about "family ties. That includes the family he's created with you and his own family, which has been the object of his devotion since childhood.
It wouldn't do to insult his mother or be cool to his brother. Be prepared to love your in-laws, even if they're about as lovable as prickly cactus. Not only will he defend them, but also if you allow disputes to get sticky, the strain of choosing between loyalties to two families can make him morose and gloomy. (If there's anything in this t world you don't want to do, it's make a Capricorn morose | and gloomy.)
You may bump into a Capricorn who has open con-| tempt for his relatives, or who has bitterly cut family ties | and never looked back-but scratch the surface of his in-| dependence and you'll find a deep, emotional wound in his | past that originally caused such untypical behavior. Many | Capricorn men live at home long past the age when their j friends are out enjoying the delights of a bachelor pad. j They usually fall in love later than most men too-and | they seldom marry before they're settled in a career.
With an eye for pedigree and perfection, they'll look | around pretty carefully. The goat will pick a girl who will be a good mother. Then she'll have to be a good cook and ' housekeeper. After that, she'll have to dress well to impress his business associates and friends, and preferably be a cut i above them in background, manners, breeding and intelli-J gence. Last of all, he'll make a quick check to see if she's I beautiful or if she appeals to his physical senses. You can | see right away it's no big deal if your hair is droopy, your l perfume bottle is empty or your legs aren't the kind to ; make the current Miss Universe hate you. Just dig into the trunk for those D.A.R. papers and show him the family
Wedgwood. Take his mother to lunch once a week, and let him see how practical you are with your budget. Invite your four-year-old sister along on your next date. If you're an only child, rent a neighbor's toddler. Wipe her little nose gently and frequently with a proper linen handkerchief, talk about your desire to be on the mayor's committee for civic improvement, walk sedately, drop a few French phrases and gurgle when you see a baby in a buggy. Be sure to respect his father as the wisest gentleman you've ever met, and make casual references to your great uncle, who helped Carnegie build his empire-or your ancestor who fought by George Washington's side in the snows of Valley Forge (it doesn't matter which). If you're pretty, so much the better. But glamor will never replace that afghan you made for his cousin Bessie. I can almost promise that he'll never marry you if you don't pass inspection with his family. There are exceptions, of course, but they're so rare you'd be downright reckless to gamble that your Capricorn man is one of them.
After his family has proposed-or rather after he has proposed-put your foot down. Firmly. Let him know you love his folks dearly, but he's the one whose bed and board you've chosen to share. Otherwise, you'll spend many a Saturday night cooking dinner for his Uncle Charlie or helping his young sister through her painful adolescence.
Since Capricoms are always slightly nervous in the presence of the opposite sex, an occasional one will awkwardly hint at off-color situations, fumble with attempts at innuendo, or appear to be rough, tough and callous. It's just his way of being one of the fellows, a typical method of hiding his embarrassment and curiosity about the purple passions of more aggressive people. Don't ever let it lead you into thinking he wants you to play Bonnie to his Clyde. You are not Mae West or Texas Guinan. You are a lady and don't ever forget it. He may cast a furtive, interested glance at a lady of the evening, but she's definitely not the kind of lady he marries. This may sound like advice from your spinster Aunt Abigail, but if you think it's square, go on and wear your teeny bikini and green mascara- pour on the perfume and kiss him in public. You may eventually walk down the aisle in a white veil, but it wont be beside a Saturn groom.
A nice gift for your Capricorn husband would be a book of poems, the more romantic the better. If you don't train him early in the art of affectionate expression, you may become a well-provided-for wife who's adored and warmly appreciated-with a perfect dear for a husband-but who is also emotionally starved. It won't do any good by that time to complain that he never tells you he loves you. He'll just look at you in injured innocence or grumbling disgust (depending on how strong Saturn was at his birth), and patiently explain that "You're crazy. I distinctly remember telling you I loved you when I gave you your engagement ring and again when little Calvert was born."
He thinks you should know how he feels about you since be supports you, and pays you the tribute of allowing you to bear his children, sweep his floors and polish his trophies. To Capricorn, mushy, verbal declarations are gilding the romantic lily. He may ask, "What do you want, Richard Burton?" That's your cue to say "yes" loudly. It should startle him a little. He won't turn into Richard Burton, but he may be shocked into realizing that a gently murmured "sweetheart" at appropriate times won't harm his masculinity.
As a father, hell be a Father-the literal personification of the word. He'll always be at the head of the table, and that goes for picnics, too. Even if he's the one sitting on the poison ivy, near the ant hill, around the paper cloth spread under the trees-the spot where the Capricorn daddy sits is the head of the table. He'll demand respect and obedience, and hell insist on routine and discipline. But he'll repay it with honest devotion, even self sacrifice, probably approve of big, happy birthday parties and a very merry Christmas. Capricorn fathers are highly unlikely to spare the rod and spoil the child. He'll see that they go to the dentist and do their homework, with a few trips to the old woodshed when it's necessary. His own sense of organization and dependability will be emphatically conveyed. It certainly won't hurt the youngsters, though it might take a little starch out of them. Remind him that parenthood can be fun, as well as a serious responsibility. Think of him as a Charles Dickens type papa. Teach the children to give him generous goodnight kisses, and encourage him to take them to the ball game, fishing or swimming. If he's a little strict, remember that they'll profit in the long run, as long as he doesn't overdo it. When the grandchildren bounce on his knee, he'll turn shockingly permissive. Capricorn grandpas make great baby sitters.
I even know one who roller skates around the block with his second generation offspring.
A Capricorn man will seldom marry in haste and repent at leisure. He's more apt to marry at leisure and repent in haste. Most Capricorn marriages are solid, but if the goat makes a mistake, he'll walk out abruptly, and his wife won't get a second chance. Capricorn abhors divorce, so it won't happen often, but when it does, it's final. To be blunt, when he's had it-he has had it.
Your Saturnine husband may regulate love-making to a schedule, along with shopping, correspondence, doing his banking, visiting museums or art galleries and cleaning his gun and trophy collection. It may seem cold and unsentimental, but remember that the practical Capricorn is interested in the physical side of love long after other husbands resort to poetry to express their emotions. Interpreted, that means just what I said back at the beginning. Dessert last. After he's retired, he'll have more time to develop his technique of affection. That's better than insurance. And you'll have that too, with a Capricorn husband-insurance against a rainy day, insurance against loneliness and insurance against the blows of a sordid, ugly world. Any sensible female appreciates the value of Saturn devotion. He won't be a fiery lover who courts you with starry eyes and passionate, flowery speeches. But he'll protect you from all your feminine fears. He's a tough guy with a gentle heart. He'll chop the wood for that cozy fire, then sit with you in front of it and hold your hand tenderly. No matter how many gray hairs, extra pounds or wrinkles you add as the years slip by, to him you'll always look like the girl who made him say "I love you." When you stop to think about it, why should he say it again and again? Once is enough when it lasts that long.
The CAPRICORN Woman
So she got up and walked about-
rather stiffly just at first,
as she was afraid that the crown might come off:
but she comforted herself with the thought
that there was nobody to see her,
"and if I really am a Queen," she said,
as she sat down again,
"I shall be able to manage it quite well in time."
There's no such think as a typical Capricorn female. She can be a museum curator who wears granny glasses for real, or she can be a dancer who wears a glittering G-string for fun. You'll see her crisply running a suburban P.T.A., frying hamburgers in a coffee shop, or organizing the biggest Charity Ball in the city. A Capricorn woman may decorate the society columns, smile demurely behind a political candidate husband or pour mysterious liquids into test tubes. But whatever she's doing and whatever she's wearing, Saturn will rule her actions and her secret aims.
She can be ultra-feminine, flirtatious and charming enough to make a man feel like a giant grizzly bear who can protect her from the cold, cruel world. Or she can be icy, quiet and aloof, sitting securely on her marble pedestal and challenging you to be clever enough to win her superior hand. Whichever personality she projects, underneath her womanly wiles or her practical, sensible manner, she has the same goal-a steely determination to snag the right man, who can become important, make her proud and be a good father to her children.
So many Capricorn women are career girls, you might think love and marriage would always be a second choice. With love, you have a point. With marriage, no. The thing to understand is that the Capricorn goals are security, authority, respect and position. It makes little difference if these needs are supplied in front of a blackboard as a school teacher, behind a desk as an executive, or beside an ambitions husband whose social life and home she can manage with easy grace and careful planning. One way or another, the Capricorn woman will get her recognition. Some of them get it by writing books, lecturing, painting or composing music. It's surprising how many Capricorns of both sexes have unusual artistic talent. Perhaps it stems from an innate sense of balance and harmony, knowing what is pleasing and what is right or correct.
This is a little delicate, but even the Saturn females you find in burlesque theaters or engaging in the world's oldest profession (there will be only a handful) will end up by marrying the top comic or the theater owner in the first instance-or the wealthiest client in the second. The goat must climb. Whether the starting position is high or low, the top of the hill is where she finds the view more satisfying. There's nothing flashy about the Capricorn female. You'll certainly never see her loudly or obviously pushing and shoving for first place; you may even think she's docile enough to contentedly take a back seat to her competition.
Wait. See who gets the promotion.
Don't be misled into thinking she'll never sacrifice her career for marriage. Just give this girl half a chance to be a social leader and the mistress of a well-run household, and you'll see how quickly she loses interest in her job (one of the few things she'll do quickly). If you need her to, the Capricorn woman will gladly continue working to help you climb up the mountain of success-she won't be lazy. Otherwise, however, she's happier enjoying her position as your wife, provided the position is a good one, and there's enough financial security.
One of the most typical and delightful things about this woman is her natural breeding and grace of manner. You can meet a Capricorn girl who was raised in a one-room shack across the railroad -tracks, or whose father works the swing shift in a coal mine, but unless she decides to reveal her background (which she probably won't), you'll be convinced she comes from an old-line family, and was turned out by one of the best finishing schools. Such is the Capricorn built-in sense of social grace and conservative, conventional appearances.
Any man who's involved in a relationship with the female
goat should learn a basic fact about this Sun sign. She seems to be more even-tempered and emotionally steady than she actually is. Her manner may convince you that she's as firm as a rock and nothing can ruffle her calm surface. The truth is that she's subject to many moods. All women are subject to moods, you say, but the Capricorn girl can have some really black and long-lasting ones. If she feels mistreated or unappreciated, she'll brood for days, weeks, even months. She calls it being sensible or practical, but Saturnine gloominess, pessimism and depression are much more deeply rooted than that. They're triggered by fear of the future, worry about the present, shame over the past-or a suspicion that she's being made fun of or is inadequate in some way. These women do not accept teasing lightly. Keep it at a minimum. To be honest, they find it impossible to see the joke when they're the victims. You don't have to bury her in compliments constantly (she'll sense when they're insincere, anyway), but don't kid her about important matters, and praise her often enough to make her realize you know her true value.
It's hard for her to relax in romantic situations. There's plenty of physical desire under the cool Capricorn surface, far more than most people suspect, and it's never satisfied casually. Sitting around and wasting time with breathless hugs and ecstatic kisses while the future is still hanging unsettled is definitely not her favorite hobby-yet once she's decided you're the right man and the finances are secure or your ambition is sufficient, shell be as warm as a cuddly panda, affectionate, and even passionate. Capricorns don't believe in vague dreams that glide aimlessly through a misty, blue sky. They want to know where the ship of romance is taking them, and that it's sailing on safe waters. Build a firm foundation under your house if you plan to carry a Capricorn girl over the threshold. Make sure there's plenty of insurance and the mortgage is paid off or will be soon.
Shell probably be something of a social butterfly, extremely aware of etiquette, and she'll lean toward quaint customs like engraved napkin rings and needlepoint chairs. Things must be correct and tradition must be observed at all costs. She may have an inconsistent habit of wanting to shop in the most expensive, exclusive stores, yet insisting on a bargain. She doesn't mind buying a dress that's on sale, as long as it bears the right label.
Capricorn women have a fresh beauty of their own. You'll rarely find one who's not unusually attractive. Yet they are timid and unsure about their appearance, and you may find them needing constant reassurance that they're pretty. Although Capricorn females hate dishonesty in all forms, they're not above lying about their ages. They usually get away with it, too, thanks to the odd Saturn aging twist. They look like little old ladies as children, then bloom suddenly into women who look like young girls when they're past the prime of life.
It would be a terrible mistake to snub her family. The man who marries a Capricorn girl marries her relatives. There's no point in thinking that yours is different. She's not. Somewhere along the line, you'll stop laughing at mother-in-law jokes (you may cry instead). Many times, the Saturn female is the sole support of her family, financially or morally or both. She may care for an ill parent with devotion to the point of relinquishing the idea of marriage completely. Often, she'll enjoy the sacrifice because of her honest love for her family, but even if she resents it, her strong sense of responsibility and duty will not permit her to escape.
You might as well resign yourself to flattering your mother-in-law, and hope she's a great gal who's worth it. Don't argue politics with her father, and if you must criticize her brothers and sisters, see that the criticism is constructive, and based on a sincere belief in their potentialities. Frequently, Capricoms find themselves burdened with distressed or invalid relatives, and the typical goats will never let love, however consuming it might be, cause them to neglect such obligations. You'd better start right out by planning to have a guest room or two for visiting relatives. But there's a reverse benefit. You'll have a wife who is kind and considerate toward your own family. The Capricorn girl will understand if you have to allocate a fixed sum to your parents each week, and she'll probably be a companion to your brothers and sisters. She's the kind of girl you take home to meet mother, and mother approves of her immediately. Since men are so contrary, such instant encouragement can cause them to back away. It's always more fun to fight objections for your lady fair. But you'll only be slicing off your nose to spite your heart, because your mother is right. The Capricorn girl, if she's a typical Saturn woman, will make an excellent wife. The home of a Capricorn woman often looks so effortlessly spotless and smooth-running you'd think there were little fairies and elves hiding in the comers, working away furiously after midnight to shine and polish and cook and clean. Wrong. The very last place you can expect to find such imaginary creatures is around a Capricorn. The Saturn practicality and faith in firm facts ordinarily precludes any sympathy with the unseen. A Capricorn girl wouldn't believe in leprechauns if one sat right on the tip of her nose. In all fairness, however, although she may not be a way-out dreamer or a follower of occult mysteries, once she has the solid facts she's able to see the romance and poetry in the most ordinary situations.
Hers is an earthy kind of beauty that can make even the gross and ugly seem lovely with sheer usefulness. She's not a stranger to the gypsy spell of the north wind, nor is she deaf to the silver song of spring showers and the call of a lonely skylark. Great music stirs her deeply, and she's an enchanted patron of almost any art form. Perhaps she has to see and touch magic to believe in it. A leprechaun would probably get much further with her if he came right out and said where that pot of gold is hidden, instead of hinting about it in fairy tales.
Most Capricorns save their rainbow thinking for history and heroic deeds of the past. Since she worships tradition, and reveres those who have overcome obstacles to gain success, it's easier for her to get sentimental over the Gettysburg address than to get enthusiastic over your latest wild scheme. Actually, she's a true romantic, with greater imagination than the scatterbrains with unreal fantasies. Every January girl has haunting poetry in her soul, but she doesn't have much sympathy for poets who starve in attics. Take care of the food and rent and then pursue the dream, whatever it may be, is the Capricorn motto. Also make sure that the dream is worth pursuing. She sees nothing glamorous or magical about failure.
You may have to share your Capricorn wife with causes. She'll be a tireless worker for the poor and the defenseless, but she may prefer to show her charity in group efforts, rather than to individuals. Saturnine sympathies are usually organized, seldom scattered. Female Capricoms are natural leaders of women's clubs.
She'll probably instill both thrift and a respect for quality in the youngsters. She'll teach them to "Eat it up, wear it out, make it do or do without." Still, they'll be served the best cuts of meat, and she'll buy them the finest make of shoes. To her, economy does not have to mean cheap. The children will be expected to be polite to relatives and elders, and they'll probably learn excellent manners. They won't be pampered or allowed to willfully disobey. If you give her a book on child psychology, she may use it to paddle an unruly offspring and get around to reading it later. Sticky kisses may not be welcome, but few mothers are more devoted than the female goat. Her children will get a courteous listening ear. She may be a little strict and unsympathetic to their growing pains, but she'll be a fascinated audience for their achievements. The child who runs home from school and shouts, "Guess what I learned today," won't be ignored by the Capricorn mother, who will never be too busy to give her youngsters her interest and attention. After they become teenagers, there may be a few barriers when the Saturn conservatism clashes with youth's liberalism. At this point, she may need some help in understanding her children's enthusiastic dreams. She may leam the hard way that she can't dictate their friendships and confine them to "acceptable" people. But she's intelligent enough to adjust and pull in her horns if it looks as though she'll lose more than she'll gain.
Since many Capricorn females have sensitive skin, they don't wear much make-up. Lots of them are allergic to it. But nature rewarded them with natural beauty that needs little gilding, and they'll keep it long after the roses have faded from the cheeks of other women. Some of them startle you with lovely complexions, firm features and bright eyes at the age of eighty and older.
Patiently help your Capricorn woman overcome her lack of personal confidence. She's not unimaginative just because she doesn't court delusion. Try on a couple of her practical dreams for size, and you'll find they're surprisingly comfortable. Stubbornness may be one of her vices, but she's not a whiner or a nervous nag. She'll push you toward success, yet be tender and devoted. In spite of her modest, often gentle ways, she'll know just how to twist you around her little finger. There's a deep richness in her love that's more lasting than the brittle, scorching, demanding love of other women. Who says she doesn't believe in fairy tales? Only a wise Capricorn maiden could look deep into the eyes of an awkward frog and see that he's really a prince in disguise. Not only that-if you marry her, youll never run out of clean socks.
The CAPRICORN Child
"Oh, how I -wish I could shut up like a telescope! I-think I could, if I only knew how to begin ..."
"Pat her on the head, and see how pleased she'll be!... A little kindness- and putting her hair in papers- would do wonders with her-"
If you're one of those people mothers hate, because you think all newborn infants look like little old men and women, save your description for a Capricorn baby, and you won't get so much resistance. Tiny Capricorns do resemble miniature octogenarians. They look old in their youth and young in their old age. That little wrinkled prune of a face in the bassinet will someday be smooth and un-lined when other faces are sagging. Maybe it has something to do with being born in January-the old year going out and the New Year coming in. The odd turnabout does match the familiar image of the old man with his care-lined face beside the fresh infant of the New Year with his Ivory soap look.
If you have a Capricorn child, you'll notice the inconsistency soon enough. From the time he's an infant, your self-contained little Cappy will make you feel somewhat uneasy with his strange maturity. You'll say something cheerful to him, like "Does itty bitty Baby Boo want a nicey sugy cake?" and he'll give you a serious, thoughful look, exactly as though he's wondering just how silly you can get. It doesn't take many of those looks to shame the average parent right out of baby talk.
Capricorn youngsters are strong-willed and positive in their tastes, but they don't make a big fuss in expressing them. Your little goat won't throw a temper tantrum or dramatically pound his fist in the mashed potatoes, but heTl manage to communicate his negative reactions quite plainly. A mother may feel vaguely intimidated by a Capricorn baby, but she can't put her finger on the exact reason. Somehow he makes her feel-well, he makes her feel foolish and nighty. Let's be very truthful. He makes her feel like the child, instead of the parent.
This infant isn't the kind to waver or succumb to wishful thinking. He crawls or waddles deliberately to the place he wants to reach. You rather get the feeling he organized it all carefully in his mind while you were changing his diaper, and now he's going to follow through. He's nothing if not definite. Capricoms are never coy about making their wishes known. You get the message clearly. Then they steadily wait for your answer. Suppose you say "no." If it isn't anything important, he will probably accept the disappointment without tearful scenes. If it's something he's decided he really wants, he'll get it, one way or another. Your "no" will mean little to him. Instead of fighting it, he'll ignore it and bide his time until he finally wears you down and you give in.
As he grows older, your Capricorn offspring will begin to organize his life into a routine. He'll keep his toys in a certain place, and will be quite put out if you move them or disturb his system. If he's a typical Saturn child, hell usually adapt naturally to mealtime schedules and potty time, and he'll have less interest in childish tricks or youthful pranks than other youngsters. Even when they're very small, these boys and girls will show a decided preference for home life. The little goat would rather go on a picnic with mother and dad, or sit home and listen to the grown-ups talk, than run outside with a group of children his own age. He'll seldom have a gang of friends. There will probably be only a few close companions, or maybe just one special friend with whom he shares secrets.
School is seldom a struggle for young Capricorn students. Unless he has a conflicting ascendant or the Moon was in a restless sign at birth, this youngster will be remarkably responsible about homework. He will walk into the house, hang up his coat, and sit down immediately to tackle his lessons. If he's a true Capricorn, he can't enjoy his play until he's first attended to duty.
When he's ready for leisure, the Saturn play often takes the form of pretending to be an adult. Little Capricorn girls love to play dress-up in their mother's clothes. Sometimes they'll suggest, "You be the baby and I'll be the Mommy," which could make you a bit uncomfortable, because the tot will be strangely convincing in the reverse role. You'll feel like a complete fool, standing in the playpen and gurgling while she peers over her big spectacles, wearing your high heels and pearls, and says firmly, "Do be still or you'll go to bed without any supper." You get the impression you'd better stop the play quickly, or she really will put you to bed. Sometimes the Capricorn child will become a "pretend" parent for small pets and be quite serious about the responsibility. Little Capricorn boys like to pretend they're teachers, doctors, executives of big railroads or Daddy. When your little son puts on your husband's topcoat and picks up his pipe, you may get the oddest urge to ask him to drive over to the supermarket and bring home some eggs-until you remember he can't drive anything more complicated than a scooter, and he skins his knees most of the time on that. Capricorn children also like to paint or draw and listen to music, but they won't waste many leisure hours in aimless games. Frequently they'll be absorbed in making something practical. It will have a useful purpose, even if it's a pretty skinny pot holder or a comically wobbly pencil box. They should be encouraged to play outdoors. They won't seek the sunshine and fresh air with much enthusiasm, but it's good for them; it blows those gloomy little Saturn cobwebs out of their young minds.
Teachers usually find the Capricorn child pleasant to instruct, but they may lose patience with his slow, stubborn methods of learning. Still, the teacher will seldom complain of frivolous daydreaming or neglect of studies. These youngsters are normally very good scholars, after they've grasped the fundamentals. They don't leam quickly or project flashy brilliance, but they're thorough and careful. Saturn concentration is nothing to sneeze at. It wins prizes and gets A's.
When your young goat brings home a report card with behavior marks that say he's obedient, studious and reliable, but "he's reluctant to participate in class discussions," "refuses to recite," "is timid, lacks confidence and doesn't mix well with the other students," you'll begin to worry that you've raised an introverted bookworm, a hopelessly anti-social creature. Then one day your little Capricorn will casually mention that he has to be in school early to call the roll. "Why do you have to call the roll?" youll ask. The answer will be a shock. "Oh, because I'm President of the class." When you exclaim, "Why didn't you tell us?" he'll reply with offhand modesty, "Gee, it isn't that important." But he'll be blushing and pleased. It's the pattern for his adult life. Apparently slower than the others, supposedly a poor mixer and the dark horse, he'll quietly and inevitably end up in some position of leadership, as the extroverts realize he's the one they can trust to be responsible. Capricorn may be left to guard the treasures and keep the records, while the gregarious ones play and dream but he won't feel imposed upon. What he seeks are respect and authority.
An occasional Capricorn youngster will coldly dictate to weaker friends or siblings with a stubborn will, which can amount to childish cruelty, but far more often the Capricorn child will submit to more dominant Sun signs. There may then be a problem of brothers or sisters bossing the little goat, and you'll think he's being pushed around unfairly. Don't worry. He can take care of himself. One little Capricorn girl I know is completely submissive to her older, more aggressive Sagittarian sister. With the patience of the earth signs she takes orders from the more fiery personality. She never talks back or argues. But after an especially severe bossing session, the older sister just happens to find her shoes, her hairbrush or her favorite sweater is "missing." It always turns up eventually, and no one in the family ever has the slightest idea how it got "lost," but for weeks afterwards, the bossy sister is more considerate. Never underestimate the power of Capricorn for self-preservation. Somehow, the odds get evened.
Around members of the opposite sex, little goats will be bashful, but intensely interested. You'll hear remarks like, "Boys are drippy goons," and "Girls are stupid creeps," but they'll get mysteriously excited about Valentine's Day in school, and send a bushel of cards signed "guess who." Romantically, adolescence can be painful. They'll need encouragement and careful handling when dating begins.
It's a blessing to be the parents of a January boy or girl. With very few exceptions, it's like a gift from the gods. Unless he's pushed too far, in which case he can say something bluntly cruel and freezingly painful, the Capricorn child will usually be as sweet as the "sugy cake" he hates.
If you're short on the rent money you can always borrow a few twenties from his fat piggy bank. He'll be polite to his elders, and mind almost without being asked, except for rare stubborn spells. He'll organize his chores, and be serious about his future, though you may have to force him to scrub behind his ears. He'll cling to home and family with honest devotion, and seldom make you wonder where he is. Most of the time, he'll be right there beside you, enjoying every minute. He has his own bright, solid and practical dreams. Don't worry if he snubs Sleeping Beauty and Goldilocks. When you're old and gray, and feeling lost and forgotten by a thoughtless younger generation, your Capricorn son or daughter will sincerely respect your wisdom. He'll be enthusiastic about inviting you to visit or even to make your home with him. It's for all the world as if the Capricorn youngster is saying-for real this time-"All right, now I'll be the Mommy (or Daddy), and you be the baby. You took care of me with love. Now I'll take care of you." There'll be no make-believe about it, but Hans Christian. Andersen never wrote a happier ending
AQUARIUS, the Water Bearer
January 21st through February 19th
The AQUARIUS Man
All this time the Guard -was looking at her,
first through a telescope,
then through a microscope,
and then through an opera-glass.
At last he said, "You're traveling the wrong way,"
and shut up the window ...
To wade bravely smack dab into the center of the problem, don't expect an Aquarian male to behave the way people in love are supposed to behave. If you do, you're in for quite a jolt, maybe even a series of jolts. When it comes to friendship, he's all you could ask for in a pal or a confidant. Love? Well, as an Aquarian I once knew said, "Anybody can have a girl. But love is something else again." That was an astute observation. It's "something else," all right, with Aquarians.
It's when he acts as though he doesn't like you that he's close to being hooked, and the reason is elementary- simple logic. The Aquarian water bearer likes everybody. Everyone is his friend. He'll even refer to his worst enemy as "my friend." So it means something when he says he doesn't like someone. Just what it means may take some study. The various nuances can be complicated.
An Aquarian man doesn't want to reveal his true feelings, in spite of his favorite
pastime of penetrating the feelings of others. His own reactions and motives are complex, and he intends to keep them that way for the pure pleasure of fooling you. Many strange experiences will come to this man, through both love and friendship, and he'll scrutinize each one avidly. Until you get him to the altar, you're just another experience, another experiment, hard as that may be to take. Don't sniffle. He can be tricked, for all his caution. But before you start tricking him, you'd better try to understand how to cope with his unique outlook about people.
He's a group man, and teamwork comes naturally to him. Aquarius understands the fair play rules of sports as if he had invented them, and he carries these rules into his personal relationships. His interests are scattered all over the place. That's because his love of people is so impersonal;
he gives a certain value to everyone he meets, while the rest of us save such efforts for only the very special people in our lives. To an Aquarian, everyone is special. And I mean everyone. Even those he hasn't met yet. Few Uranus men are either selfish or petty. When he does show those qualities, a gentle reminder that he's being narrow-minded will bring him around. Aquarians just can't stand to be called narrow-minded.
He responds to unusually high ideals, thanks to his rigid moral code (though you'd better understand that it's his own code, which may not necessarily reflect or correspond to the one accepted by society in general). He'll almost surely lead a life of change, controversy and unexpected events. Yet there will often be moments of perfect tranquility with him, impossible to find with any other Sun sign. Once he's over the shock that he's allowed himself to become interested in one woman above all of mankind, he can be an extremely considerate lover. The danger area is before he's over the shock. Since he's so accustomed to neglecting his own problems in the interest of the majority, hopefully some of this attitude will rub off on his love life. Don't count on it, though. The chances are just as good that he'll suddenly realize he's devoting his complete loyalty to you when there are all those other nameless faces out there who need him. Then he may lean over backwards to prove to himself that he hasn't lost his love for his friends and the rest of humanity by being attached to just one person.
Forever analyzing, the Aquarian man will frequently ask himself, "I wonder what she meant by that?" He won't rest until he finds out either. A puzzle drives him simply wild and don't be fooled by his nonchalance. When he senses something is hidden, he just won't sleep at night until he's unraveled the mystery and penetrated the veil. There's always the possibility that he might be disappointed in what he finds, so make sure it's worth discovering. If it isn't, he'll have no qualms about making it painfully evident-and off he'll go to unravel a new veil.
The girl who wants to land him eventually has first to intrigue him. An open book will never pique his curiosity.
He's attracted to closed pages, the more tightly closed, the better to arouse his
detective instinct. When a female either ignores him or keeps her own counsel, in the beginning at least, his eyes will open" a little wider and hell get an alert expression, amazingly like that of a bloodhound on the scent of something missing. Why is she so emotional? (You can be emotional, you see, as long as you don't explain why.) Is she really so changeable or is it an act? Why does she wear all that perfume and make-up and such low-cut dresses, and then get insulted when those Leos and Sagittarians and Scorpios whistle at her in front of the drugstore? Does she want male advances or doesn't she? Is she a puritan or promiscuous? What makes her tick? As he probes and questions and examines, the girl is at first flattered, naturally-but when she sees he's just as intently curious about the waitress who just served them (not to mention the bus boy), she begins to cool somewhat. Feeling like an insect trapped under a scientist's cold eye isn't exactly calculated to cause the heart to flutter in any feminine bosom. So she finally drifts (or runs) away to a more fiery or earthy male, and the Aquarian sadly sighs for an instant or two before he begins his next romantic investigation. (If some new invention or unique idea hasn't aroused his interest first. In which case the next female research project must wait.)
Aquarian men can be touchingly gentle and docile, but you'd better tie a bright blue electric string around your finger to remind you that his surface calmness is a mirage. So is his apparent pliability. He won't tolerate an ounce of opportunism from a female. If he thinks he's being exploited, that unpredictable Uranian charm can vanish so quickly you'll think Cary Grant has turned into James Cagney, poised to throw a grapefruit-half in your face. The frightening thing is that an extremely upset Aquarian is perfectly capable of such shocking action. What's even more frightening is that you may forgive him. Don't. At least, not more than once. He admires a woman who holds her ground, if she's not too masculine about it, and if she lets him fly hither and yon, unencumbered by mushy promises and tearful accusations. As for that grapefruit, it's only fair to point out that Aquarians are usually most gallant with the fair sex. But sometimes they can forget to distinguish between the sexes in the throes of excitement.
Couple that with the Uranus unpredictability, and it does add up to a possible squirt of grapefruit juice in the eye.
There's always an excellent possibility that an Aquarian will achieve some sort of prestige during his lifetime. If it's only a trophy for stickball or a brass plaque for being the tallest man in Succatosh County he's sure to be honored with some kind of recognition. It could be something as splendid as winning the Nobel Prize. Lots of Aquarians achieve such distinctions. (On the other hand, a large percentage of disturbed Aquarians are weekly visitors to a head shrinker. It may be kind of tricky to tell the difference. )
Some Uranus-ruled men have a fetish for cleanliness. You may bump into one who shrieks if anyone uses his towel or breathes on his oatmeal. Back of this is an almost neurotic fear of germs and illness. The Aquarian isn't above letting his phobias trail over into his romantic life, when they can serve a purpose, though he may do so unconsciously. Don't be surprised if he complains that he's allergic to your eye shadow and it makes him sneeze. Uranians have a way of developing allergies to things they'd rather avoid, and they can even fool the doctors, let alone innocent, unsuspecting girls.
He's not the type to woo you with extravagant gestures. He's as likely to pull up a dandelion and toss it at you as bring you an orchid. To be honest, more likely. He won't present you with mink coats and diamonds. But life with him can still be glamorous, even without the mink. There's the well-known story about Helen Hayes and her husband, Charles MacArthur. When they first met, he handed her a bowl of peanuts and said, "I wish they were emeralds." Many years and many dollars later, he gave her a cluster of glittering emeralds with the remark, "I wish they were peanuts." I don't know if MacArthur was an Aquarian, but Uranus was certainly prominent in his natal chart. That's exactly the kind of unexpected glory you'll know with an Aquarian lover. Who needs mink?
Now let's face the worst fact courageously. No flinching or wishful thinking. Here it is. Unlike Cancer, Capricorn, Leo and Libra, Aquarians don't take to marriage like a baby takes to candy. To be truthful, most of them avoid it as long as it's humanly possible. A rare Aquarian male will be enticed into a shower of shoes and rice at an early age, but it doesn't happen often enough for the statistics to be encouraging. The way the impasse usually starts is that the Aquarian makes beautiful, wonderful, glorious friendship the basis of the love. (Easier to slide away from later, my dear.) They choose a girl who's also a chum, and who can keep up with the Aquarian interests, including Mickey Mantle's batting average, crossword puzzles, Arabian horses, fireflies on the Mississippi and the Dead Sea Scrolls. Why? That's easy. With so much to talk about, there's less time for lovemaking, which can get him seriously involved and committed. His ideal is the female who is his friend, and who doesn't make heavy emotional demands on him. Where do we go from here? Nowhere, usually.
Aquarian men find it difficult to relax in physical expressions of love. That first goodnight kiss may be a long time materializing. Admittedly, it's often well worth waiting for, and the suspense makes it even more special. But he'll cling to the illusion that he's involved in a nice, safe platonic friendship long after such a palsy-walsy relationship has become impossible for you.
Even after he's mustered the courage to say "I love you," he'll avoid the issue of marriage with every excuse in the book. When those run out, he can think up some pretty imaginative new ones. He'll patiently explain that he can't support you in the manner you deserve, his parents need him at home, or he's not good enough for you. If that doesn't work, he'll claim that the future is too uncertain, what with the threats of nuclear destruction and all. What if his boss sends him to Alaska next year? You might die of pneumonia up there, and he would be grief-stricken the rest of his life. You think he can't top that? One Aquarian man I know was engaged for twelve years to a girl he wouldn't marry because "she would have to sacrifice a great career on Broadway." The fact that the girl had never set foot on a stage in her life was beside the point. He thought she had talent. Someday, a producer might just discover her. Then how would she feel if he had held her back by marrying her? Worse yet, how would he feel? Guilty. Just plain selfish and guilty. It's not surprising that this poor female finally escaped to a more positive rival.
But all is not lost. Though it's true that most Aquarians wed late, they do eventually wed-usually. It normally happens after the last bachelor friend has sailed away to a Bermuda honeymoon, and the Aquarian wakes up to realize that here is a mystery other people have solved that he hasn't even investigated. Naturally, he- can't stand that, so pop goes the proposal! Suddenly, of course.- Uranus, you know.
In the early stages, you may think he needs a lesson and decide to let him think he's lost you to a more aggressive suitor. Let me warn you that you're likely to stay lost. Your broken-hearted Uranian is not nearly as apt to come charging after you with the fire of possession in his eye as he is to shed a couple of quiet tears and say, "Well, I guess the best man won." He'll resign himself to a life without you with insulting ease. He's even liable to ask the unbearable question, "Can't we still be friends?" If you say no emphatically, he'll probably just shrug dejectedly and slowly walk away. If you say yes-well, you're right back where you started-friends.
Jealousy isn't his cup of eggnog. He'll trust you until you show him you can't be trusted. Not because he's trusting by nature, but because his analytical dissection has already satisfied him about your character. Unless there are marked afflictions in his natal chart, he's not capable of unfounded suspicion and possessiveness. If he does have a rare stab of jealousy, you'll never know it if he can help it. He will rarely, if ever, be physically unfaithful himself, mostly because the whole subject of sex, though it's interesting, doesn't consume him. An occasional Aquarian may spend a great deal of time intensely pondering sex, but if you know one of these, you can safely assume there's a heavy Scorpio influence in his natal chart. (And chances are even this type won't pursue it actively and openly.)
Once an Aquarian has chosen a mate, he figures he can concentrate on more important things. He can relax and investigate the boy-giri or man-woman relationship at his own leisure in his own private laboratory (which isn't a bad possibility for its eventual chance of success when you stop to think about it).
Uranian sex is part of a larger image or ideal. Should a temptation to engage in illicit romance arise (illicit in his eyes, that is), he'll usually end the affair abruptly, though it may hurt him deeply, rather than continue what he considers to be a dishonest relationship. The situation that made him feel -guilty could be almost anything, from the disapproval of your parents or conflicting religions to an old boy friend not completely discarded, a promise he made to himself at the age of eight, or something he once read in a book. But whatever it is, it will somehow have to be adjusted and resolved before he'll ever renew the closeness, even if the love is as fated as that of Victoria and Albert. The Aquarian will always let his heart break silently, lest his friends hear and ask questions.
He's capable of waiting undl he's ninety to claim you, even if you feel that's a bit long to wait for consummation. The worst of it is that hell never give a reason for the break. That's for him to know and you to find out. He'll perversely let you think it was just a fantasy from the beginning, and hold back the real truth that it was genuine for some hazy future day of forgiveness and reconciliation. It can be pretty cruel, but that's the way he plays the game.
Your only comfort is the knowledge that he's suffering in his own way, too. How will you know that? Read "How to Recognize Aquarius" again. He has his subtle ways of telegraphing his feelings, and they can be enormously frustrating-especially when his unique, private communication signals a green go light while he publicly keeps holding out a red stop light until he's ready to switch. It can make for some nasty romantic traffic snarls. It's hard on the pedestrian, but he's in the driver's seat, so there's not a lot you can do-except perhaps think up another mystery to tempt him with, or maybe shake him a little with some smashing success to make him curious to talk with you again-like being the first woman to orbit Venus.
Not that such a feat will change his feelings. If he really loves you, he'll love you even if you don't orbit any farther than to the comer delicatessen, but it might interfere with his fixed strategy. You may gather from all this that a Uranus man can be pretty stubborn when it comes to love. You would be so right. His fixity in affectionate matters can drive you straight into the booby hatch or drive you to someone else in desperation. That's a big fat waste of time. He's not jealous, remember? Or he won't show it if he is. Besides, with his darned Uranian intuition, he'll know it's all an act. Because he knows what makes you tick. Don't forget, he studied you for a long time. About the only thing you can do is hope you'll still be attractive at ninety or else start practicing those Venus orbits.
Putting the shoe on the other foot, an Aquarian can arouse a heap of possessiveness in you when the tables are turned. Don't let it throw you off balance. Thanks to the everlasting Uranus proclivity for friendship, whenever and wherever he finds it, there may be times when you won't know where he is, even after you're married and you should. Just tell yourself that, no matter how late he sits up with a friend, it's only his normal curiosity at work, his never-ending interest in people. If the friend is a woman, pretend you didn't notice. In all honesty, he most likely didn't. You can expect the truth when you ask him a direct question. But if you doubt him and ask again, he'll figure you don't want the truth. To punish you, he'll make up the wildest story he can dream up (and he can dream up some pretty wild ones). You may regret your suspicions when you spend a few hours in abject misery wondering if he really did tell that redhead she was gorgeous. (That's after he told you he didn't even remember talking to her and you said, "Ha! I just bet you don't remember.") He honestly didn't, but you asked for details, so he gladly obliged with some purely imaginary ones to teach you a lesson. You'll learn fast.
Don't be hurt when he's in one of his solitary moods and prefers to be alone with his silent dreams. He'll return to share them with you, all the more warm and tender for his spiritual retreat and anything that warms him up should definitely be encouraged.
He may not be the best breadwinner around, but he's capable of inventing something beneficial to the world or being the first man to land on Mars. He'll feel right at home there, too. There's always a surprise just around the comer with an Aquarian husband, even when the budget is shaky. Naturally, there are a few Uranian men who are wealthy, even millionaires, but a high income bracket is seldom a burning ambition. All the rich Aquarians you see probably stumbled on it. It's certain they didn't greedily grasp for it. If he has a fat bank book, the chances are it gained weight while he was attempting to improve some product or idea for the good of humanity in general-or he's saved it to support his eccentric old age. Who knows? He might want to take a trip in a time machine someday, and he wants to be sure to have the fare. Most of the time he'll be reasonable about money, but save when you can, and don't run up charge accounts. He'll never recover from sheer extravagance on your part. Sometimes he can surprise you with a burst of generosity, but he won't go overboard, unless he has an Aries, Leo, Sagittarius or Pisces ascendant. Even then, he won't be a big butter and egg man.
The children will find him the greatest listener on the block. He'll be fascinated at the perfect breath control of the wolf when he blew down the three little pigs' pad- and curious about how the old witch pickled the poisoned apple that put the whammy on Snow White. A small boy's trouble learning how to strike a home run and a little girl's tears over a broken doll are simply the problems of a couple of pals in trouble to an Aquarian father. He's a whiz at complicated arithmetic questions, too.
Don't let your career make you neglect to feed him or sew on his buttons. Don't encourage your girl friends to camp on his couch or tie up the telephone for hours, and don't get engrossed in TV or a novel when he wants you to find his old soft ball in the attic or pull a splinter out of his finger. He married you for several reasons. Though romance may play its part, the most important reason was to have you around-so he would always have someone to mash his baked potato, cross-stitch his buttonholes, find his lost articles and operate on an occasional splinter. He won't cotton to your letting television, reading or female chums interfere with those duties. His idea of a good wife and mother is quite simple: a woman who keeps at it almost constantly. Even the more liberal Aquarian husbands will frown on a glamorous gadabout. But you won't mind it too much. He's so full of interesting surprises himself you won't need soap operas, women's magazines and tete-a-tetes with girl friends to keep your mind and emotions challenged. (He may be about all the challenge you can take.) You can always catch up on the female gossip and such when he's engrossed in some new project and gets a little absent-minded about what you're doing. But just be sure to be there when he has a sore finger, because he can be a real sorehead when he's neglected.
Strangely, since he's so realistic about most things, the Aquarian will never forget his first love. (Not the first date, but the first girl who ever gave him a rainbow. There's a difference.) Uranians frequently marry childhood sweethearts years later,
or cling to a faded illusion. An Aquarian can usually describe his first love in detail, which can be annoying to a wife. The solution is to be that first love. You may have to wait a long time to wear orange blossoms, but at least you won't be replaced by a ghost. Who else could turn peanuts into emeralds or vice versa, never mind a little grapefruit juice in the eye? Despite his general romantic clumsiness, he can come up with sudden phrases which could only have been invented by the angels. He can forget your wedding anniversary, but he'll bring you violets in January. Christmas? Who says it has to be on December 25th? It can be any dme you want it to be. He may go for days or weeks or months without a single word of romance or affection. Then some morning while you're slicing his blueberry pie, he'll look deep into your eyes and ask gently, "Do you know how beautiful you are?" There will be something about the way he says it that will make your knees weak.
Jingle bells on the seashore, birthdays at dawn. Valentine's Day on Halloween, rainbows at midnight. Pin a red heart on an orange pumpkin, roll Easter eggs in the snow, light the candles on the cake on top of a ferris wheel- you're in love with an Aquarian, didn't you know? I wish you a Frank Merriwell ending. But be careful. You can get lost out there in Wonderland.
The AQUARIUS Woman
But Alice had got so much into the -way
of expecting nothing but out-of-the-way things to happen
that it seemed quite dull and stupid
for life to go on in the common way ...
Put cats in the coffee, and mice in the tea- And welcome Queen Alice with thirty times three!
The safest way to enter into romance with an Aquarian female is to remember she's as paradoxical in love as she is in everything else. That way, you won't be expecting Priscilla Alden and get Pocahontas.
This girl has all the faithfulness of the fixed signs when die's in love, but she also has the detachment and lack of emotion of the air element. It's possible to have a happy relationship with the Uranus woman if you leave her free to pursue her myriad interests and circulate among her friends. Never try to tie her to the stove or the bedpost. Ask the man who's tried. She can suddenly decide to study ballet, meditate in the mountains or join the Peace Corps. Remember the story of the princess with the long, golden hair who lived high in a tower? That's the Aquarius female. Cutting off her flowing tresses won't change her any more than it did in the fairy tale. She dreams different dreams than you or I. She hears a distant drummer-and follows a star most of us have never seen.
She belongs to everyone, and yet to no one. Her love can be tender and inspired, but there will always be a vaguely elusive quality about it, like a half-remembered song. You can hum the melody, but the lyrics keep slipping away. The Aquarian girl's demand for freedom is insistent, but her allegiance to anyone who can accept romance within such limits is boundless. Here's something you'll like:
She won't be terribly interested in your bank book (unless Cancer or Capricorn or Taurus is on her ascendant). Money is never the prime consideration of the typical Aquarian woman. She won't care if you're not the richest man in town, but she'll expect you to be respected in some way for your intellectual achievements. Dr. Christian Bamard and his heart transplants or Wemher von Braun and his rockets interest her far more than J. Paul Getty and his billions.
When you set out to catch this butterfly in your net, remember that she'll never spend her unpredictable life with a man who isn't true to himself. Her own code of ethics may be as weird as anything you've ever come across, and quite different from the accepted codes of society, but she lives up to it totally. She'll understand that your rules may also be highly individual. That's fine with her, but don't compromise those rules. If you're looking for a passion flower, you've picked the wrong daisy. Passion is not her forte if she's a typical Aquarian. She'll think physical love is pleasant enough, if it's not overemphasized. In other words, she can take it or leave it alone. Uranus females can respond to lovemaking with a haunting, deep intensity, but if you prefer to keep it platonic for long periods of time, that's all right, too. Like all Aquarians, she may have an unconscious fear that desire for one person will imprison the spirit in some way, and keep her from being true to her one great love-freedom. Freedom to experiment and investigate and freedom to give time to humanity. Also freedom to pursue her rather kicky, off-beat fancies.
She's an ideal girl if you're planning a political, scientific or educational career. You couldn't do better, unless you happen to run across an Aquarian girl with adverse planetary positions in her natal chart who enjoys shocking people by walking barefoot down Main Street or smoking big black cigars on buses. There are some pretty wild, way-out Uranian females here and there. But the average girl born under the sign of the water bearer is a social delight. She's graceful, witty, bright as a penny, and extremely adaptable to all forms of society, high and low and in the middle.
Her lack of suspicion under normal circumstances is a special bonus. A traveling salesman should find his dream girl in the typical Aquarian female. If she actually catches you being unfaithful, it will cause a deep wound to her sensitive nature. You'll know it the minute you look into those strange, dreamy eyes. But she won't suspect you without cause, and she'll rarely doubt your word. The typical Uranus woman will never check up on you after you leave, phone you at the office, inspect your handkerchiefs for lipstick stains or look for blonde hairs caught in your cuff link. Deception will have to be brought forcibly to her attention; she won't go out looking for it. Before you give her too much credit, consider that her lack of pas-sionate jealousy is due to something more than strength of character. First of all, she probably dissected your psyche under a microscope before she gave you a second glance. Besides, she has so many outside interests and so many people who turn her on to talk with, there's not much time for her to worry about what you're doing when you're out of sight. Out of sight can often mean out of mind for Aquarians of both sexes. Absence seldom makes the Uranus heart grow fonder. Occasionally, an Aquarian woman will suffer a promiscuous or flirtatious mate, because there's something she needs which she can find only with him, so she looks the other way. On the other hand, if she doesn't really need you, that moral strength will work in reverse at the first actual proof of infidelity. Shell simply walk away. Don't try to kindle the embers, they're stone cold dead. Of course, you can still be friends. Why not?
She's willing. It never embarrasses an. Aquarian girl to be chummy with ex-lovers or husbands. She's forgotten the past and wiped the slate clean of memories.
There is one peculiar and notable exception to the rule. Like the Uranus man, the Uranian female will remember the first true and honest love for a lifetime. Only the first, however. Are you wondering whether that Aquarius girl you once knew still remembers you? The answer lies in her definition of love. It could have something to do with the first boy who gave her a bunch of sweet peas when she was nine-the boy who walked her through the park in the rain-or the one with the funny ears who knew the clown at the circus, and used to feed her peanuts.
Uranus women involved in extra-marital affairs are rare. They can be tempted in exceptional situations, but a dishonest relationship goes against their chemistry. It won't be long until an undercover romance is broken off for good. Yet, there are many Aquarian divorcees. There's a reason. If a situation becomes intolerable, the Uranian nature turns cold suddenly. They can disappear overnight, and never look back. They don't seek or enjoy divorce, but it isn't the shock to them it is to their more sentimental sisters. Uranus rules change, you know. Since she's such an individualist, with a list of friends several miles long, the Aquarian female never hesitates to make her way alone if the need arises.
Expect her to probe into your heart until you haven't a secret left, or a dream that hasn't been analyzed. But don't try to dissect her private thoughts. That's not the way the game is played with Aquarians. She'll keep her motives hidden, and sometimes take a perverse pleasure in deliberately confusing you. She'll usually be truthful to a fault, but remember, with an Aquarian, telling a lie is one thing. Refraining from telling the whole story is another.
It's comforting to know that an Aquarian girl is pretty cagey with a buck. That is, it's
comforting to know unless you're planning to hit her for a loan. She might say yes a time or two, but if you let your credit rating slip, she can be colder than the guy at the bank when you skip your car payment. On the rare occasions when she accepts a small loan herself, you'll get back every penny with no stalling, excuses or feminine wiles, if she's a typical Uranus female. As for every man's nightmare of charge accounts, you'll have little worry on that score. Aquarian women are uncomfortable about owing money. Bad debts don't fit in with the Uranus code.
Her appearance is puzzling. Most Aquarian women are lovely, with a haunting, wistful beauty. But they're changeable. They can give an impression of smooth whipped cream, then suddenly switch to salty pizza as quickly as a bright, blue, zig-zag bolt of Uranian electricity. Next to Ubrans, Aquarian females are often the most beautiful women in the zodiac. At the very least, they're interesting-looking. The Aquarian manner of dressing can stop you dead in your tracks. There are a few of them who could grace the cover of a fashion magazine, but the average Aquarian girl is anything but conventional about her costumes. She can wear some outfits a gypsy would envy, and her naked individuality can produce some mighty unique combinations. She'll usually be the first to wear a new fad, no matter how zany it is, yet she can also stick to Grandma's styles-even great-grandma's styles. With typical - Aquarian indifference, she'll mix yesterday's lace snood with today's metallic jump suit, and the effect can be a little startling. She'll wear her lace nightgown to a formal banquet, ostrich feathers to the supermarket, bell bottom slacks to the opera, sneakers to the theater, diamonds when she visits the zoo-and top it all off with a faded Mother Hubbard she picked up in a thrift shop.
Your Aquarian girl will probably have an unusual way of wearing her hair. Her tresses are as unpredictable as her personality. They can be worn braided, pig-tailed, pinned in a bun, flowing down like a waterfall, short as a marine's, in Mary Pickford curls or as straight as a poker. One thing you can depend on. Her hair won't look like the hair of any other female on this planet.
A conversation with her can be remarkable, to say the least. She has charming manners, and usually behaves in a timid, almost reserved way. Then comes one of those sudden Uranus urges, and out will pop a remark with absolutely no relation to what anyone is saying. You'll be talking about the fluctuations of the stock market, and she'll interrupt out of nowhere with: "Did you know that Woodrow Wilson, Jack Kennedy, Herbert Hoover, Harry Truman, Calvin Coolidge, Benjamin Harrison, Franklin and Theodore Roosevelt and William McKinley all have double letters in their names?" There's only one way to answer a question like that. Tell her she missed Millard
Fillmore, Ulysses Grant and Thomas Jefferson. Then gently, but firmly, lead the discussion back to the stock market. Other minds may progress in fairly logical steps, but hers rigs into tomorrow, then zags back into today with no more sense of direction than a flash of lightning. Now and then she'll toss off an unexpectedly poignant phrase. You'll ask her what she thinks of space travel and she'll answer, "When I was a little girl, I thought the stars were holes in the floor of heaven where
the light shone through." If she's in a different mood, you'll say that melted snowmen make you sad, and shell counter with: "A melted snowman is just a pile of slush, Charlie." First misty-then practical. First timid-then rowdy. Aquarian women will rudely ridicule flying saucers, then tell you a story about a polka-dotted elf on a windowsill. Never talk down to an Aquarian female. She'll resent not being considered your equal, and an unsympathetic attitude will cause her to retreat and become unapproachable.
Since Uranus rules the future, you might imagine that these girls would be natural mothers. Children do, after all, belong to the future. But the average Aquarian woman may be bewildered by motherhood in the beginning. She has to adjust to devoting all her attention and energy exclusively to one human being for a period of time, when she's used to spreading herself far and wide, and this can take some practice. Her natural aloofness may make it difficult for her to demonstrate warm affection outwardly. The typical Aquarian mother is devoted to her offspring, but also somewhat detached toward them. But shell probably be the most willing PTA worker in the neighborhood. She'll talk happily for hours with their small friends on their own level without patronizing them, and she'll give up her afternoons to work for a school project. The children will learn the lessons of brotherhood and humanity from her by observation. Aquarian mothers are never fiercely protective of their children. They take a tolerant view of the most startling confession. A Uranus woman will seldom punish a child for telling the truth, no matter what he's done. With her unprejudiced viewpoint, she'll gain the complete confidence of her little ones. She's great at reassuring young minds about everything from monsters hiding under the bed to the pain of being ignored in the playground. She can turn their tears to laughter in minutes. Your children will find her jolly fun, a little helter-skelter, relaxed about housework, helpful with homework and gentle when they're ill. She won't smother them with affection, and she'll seldom nag. Maybe Tommy didn't wash his hands the third time he was told, but she's more interested in what he learned in science class.
We may be a little ahead of ourselves. Even though Uranus likes to reverse the existing orders of things, before your Aquarian girl becomes a mother she has to become a wife. And before she becomes your wife, you'll have to convince her that marriage isn't synonymous with Al-catraz. She won't exactly rush into matrimony. She's in no hurry to take your name until she's weighed you, sorted you, tested you, and found out what makes you tick. The opinions of her friends and family will mean nothing, though she may ask them what they think out of curiosity. She has her own yardstick for measuring you. Assuming you pass her test, marriage to an Aquarian girl can be confusing. She'll listen pleasantly when you give her advice, but there's something in the Uranian make-up that prevents her from following directions explicitly. She can't stick to the recipe when she bakes one of her angel food cakes anymore than she can park the car exactly where you told her to. There's some kind of a snag in her thinking that causes her to believe just a little twist will improve anything. But shell smile agreeably as she goes on her own sweet way. There's a constant urge to experiment with a different way to make the coffee, fill her pen, fasten her ice skates or cross the street. She'll wear a sweater backwards, mix her brandy with milk, arrange flowers in a fish bowl, rinse her hair in shaving lotion or make a rock garden on your desk. But don't ask her why. She doesn't know herself. The unique and unusual is her wave-length, that's all.
Because her nature is so impersonal, expressions of deep feeling won't come easily. Except for those sudden remarks that sound likes a combination of Robert Frost and Yogi Berra, she has few words with which to express her love, and her pattern of physical passion is woven closely with threads connected to the mind and soul. Although the unique Uranus outlook leads some Aquarian girls into peculiar attachments, once they find the right mate their marriages are usually models of happiness.
Your Aquarian woman can float through her days and nights with all the grace of a proud swan, but she may behave like a clumsy bear in romantic situations. The line between friendship and love is often all but invisible to Aquarius. Love songs about people who only have eyes for each other strike her as silly. There are so many miracles in the world for eyes to behold, it seems to her a terrible waste for two pairs of them to do nothing but gaze into each other's depths. Shell be glad to let you take her hand and walk beside her as she looks with happy delight on the sunrise, an antique car, the milkman's horse, a yellow garbage pail, a stuffed owl or a red balloon caught in a church steeple. But don't distract her with too much to-getherness. Let her wander through her wonderland alone when she chooses, and she'll never question your pinochle games with the boys.
The quickest ways to lose her are to show jealousy, pos-sessiveness or prejudice; to be critical, stuffy or ultra-conservative. You'll also have to like her friends, who will come in odd, assorted sizes and shapes.
She's susceptible to sudden flashes of inspiration, and her intuition is remarkable. Her judgment may not seem sound or practical at first, because she sees months and years ahead. The Aquarian girl lives in tomorrow, and you can only visit there through her. What she says will come true, perhaps after many delays and troubles, but it will come true. I suppose, after all, that's the most special thing about your February woman. She's a little bit magic.
The AQUARIUS Child
The dream-child moving through a land
Of wonders wild and new, In friendly chat with bird or beast-
And half believe it true.
According to Mother Goose, if your offspring is dressed in blue, he's made of snips and snails and puppy-dog tails. It baby is wearing pink, she's made of sugar and spice, and everything nice. But if he or she was born in February, dress him in an aquamarine cap and electric blue booties and forget that old rhyme. This infant is made of the raw material of Uranus, and he's going to make you chase him into tomorrow.
He's a quivering, sensitive, stubborn, independent mass of invention and electrical impulses. Even if he has a slow and careful Taurus ascendant, his mental processes will be as fast as Uranian lightning. His thoughts will vibrate like high frequency radio beams, and as he grows up, you may feel like sending out an S.O.S. yourself.
Every mother and father think their child is special- different and unique, compared to other youngsters. But this one is just ridiculous. Lots of parents of a young Aquarian puzzle whether to send him out on the farm, where he won't frighten neighbors, or let the word casually get around that he may win the Pulitzer prize someday. Which route should you take? You have a problem. Yes, you do. The Pulitzer is possible, but my advice would be to try the farm for a few summers and watch. Observe. Wait. He's liable to invent a new plow, or just eat them out of house and home. It depends. There's never a cut and dried rule with Aquarians.
I know one New York mother who just called her Uranian son "the Bronx Wonder" and let it go at that At least her relatives and neighbors were as mystified as she was. Nobody knew if the nickname meant he had three heads or he was headed for the Hall of Fame. As it turned out, he was a pretty good basketball player, and most folks thought that's why he had the tag. But they shouldn't have been so hasty. The story's not over yet. He's presently rotating between composing the score for a musical which may go on Broadway or in the wastebasket, playing bit parts in detective films, and making himself available for TV commercials. (The kind that need men from Mars types for flying saucer approaches on soft-sell automobile spots.) He's also working on an invention in his bedroom (between watching the Mets play and eating pickle sandwiches), but since he won't tell anyone what it is, I can't give you any clues. He has a kind of thing about clocks and watches, so it may have something to do with a time machine (a common Aquarian obsession). Well, well see. There's no rush. Lots of Aquarians don't break loose and shower electric sparks of genius on a waiting world until they're a young fifty. It makes it all a little nervewracking, waiting around like that. Of course, there are quite a few
Aquarian child prodigies, but we're tangled up enough trying to figure out your average Aquarian youngster (and I use the term average loosely).
He may end up working for the FBI or a private eye outfit (he loves to figure out mysteries), and become an ordinary, sensible, conservative citizen. (Don't hold your breath, but it's a possibility.) We'd better concentrate on his tender years. That way, you'll have a fighting chance to guide this Uranus rocket in some kind of direction.
Until maturity has mellowed Uranian influences, and society has molded more conventional attitudes, an Aquarian youngster can be strongly negative. The immediate reaction to a command (or even a pleasant suggestion) is often an emphatic no. But let him think about it, mull it over, and it's surprising how many times his final reaction will be sensible-the answer he found by himself correct and acceptable.
These boys and girls can be calm and sweetly docile on the surface, but the north wind can turn them suddenly topsy turvy. (Except that, with an Aquarian, it could be turvy topsy. You can expect anything.) Unpredictable in their behavior, but lovable and often amusing, the February child can be quite a spinning propeller to contend with. I used that analogy because Aquarians and Uranus rule air flight, planes and Charles Lindbergh and things like that. Yet, these youngsters are so full of contradictions, instead of taking to flight naturally, many of them have a strange, unreasonable fear of planes and elevators-even electricity (also ruled by Uranus). It isn't easy to direct them or channel them. They have no idea where they're going, but they have definite ideas about how to get there.
Raising and teaching these "wonders" can be a big responsibility. Their minds combine fixed practicality with uncanny perception and sharp, probing logic. Mix it all up and it can be acutely embarrassing, like when your little Aquarian asks your best friend why she got her face lifted (she did)-or asks your Uncle Elmer why he cheated on his income tax in front of the Internal Revenue man (he did).
They love to do favors for friends. Buy your little Aquarian boy a brand new pair of boots and he's likely to wear them out the first day-smoothing down the snow to make it slick so the neighborhood kids can use their sleds.
Expect your February child to have a dream and hold it fast-until he gets another one. With a girl, it's likely to be a projection of herself as a prima ballerina, with a pure dedication to her art that would put Pavlova to shame, a thirst to be the first woman president or a hunger to follow in the footsteps of Madame Curie. With the boys, it could be an oceanographer, ichthyologist, archaeologist, anthropologist, an exterminator or a tree surgeon. Normal career choices like nurses, secretaries, clerks, salesmen, teachers, bankers and brokers are too mundane for the average Aquarian child's fantasies. He may have to settle for one eventually, but the original dream will be tucked under his left ear and not forgotten. It's eerie, but Aquarians can sometimes cause a thing to happen by simply concentrating on it and waiting.
You'll never know quite what to expect from day to day. This is a child who may not want to stay indoors when it rains. He'll be out with your best sterling silver table-spoon, digging a drain so the hill in back of the house won't wash away.
Remember the old verse you heard as a child that went, "The bear went over the mountain-the bear went over the mountain-the bear went over the mountain-to see what he could see. The other side of the mountain- the other side of the mountain-the other side of the mountain-was all that he could see." Your Aquarius youngster will have better luck. He'll find something there. Maybe it will be a pot of gold or just a new species of woodpecker, but none of his exploratory journeys will ever result in a dead end or a total loss.
I skipped over the infant stage because these children are never infants. They are born middle-aged. However, many of them do go through the toddler stage, and during that precarious period you might be wise to consider buying a seeing-eye dog. Keep the dog until your little Uranian is at least ten. He may have trouble navigating the block without an incident. Off on his own private cloud, he'll lope down the street in a fog, and ram right into a telephone pole or a mailbox. Aquarian absent-mindedness brings on twisted ankles, broken bones and the wrath of teachers. You may be torn between pride, when the school reports he or she is a budding genius-and shame, when you receive a note saying, "Oliver simply won't pay attention in class. He stares out the window all day and plays with his two-way wrist watch." Or "Gertrude refuses to concentrate. Instead of studying, she just sits there and flexes her arches in those silly ballet slippers." A lecture to Oliver and Gertrude will result in a shrug of bored impatience. What's all the fuss about? He was trying to figure the effect of the summer solstice on Greenwich Mean Time, and she was wondering what makes a caterpillar turn into a butterfly. To their minds, that's perfectly logical. Cheel What a square school. Granted, they are on the right track. But this may not be the century to prove it.
Teachers often complain that the Aquarian child refuses to explain, step by step, how he arrived at his remarkable answer to a complicated math problem before she finished writing it on the blackboard. There's a good, sensible reason. His Uranian intuition, that works by some kind of unseen radio waves, forced his mind through those steps so quickly he just can't remember. Almost all Aquarian children were behind the delivery-room door when memory was passed out. Forgetting their address is frequent, forgetting their last name is uncomfortably possible, and forgetting what time to come home is par-for-the-course. Your brilliant-and he most likely is-Uranus youngster must be taught that his aim should encompass more than being a human computer. He needs to leam the importance of organizing his thoughts in logical order. Otherwise, a potential genius, philosopher, engineer, scientist, doctor, lawyer-gardener or cab driver (the last two if you're lucky) can turn into an eccentric adult, headed in several directions at once, and end up going around in interesting, but not very profitable, circles.
Encourage him to participate in physical activity or a harmful inertia can take over and hell daydream the hours away. It .often takes an emergency to spur Aquarian children to physical action, though they can have a great love for sports. Mentally, they're speed demons. But the body may be a bit slower, at least around the house. They may have an empathy for birds, trees, nature and the seashore. They'll always prefer their own independent discovery to organized activity. You'll have to watch for a tendency to say "I can't" to rationalize the urge to avoid responsibility. The Aquarian child may take the path of least resistance if you let him. Teach him that he's only fooling himself. Let him make his own decisions, but encourage him to act on them.
Unspoken tension can deeply disturb him. These young-•ters can almost see into the souls of others, and hear thoughts which haven't even been audibly expressed, which can disturb them and leave lasting feelings of unhappiness. Better encourage tranquility and harmony, concentration and memory, if you don't want an eccentric, nervous, absent-minded bachelor or spinster with unfulfilled dreams on your hands in thirty years or so.
Be careful what you say and how you say it with Aquarian youngsters. Suggestions planted in these fertile, remarkably acute Uranian minds in childhood can take firm root and form fixed adult opinions. Undue emphasis on clean hands, repeated warnings, "Don't drink out of my glass, it's dirty," can cause the Aquarian youngster to grow up with exaggerated fears and carry his own goblet in his pocket when he goes visiting. Being so accident prone, you can imagine what will happen if he sits down suddenly with that goblet there. And he does do almost everything suddenly.
Aquarian boys and girls have multitudes of friends. They make at least ten new ones per day, from the street cleaner to the truant officer and the ex-parachutist who runs the candy store. He might even bring home a little friend named Rockefeller for lunch someday, too, but don't let it shake you. You're not raising a social snob. He won't know him from the dog catcher. He's just another "pal."
Adolescent problems of romance may never bother you. In fact, the Aquarian child may have to be reminded which sex is which. Few of these youngsters are boy crazy or girl crazy. Just plain crazy is more of a possibility, especially when they start wearing those weird clothes and parting their hair in such an odd way. This may be about the time his hidden love of poetry emerges, which should be encouraged. Your little Uranian has frogs in his pockets and stars in his eyes, but he's very special. He's a humanitarian. He loves people. Do you know how rare that is? As society moves into the Aquarian age, his unprejudiced wisdom is leading us. Aquarian boys and girls have been chosen by destiny to fulfill the promise of to-morrow-frogs and stars, pickle sandwiches and all. Just nickname him the "Twentieth Century Wonder," and let the neighbors guess why.
PISCES, the Fish
February 20th through March 20th
The PISCES Man
We are but older children, dear, Who fret to find our bedtime near.
William Shakespeare was a Taurus, but he left this message for anyone who is considering becoming involved with a Pisces man:
.There is a tide in the affairs of men,
Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune;
Omitted, all the voyage of their life
Is bound in shallows and in miseries.
If you're about to fall over the dam for a Neptunian, you should paste those lines on your compact mirror, where you can see them every time you powder your nose. They may possibly make or break your future, not to mention your heart.
Try to untangle your probably rosy state of mind and make sure that Pisces fellow you're about to join in a moonlight swim knows when the tide is coming in. If he
takes it at the flood, you're as lucky as any girl can be. On to fame and fortune! But if, perchance, your Pisces lad can't see the tide for the stardust in his eyes, and he misses that big flood-well, let me warn you that those Neptunian shallows can result in some of the most dismal miseries you'll ever know.
A Pisces man can be everything you want him to be- or everything you don't want him to be. A tide in his affairs is synonymous with opportunity. It requires a firm decision, determined action, and the ability to drown any old, soggy dreams that prevent success. The trouble is that some Pisces men never recognize that tide at its flood, even when it sloshes over their feet.
The Pisces man isn't weak. It's just that he may linger too long on a fading, silver star, and miss the bright sunlight of success. Not all Pisceans are gentle dreamers. But more of them than you can scatter with a pebble are. However, there is hope. There's always hope, where there's life. Although the world needs his lovely imagination only too desperately, there comes a time when the Pisces male has to go about the business of earning his potatoes. When he does that, he has a snap of it, because the Neptune intuition coupled with his clever mind can turn him toward sensible goals which could bring him fame and recognition-even wealth and immortality. If not all that (you can't hit the jackpot every time), then at least respectability and comfortable security. Let's hope that's the kind of Pisces male you're sailing with. Practically no other Sun sign can stop his potential under those circumstances.
However, if, say by the age of twenty-five or so, he hasn't recognized that tide in his affairs, frankly, his future isn't too hopeful. You think that's unfair? All right, make it by the age of thirty-five, but you're gambling. When I said his future isn't too hopeful, I meant with you. As a wife-with the family routine. His personal future can be more or less satisfactory. Lots of Pisces men who can't bury stale dreams and dig up fresh ideas for success live fairly contented lives. That's because all they need is that dream, rusty as it is around the edges. Add a jug of wine, a loaf of good rye bread, and he's as happy as most of us other misfits. Ahl You noticed I stopped short of one item. It's a loaf of bread, a jug of wine and Thou-right? I'm glad you're up on the Rubaiyat. But you see, I left "Thou" out on purpose. The dreamy, sensitive, artistic fish can exist nicely on bread and wine-even thrive on it. But such a diet won't feed a wife, one to five little bundles of joy, and who knows, maybe even some goldfish and guppies (considering his Sun sign). You need things like stockings and cosmetics and shoes and spinach and rent money and celery and milk and light bulbs and, well, you know what I mean.
There's only one way out with this kind of fish: Be an heiress. No, there is another way out: Get two jobs-one for you and one for him, and work at both of them your-self like the very dickens.
Now, I didn't say you wouldn't be happy in the romantic hours. That's one thing no kind of Pisces ever born will ever be short of-romance. They fairly breathe it. It's just that it's no substitute for spinach and baby shoes, or your sanity. The planets, in their wisdom, take care of such complications of life by giving oodles of chances for this dreamy, unworldly type of Piscean male to become a proteg6. If he finds a patron or patroness (much more likelihood of the latter, but it can be either), he can turn into a great painter, a great writer, a great composer, a great musician-or at least just a great guy. But how is he going to find a patron, let alone a patroness, if he has you and those bundles of joy and the goldfish and the guppies and all cluttering up the artistic simplicity of his existence?
You have to admit it just won't work. Better say farewell to him right now. You'll cry a little, and it may hurt-even deeply. But not as much as being married to a walking, talking dream, and having to face the landlord with nothing but empty wishes m your pocketbook. That really hurts.
Now that we've been brave and practical about the bread and wine type, we can talk about the other kind of Pisces, the one who grabbed the tide at its flood. Obviously, he's a real catch for any girl. There's always the chance he could turn out to be an Einstein or a George Washington, which would be simply wonderful. You couldn't ask for much more, though I suppose Einstein might have been a little engrossed in his equations on weekends and George may have brought a few problems home from the office at night. But you don't have to seek perfection. Even a super practical Capricorn or an aggressive, driving Aries man can have little flaws. The point is that a Piscean who fights his way upstream will have plenty of chances to lay the twin gifts of fame and fortune at your feet And he's quite a guy in other ways, too.
A Pisces man has no prejudices. He'll never judge an Indian until he's walked a few miles in his moccasins, or a nudist until he's tried going barefoot. Even then he'll understand and not pass critical judgment. He's very short on cold accusations and very long on warm tolerance. He'll even make a stab at trying to understand his mother-in-law, and how many men do that? The Neptune male possesses a rare sympathy of spirit. His friends confide in him and never worry that he'll be shocked. It takes a real blockbuster to shock the fish. If you and I and your Piscean were all three sitting in a room, and a man walked in and told us he was a little worried because he was a bigamist, with four different wives in four different states- you might glare at him and think he deserved to go to jail;
I might sneer at him and call him a skunk; but your Pisces man would probably ask, "What four states? Were you in love with any of them?" The fish is curious, but totally shockproof. As far as he's concerned, the fellow needs heaps of sympathy and a darned good lawyer.
He might tell a secret or two accidentally, never on purpose. Pisces sometimes speaks before he realizes the possible damage. It's a little tough for him to comprehend that what he says could perhaps be interpreted in the wrong light by more severe souls with less relenting attitudes. (It would take some thought, for example, for him to grasp that people like his sister or your mother wouldn't understand the domestic difficulties of that poor bigamist.) However, once the fish has been specifically requested to keep it under his fin, he'll be close-mouthed and reliable, and you can trust him with your darkest secrets.
An occasional Pisces who's the victim of an afflicted Mercury talks very fast, fluently and frequently. But the typical Neptunian speaks slowly, thinks gently, and tries to mind his own business, even though he's continually subjected to the problems of friends, relatives and neighbors. They flock to him because Neptune listens so beautifully. You'll find yourself tempted to confide your own little worries with the broken hair dryer, your father's sinus trouble and your overdrawn bank balance, but try to go easy. If there's anything a Pisces husband or boy friend doesn't need, it's more tribulations dropped in his lap. Others have been dropping them all day. Bundles of them. He needs some relief when he's with you. People don't mean to impose on Pisces. They seldom realize that the Neptune nature is so receptive it just soaks up all the vibrations around, good or bad, joyful or fearful, dark or light. The life of an absorbent, spiritual sponge can be kind of wearing on the psyche, as any mystic can tell you. (Many of them are Piscean.) The very fact that he's sensi-tive means that he vividly feels the emotions of those who seek his ear and get his heart. Pisces people often have to rest for long periods. The Neptune soul must be alone at times so fresh breezes can blow through to heal the wounds of all those vicarious troubles and bring back calm, undefiled individuality. So never begrudge your Pisces man his moments of silence. He sorely needs them. If he feels like being alone or taking a walk by himself, let him go. Too much togethemess can spoil the beauty of Pisces love. It needs space to grow untangled.
Remember that the fish is sensitive and can be easily hurt. His shyness is due to a painful consciousness of his own limitations, whatever they may be, and he feels them keenly. He needs to know that his virtues are counted by someone he admires. You. Never hold back encouragement from him.
He may try Yoga and Zen, or experiment with occult beliefs, and hell probably be interested in astrology and numerology, even reincarnation. Like the Scorpio, he was born with an understanding of esoteric principles, and these things are usually good for him. They help keep his emotions stable, and they provide an anchor for his vivid imagination. Pisces men get upset now and then, but their anger is seldom violent or long lasting. When it's over, the waters grow placid again, and life is just as peaceful as before. Some Neptune males do a little yelling around the house, but it's harmless. It's almost impossible for the fish to really bellow, like Taurus the bull, for example. See how lucky you are?
Although he's difficult to fathom himself, Pisces has no problem in seeing all the subtleties of others clearly. It's difficult to fool him; he'll look right through to the other side. Yet, he can fool you when he takes a notion to do so, through some quirk he has which makes him want to keep his personal affairs safely hidden from close scrutiny.
One Piscean I know carries this trait so far he has actually been able to fool the government, and thafs no easy trick. All his life he has managed to avoid the census
taker. The Internal Revenue knows less about him than they kirow about a native in Pago Pago. He gets away with it because he's a writer. His phone is listed under a fictitious name, and he's never applied for a social security card or a driver's license. He has a horror of some imaginary Big Brother turning him into a number and knowing all his private secrets.
Your fish may not be quite so neurotic about it, but there will probably be times when he'll tell you he was at the cleaner's when he was really buying a cigar. Why? I really don't know. Nor does he. It's a sort of mild deception the Piscean (also the Geminian) seems to enjoy. As long as he's wearing green suspenders and people think he's wearing orange suspenders-or no suspenders-he feels secure, somehow. Since it makes him happy, let him have his little mysteries. Why make a big deal of it? Even if you know he wasn't at the cleaner because you saw him in the cigar store yourself, ask him if his slacks were ready. When he tells you the man said they won't be ready until Monday, remark that the cleaner is as slow as molasses and let it go at that. He could have far worse habits than practicing a little harmless make-believe just to keep his vivid imagination oiled up and in top working condition.
There won't be many tremendous surges of jealousy. Or if there are, he's such an excellent natural actor (if you let him practice) that hell probably pretend them away. But he's a man, for all his poetic, tender nature, so he'll expect your technical loyalty when everything is said and done. You may have to control your own jealousy, however, because he'll have warm friends of both sexes, and he'll be sympathetic to them, sometimes at odd hours. It's his nature to be gregarious. He can't help it. There's danger here if you're the violently possessive type. An Aries or Leo girl had better chase another moonbeam. He does admire beauty, and he may stare at pretty legs from time to time. But you can keep that in bounds and innocent with a little extra effort, and your reward will be a gentle husband who's both a romantic lover and a companion who can talk about everything under the sun.
When those spells of loneliness and depression cause the gloom to gather, toss your apron in the comer behind the aquarium, throw on a yellow dress and a golden smile, buy some green tickets to a happy show, and trick him right out of it. Pisoeans are particularly vulnerable to suggestion. You may hit a few snags trying to get him to be economical and cautious about money. Neptune people, frankly, aren't noted for their triple A credit ratings (unless he has a Capricorn ascendant or strong planets m Taurus, Aquarius or Cancer, for example). He'll learn, but don't compound the situation by being extravagant yourself, if you can help it. One loose spender per family goes a long way-toward the poor house. He needs a good example. It's surprising how that works with the Pisces character in a sort of follow-the-leader manner. That is, if the leader is close to him and someone he respects. The Piscean nature is vividly receptive to the vibrations around him, especially if they're intensified by emotion.
The children will find him one whale of a lot of fun. Chances are hell take them boating and swimming and snorkel diving. He'll play the part of the Wicked Crocodile and Little Boy Blue until they think they've found a human nursery rhyme, in living color. He may sprinkle them with a little way-out philosophy, sing them some mildly salty ballads, or teach them to stand on their heads, yoga style. They'll probably adore him, and they just may turn out to be well-balanced, well-adjusted adults, thanks to his rare ability to hold a tiny bird in his hand without crushing it or frightening it. You do the spanking and hell do the listening to their young problems-you keep their noses and their clothes clean and he'll keep their minds active. It should work out fine.
Never tread on this man's dreams-he won't forgive that, or forget it. Give him a chance to turn them into realities by helping him find a good, firm star to hitch his wagon to -one that will sparkle instead of fizzing out in an eclipse of common sense. In love, Pisces is a leaner emotionally, which means he needs boundless reassurance and faith, but it also means you musn't lean on him with imaginary complaints. His enthusiastic hopes need to be watered with understanding affection, and make sure you supply the rich soil of a happy home life. Keep the deadly insects of nagging and criticism away from the roots, and someday those wild and crazy hopes of his will change from useless weeds into tall money trees in the backyard, high enough to reach a few of your own private dreams. Hope springs eternal in the Piscean heart. Don't knock it. It may shower you with some gigantic and surprising luck if you nurture it tenderly.
You may have heard or read that Pisces is the sign of "self-undoing," and that could make you all nervous and negative, but don't let it frighten you. True, there's always a bit of self-undoing in all Neptune men, but just "do him back up again," like you would a package that comes untied. If you make the knots tight enough, it won't happen often. Serve him a dream for breakfast, a clever joke for lunch, and Chopin for dinner, with Browning for a chaser. After that, you're on your own. Don't be afraid to jump in. The water's fine.
The PISCES Woman
'Well, what are you?" said the Pigeon. "I can see you're
trying to invent something!" "I-I'm a little girl," said Alice, rather doubtfully.
She found herself at last in a beautiful garden, among the bright flower-beds and the cool fountains.
The line forms to the right. And please don't crowd. There may not be enough Pisces women for every man, but that's no reason to be unruly. You'll have to take
your turn, and hope for the best.
Even without astrology, rumors have spread about the charms of a Pisces female. She has her negative points, to be sure, but at first glance she's every man's grade school valentine, with maybe just a touch of a Playboy bunny to add some pepper. We might as well admit that the modern, emancipated woman, with her cast-iron image, has made the Pisces girl's value shoot even higher. With all that freedom from the feminine mystique clouding the air over lover's lane, the demure, pretty, helpless Neptune creature has to beat off the men with big sticks.
It's hardly surprising that she's at a premium. The Neptune female seldom tries to overshadow her man, married or single. She hasn't the slightest hidden, neurotic desire to dominate him in any way. He can pull out her chair, put on her coat, whistle for the taxi, light her cigarette and talk about how wonderful he is to his heart's content. All she wants is that he should protect her and care for her. She's happily content to lean on his big broad shoulder and let him know, with wide-eyed wonder, how strong he is, and how much she needs him in this scary world. Just think of all those wolves out there, waiting to devour Red Riding Hoods. It's enough to make a girl get out her smelling salts. Even if she isn't quite as Victorian as all that (though plenty of girl fish are), she'll be a charming listener to all his troubles, and what is referred to as a good egg through every crisis.
A Pisces woman thinks her mate, lover, boy friend, brother, father-in fact, any man-can lick the whole world with one hand tied behind his back, and it takes a surprisingly small amount of her touching faith to convince them of the same thing, men being the way they are. And you wonder why she's so popular? The Pisces girl is a cozy, calm haven of tranquility for her proud male, far from the noise of the frame and the ticker tape machines. The lights in her fish pond are soft and dim. They soothe tired eyes which have been blasted by neon and all those silly little figures at the stock market she couldn't understand to save her life. (Though if it would really save her life, she would sharpen her pencil.)
In the winter she wears fluffy angora mittens. In the Spring she wears dainty, full skirts. Summers will find her in a brief bikini. In the fall she'll look adorable sitting beside you at football games, with her hands in your pockets to keep them warm, and asking you the score. She is eternally feminine in all seasons. At the risk of making an understatement, men are drawn to her like bumblebees to a honey pot.
A short conversation with her, and a man instantly relaxes. He pictures a glowing, crackling fire on a chilly night, or he sees himself in a hammock on a balmy spring day, with no one to nag him. She makes it clear that she'll never blame him for any problems in his career or any accidental mistakes. It's always someone else's fault. Not her man's. Shell never press him to get ahead faster. His own pace is perfect with her. Need I explain why the female fish makes the most dangerous other woman of all the Sun signs? Flash! Maritime warning: After marriage she may nudge a little. To be truthful, she may nudge a lot. In a way, it serves you right for letting yourself be so blinded by her charms. Lots of times she'll even be bitterly sarcastic, but every woman has to have some flaws, and the Pisces girl will be gentle far more often than she's quarrelsome. She has to be goaded by extreme cruelty or laziness in a mate to be a shrew-and who's to say a cruel or lazy husband doesn't deserve it? Not me. I'm with her.
Besides, her delectable femininity covers any minor deficiencies, and most of the time the typical Neptune girl is soft, dreamy and womanly. Since the fish swims in both directions at once, she adapts beautifully and quietly to conflicting situations that would turn other women into nervous Nellies. Of course, now and then, some cranky words and irritable chatter may bubble up from her normally placid stream of thought. Occasionally a sensitive Neptune female who has suffered harsh treatment at an early age will allow bitterness to break the two symbolic fish of her sign apart-and this can be very sad. She becomes a lonely, miserable Piscean, always swimming furiously, and meeting herself everywhere she dives down to escape-never realizing that the turning inward of her endless love and sympathy toward herself is the real poison. Drugs and drink and false illusions hide the truth from her and blind her to the rocks in the river that might destroy her. But the average Neputune girl keeps both symbolic fish joined firmly together in smooth action, gliding softly first back, then a little forward, so you're never quite sure exactly which way she's headed. Pisces is said to be a deep, mysterious sea, into which all rivers flow. You'll have a better chance of catching her if you know some of her elusive secrets. What makes her swim?
First of all, she's subtle. Ask Nicky Hilton, Michael Wilding, Eddie Fisher and Richard Burton-each of whom married a Pisces. As a matter of fact, the same Pisces. She is not only subtle, she's sometimes a bit deceptive when she practices her art of wrapping you around her emerald earrings.
Now, you may know a Neptune lady who wears a gingham apron and a shy smile, and who is the epitome of the devoted wife, homemaker and tender mother. You're thinking that she's neither subtle nor deceptive. Forgive my directness, but you are wrong. As for that Pisces lady you think is different, I know her, too, or one just like her.
She's a widow who lives in the Bronx, and her name is Pauline. She also wears a gingham apron and a shy smile -the whole setup. How can such a Fannie Farmer image be subtle or deceptive? I'll tell you. First of all, she wraps everyone around her apron strings. (She doesn't have any emerald earrings. Next year, maybe.) She's a short woman who has managed to stand up to the loss of a dear child, heartbreak, boredom, tragedy, fear, poverty, and even the confusion of sudden, very brief riches. She's coped with little boys' bruised knees, braces, lost galoshes; a husband's sloppy Sunday cook-ins in her neat kitchen-and the biggest mixture of in-laws-all speaking eight languages at once-you ever saw outside the United Nations. She has faced all this mishmash of fate like Rocky Graziano. That's gentle? That's delicate? To this very moment, her two sons think of her as a charming, girlish, helpless, fluttery and soft little creature, who needs to be protected, and who can't quite
understand how the lock works on the front door.
She's delightfully vague and dreamy. She doesn't know a thing about economics, but she manages to dress as though she was turned out by Sophie of Saks, cook frequent seven-course dinners for assorted grandchildren, pay the rent on time, and send exquisite gifts on holidays and birthdays- all on a monthly income about the size of one of Jack Benny's tips. She has the open love and affection of two daughters-in-law, and an incongruous group made up of the librarian, the super, the owner of the comer delly, the fruit man, half a dozen stray cats and children, the butcher, the newsboy, and would you believe it, even the landlord. She may have one enemy. The man she turned down before she married her husband. He probably joined the Foreign Legion in disappointment, and now I doubt if she even remembers his name. Heartless females, these Pisces women. Subtle and deceptive. (But don't try to tell their neighbors that.)
Like the March winds, your Pisces girl will have many a mood. She's terribly sentimental, and when her feelings are wounded she can cry buckets. She'll look at you so reproachfully you'll feel as if you'd just shot a small rabbit. Pisces females sometimes get the idea they're hopelessly unequipped for the fierce battles and driving ambition required to survive. Then deep depression sets in. At these times you'll have to tell her she's admired for her deep, mysterious wisdom and her blessed understanding by every single human she has ever graced with her friendship. It's usually the gospel truth. The hardest lesson she has to learn is to overcome her timidity and her doubts. If the fears go deep, she'll shut herself off from others, then wonder why she's lonely. She's often afraid of imposing, pushing too hard, taking advantage, when such thoughts are in no one's head but hers.
Now and then a Pisces girl will cover her shyness and vulnerability with wisecracks, a sophisticated veneer and a frigid independent personality, but it's merely a cloak of protection, worn to hide her uncertainty from the prying eyes of rough people who would bruise her genfle heart if she exposed it. I know one who pours out her real soul by writing lovely song lyrics with a secret message woven in the shades of her soft, very private dreams. When she's not writing, she's the picture of the brittle, callous, career woman she wants people to see. Yet, even this type of Pisces is unable to fight her Sun sign. With all her make-believe independence she waits on the curb and lets the man whistle for the cab. There are some things one just doesn't do, as far as Neptune women are concerned; not acting like a lady in public is one of them. She fools a lot of men who could quiet her inner fears and make her take back her frequent claim of, "Who needs a husband? They only mess up your life." Imagine a statement like that from a Piscean, who needs to belong to someone more than she needs to sleep, eat or breathe.
A Pisces girl will give all of her heart to her children, except for the large chunk she saves for you. She'll love them all, but the ones who are uglier, weaker, smaller or sicker may have a slight edge with her. Only a Pisces movie star would pass up the little dimpled darlings and adopt a tiny, crippled tot with frightened eyes. Female fish are the greatest women in the world for understanding the shyness of small boys and the growing pains of awkward adolescent girls. A Piscean mother spins a thousand wispy, cobweb dreams over each bassinet. She'll sacrifice anything so her children can have what she was denied as a child. She may be too permissive. Administering discipline is difficult for her, and she must realize that a lack of firmness is often as bad as severe neglect. In a way, it is neglect, of building the small characters in her care, who need firm guidance to leam to swim alone. If she's guilty of too much softness, explain it to her kindly. She'll comprehend without bitterness, and begin to give the hairbrush a workout. Still many Neptune mothers manage a happy medium between discipline and kindness, and their offspring do them credit.
A Pisces woman will gladly let you cam the bacon and cggplant. She'll probably prefer not to enter the brutal competition of the commercial world, unless you desperately need her to. She had enough of that (if she's a typical Neptune girl) when she worked for that big, confusing company while she was waiting for you to rescue her. Some, not all, but some Pisces women are a wee little bit extravagant. She may need some help figuring out why the bank's balance doesn't reconcile with her stubs, written in Sanskrit. Still, when an emergency forces her to adapt her champagne taste to a skim milk pocketbook, she'll manage.
She listens to the ocean, and it tells her things. In the> midst of the city, she still hears the waves of Neptune whispering to her Pisces heart more, perhaps, than she wants to know. Don't forget her birthday or your anniversary or the day you proposed. She won't. I'll always remember the Pisces friend I went to school with in West Virginia. She was tiny, with long, dark hair and those strange Neptune lights in her greenish brown eyes. She married (among several other men) a big football star; it was a totally unexpected elopement. I remember when she asked him why he proposed. She was curious. "Well," he told her, "it was the funniest thing, Shorty. I didn't have the slightest idea of proposing that day. We were in the park, near the pool. The chicks who were lying around getting a tan had wet, stringy hair from swimming, and they looked all hot and sweaty on the benches. You were sitting there under that tree in a white lace dress, and you looked so cool and different from the others. You looked like-well, I guess you sorta looked like a girl." That's the subtle secret of the Pisces woman. Whether she follows Neptune's call as a dedicated nun in a convent or as a sultry songstress in a noisy nightclub-she's a girl. All girl. One hundred percent.
The PISCES Child
Eager eye and willing ear, Lovingly shall nestle near. In a Wonderland they lie,
Dreaming as the days go by, Dreaming as the summers die:
Ever drifting down the stream Lingering in the golden gleam- Life, what is it but a dream?
Most babies, as everyone knows, were found under a cabbage leaf. A few are carried in that long diaper, hanging from the stork's bill or were brought to the hospital in the doctor's black bag. Not your little Pisces bundle. He came straight from fairyland, clutching a moonbeam. If you look closely, you'll still see the reflection of elves and magic wishing trees in his dreamy little eyes, maybe even a trace of stardust smudged behind his left ear. His wings may have disappeared by the time he gets to the delivery room, but there's probably a small bump where they were once fastened.
You've seen those congratulation cards for new mothers, with pictures of dimpled, pink and white painted babies, fragile and gauzy, flying around over the verse. The artist used your Pisces babe as a model. This could make you think you can lead your Neptune child by the toe, or that after you've scrubbed that shiny stardust out of his ears you can mold him into any shape you like. Why not, when he's such a gentle, delicate little lump of clay? Think again. He'll get his own way just as surely as the yelling red-faced Aries baby, the demanding, regal Leo baby or the stubborn, tough little Taurus baby. The only difference is that hell get it by charming you to death, and drowning you in oceans of sweet smiles and winning ways.
As soon as the ink is dry on the birth certificate, turn in the name of your little Pisces boy for the lead in the first future production of Peter Pan or the girl for Alice in Wonderland. Peter Pan and Alice will be the Neptune children's favorite roles, and they won't need a stage to act the parts superbly. They'll still be starring in them when they're eighty. Parents who breathe the age-old prayer, "I wish baby never had to grow up," will get their wish if baby was born under the sign of the fish. The years won't leave any lasting impression: there will always be a childish, dreamy, magical quality of make-believe hanging like a mist over the Pisces. It will drench him in mystery and unreality forever-and-three-days.
By the time he's old enough to crawl into the jam pot and hide, this strange child of yours will show a preference for living in a world of fancy. He'll enjoy diversions that are far removed from everyday patterns and routines. When he's in the high chair, he'll eat like an angel, if you pretend you're a queen or a clown while you're feeding him. Wear a lampshade, dripping with all your old, sparkling necklaces, or a mop for a wig; smear lipstick and chalk on your face. His imagination will supply the rest. When he's a little older, he'U play happily on the front porch while you do the washing if you hang up a few balloons, put some music on the record player, toss around his stuffed animals, give him some popcorn and tell him he's at the circus.
When he's old enough to start to school and begin to have those peculiar dreams at night, you'll be tying his shoes one ordinary spring morning and get a shock. "Guess
who I saw last night?" hell remark confidentially. You'll mumble a polite rejoiner-now where on earth is his green sweater? Oh, there it is-on the teddy bear he dressed up yesterday, when he was pretending it was his best friend.
"Who did you see?"
He'll answer casually, "Grandma Stratton. We talked for a long time, then she had to go. She said to tell you to be sure to water her geraniums and send Uncle Clarence the money."
Since Grandmother Stratton died before he was bom, this could unnerve you a little, on an empty stomach, before coffee. But it's nothing to the prickly sensation you'll get after breakfast, when he's in school and the mailman delivers a letter from your Uncle Clarence from whom you haven't heard in five years, asking for a loan to start a new business.
The wisest parents have difficulty arranging a schedule that will stick with a Pisces offspring. Schedules and routines are his natural enemies, and he'll do everything in his fertile imagination to avoid them. Babies who live upside down-sleep all day and stay awake all night-are often Neptune infants. He wants to eat when he's hungry, sleep when he's tired and play when something attracts his fancy, whenever that might be. Trying to get him to eat, sleep or play at any other time is quite a task. Actually, it's rather a sensible attitude, but the times he gets hungry, tired or playful may vary considerably from day to day and night to night. You might as well adjust your schedule to his. He'll seldom throw tantrums, scream or balk to get you to come around to his way, but he'll gradually win you over by evasive, elusive tactics, and confuse you into Capitulation. You may even get charmed yourself by the 'sheer freedom of it. Not feeling guilty when you chat with neighbors over coffee during the feeding hour, playing a fascinating game of "Princess and Frog" in the still magic hours of dawn-or sharing a bowl of vegetable soup and a cup of hot chocolate with him in the middle of a dreary, gray winter afternoon can become strangely attractive. He might even teach you there's no reason to let that silly clock be a cruel, infallible dictator over your life. It's only a ticking hunk of metal.
The Pisces child will require a healthy amount of attention and appreciation. He'll have to be noticed and encouraged, because he's uncertain about his abilities. Give him as many bushels of it as he needs. Hell also require his moments of privacy. When he goes into one of his mysterious moods of withdrawal, let him be. His mind is a million light years away, and you can't follow. He'll return in plenty of time for his vegetable soup and hot chocolate. Only by now, he'll have changed his lunch hour to mid-evening. If he tells you he was out flying on a saucer with a man from Mars, believe him. It just might be so.
Teachers are always confused when they try to put this odd-shaped peg into a round or square educational hole. He may not fit into either. You'll probably have heaps of struggles between his unique methods of learning and the school's stale routines. Hell simply refuse to conform to a pattern not his own. Don't blame him too much.
The educational system has yet to catch up with Neptune's wisdom. Many Pisces boys and girls are artistic, and most of them love music and dancing. Typical Neptunian youngsters are light on their feet, regardless of their weight. The little girl often longs to be a ballerina; the little boy usually chooses heroes like Beethoven, Michelangelo, the astronauts or Saint Anthony over scientists, presidents and gen-erals. They love all kinds of books and English may be a favorite subject, since Pisces is a good story-teller. They love words, and poetry often enchants them. Neptunians may find math hard to understand at first, but they'll have an uncanny grasp of the abstract theories behind algebra and geometry later on.
There may be a lack of responsibility, which can be frustrating. Pisces children follow their own rules. They're sensitive and easily stabbed to the quick by harshness. Tears may be frequent. These youngsters ordinarily prefer the company of adults to playing with other children. Even' at a tender age, they have a deep wisdom and sympathetic understanding of situations over their heads. A child of Neptune is often accused of lying, yet they aren't lies to him. There's no malicious or cowardly intent. His young mind swims in fluid imagination which whispers a thousand secrets, so utterly delightful and filled with such sheer beauty he can't help trying to make them live in the cold, real world. The fact that these lovely dreams soon die in the sterile, arid soil of a materialistic society is heartbreaking. He needs your deepest pity, or he'll retreat into silent, moody despair.
The Piscean child hears songs of the sea he can never describe. The cold, ugly, naked truth is too brutal for him to bear. He must dress it up occasionally or try to warm it and color it with Neptune shades of romance. It's not fair to call it lying. Instead, encourage him to gather all his clouds and moonbeams and weave them into poems, plays or paintings. Soon enough, he'll learn to adapt to the normal world of brutality, selfishness, cruelty and greed. Why thrust him into it rudely? He may have trouble learning to conform to social and scholastic demands that stifle his individuality. But his parents and teachers can learn from him the value of compassion, understanding, beauty, tolerance, imagination and gentleness. It all depends on the kind of diploma you want from life.
Someday, either the Piscean philosophy of freedom of expression or the conformist concept will win. My money is on Pisces. Of course, your friendly, warm-hearted little Neptunian must be taught that people expect him to adjust eventually to their crazy-quilt, upside-down concepts in order to survive. But if he's shoved too hard by stem, negative adults, he'll lose his way back to the other side of the looking-glass. Don't steal his key. He needs to slip over there now and then, to refresh himself with the true wisdom of the Red Queen and the White Knight. Then he can better cope with the real world of war, poverty, disease, hypocritical ethics and ingratitude. Your little fish needs a cloak of protection against the cold winds to come. Knit it yourself with bright, gay sturdy yam. Try to understand his Neptune ways. Guide him tenderly, wisely, and when he's tall enough, he may someday suddenly reach out and catch one of his silver stars to bring home to you. Then you'll be glad you didn't laugh at his dreams. Better clear off a spot on the mantle right now.
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