Milford chronicle., 1932-06-03
DISCARDE I D.
BY Loretta Berridge

flushed, and her eyes held shadows
of pain and shame. A third girl
Joined the two whisperers.
Hush! she'll hear. l think you're
mean bringing up something in her
past. She couldn't change it. Leave
her alone"
The girls separated. Mary went on
with her work, but with a back
ground of longing for the friends
she had never had. During the
month she had been at school, she
had had many embarrassing NOM
ents forced upon her The constant
whispers of the other girls and boys
cut into her sensitive heart. Mary's
little brain was a whirlpool of un-
happy thoughts. She said half
aloud:
why can't they understand it
isn't my fault? l can't help it if
my Nanny and Pappy are little
darker than they are. They are just
as kind. Why can't they under
stand?"
Mary forced herself to do her
work trying in vain to force those
ugly thoughts from her mind. The
door of the school opened softly and
Ann White, the girl who pleaded for
her on the playground, came in.
"What are you doing, Mary?"
asked Ann.
I'm doing my lessons for tOmOr-
row." responded Mary timidly.
do it tonight at home. Come out
and play, Annie Over the Garden
Wall, with u.s." said Ann.
mo, l can't come out. The other
girls laugh at me. They don't want
to play when l come out. Please
don't ask them too either" answer
ed Mary who now had big tears in
her pretty brown eyes.
MARY, you just imagine they
laugh at you. They don't really"
Don't try to cover it over, l know
they are laughing at me" respond
ed Mary piteOusly.
What are you studying for,
Mary?" questioned Ann.
"I'm studying for the spelling
bee that's to be held tomorrow. |
hope l can win," answered Mary.
''I'm sure you will. Now come out
and play"
''No, can't do it. You go ahead
and play, I'd rather study anyhow"
said Mary.
Ann turned and walked to the
door slowly as if there was some
thing else she wanted to say but
hated to. Ann was the only girl
among the school group that even
bothered to talk to her. Mary felt so
lonesome at times that she wonder
ed if it was worth the effort.
Mary was the only child in her
family. Her parents were of negro
descent but they had a clear and
fair skin as any of the other chill
dren's parents. Still the children at
the country school considered her a
colored child and refused to play
with her. II
On the day of the spelling bee |
Mary tried her best to look her mic !
est because number of the parents |
were to be present at the school |
that day. Mr.. Terrand. the old /
school master, called each class and |
each class was spelled down. Then
CdllAO Acl CAloo WlAANh SOh0AoAOa
of three little boys and four girls.
Mary was at the head of her class
as usual Mr.. Terrand began.
MARY, spell grammar"
"G-r-a-m-m-a-r," spelled Mary dis
tinctly.
Correct"
Tommy, spell separate"
"S-e-p-e-r-a-t-e."
Wrong, sit down Tommy" said
the master sternly.
Elizabeth, spell interest"
"I-n-t-e-r-e-s-t"
Correct"
"Mary Jane, spell observe"
"O-b-s-i-r-V-e," spelled the tiny
one.
Wrong, sit down, Mary Jane" the
master said irOnly.
After about fifteen minutes of this
Mary was the only person left who
couldn't be spelled down. They made
her spell a score of words, but she
know every one. Finally Mr.. Ter
rand declared her winner of the
spelling bee.
Mary was very proud. She took the
honor with a cheerful smile on her
face but inside her little heart was
almost breaking. Not one of the
children had spoken to her about
She wanted some one to
share it with her.
That night when she went home
and told her good old parents of her
success she was awarded for all her
efforts. Old Nanny held her close
10 her breast and said:
MARY, why are you so sad lately,
before you started to school you
we're as light-hearted and gay as
my one could be- Tell your old
Nanny what is bothering you"
Nothing, Nanny" answered
Mary. She wasn't the one to COM
)lain of her troubles. She'd find
way out some time. [
Fall was almost here. Mary sat
the birds hopping about on I
he smokehOuse roof. She felt so
,lue. All the world seemed bright |
md gay-still she was sad. Mary {
NEW the reason she was discarded. 7
She knew of the negro blood in her !
amily but it didn't make her asham- d
d.; in fact she was proud. She S
wouldn't have changed it for the t
7orld. Nobody was ever prouder Of i