The guardian. [volume] (Boston, Mass.) 1901-1960, 1939-10-28

| spent nef summers at the Lotion
beach home. So Josephine Henderson
grew up without color complex, for
her schoolmates, taking their cue
from Andrea, disregarded their racial
differences and accepted her as zone
of them.
In the final scene of our story,
Josephine and Andrea have reached
the age of thirteen and are excited
over their approaching graduation
from preparatory high school IT'S
three days before the commencement
exercises that Josie runs over to the
Lotions for Andrea She finds Mrs.
Lotion in the library putting some
finishing touches on an exquisite blue
organza frock.
"Why hello, JOSIE" Mrs. Lotion ex-
claims. "Andrea is downtown right
now but she should be home soon.
Why don't you sit down and wait for
her?
"Okay," Josie agrees as she fops
down on the studio couch. ooh, Mrs.
Lotion, what a simply de-vine dress!
Such a gorgeous blue-Andy always
looks ultra in that shade! But why
are you having it blue? We're all
wearing white for commencement"
"Ah, but this isn't Andrea's gradu-
alton gown" Mrs. Lotion explains.
''This is the dress she's wearing at her
graduation party Thursday night"
"Her party?" Josie asks, Devil
dered. "What party?"
why hasn't she told you about it %
Mrs. Lotion asks. That's funny-it's
all we hear about around here; she's
so excited about it. This is the first
party Pm lettin her invite boys to,
you know. She's having about thirty
guests-all her best friends from
school," Mrs. Lotion added thought
lessly. ooh, here's Andrea now-get-
ting off at the corner bus-stop!" Mrs.
Lotion exclaims as she glances out the
window. 81 hope she didn't forget the
ribbon"
I'll think I'll run out and meet her, -
Josie says hastily, but as she closes
the back door, she runs instead to her
own home. Coming into the kitchen
she confronts her mother.
Mother" she announces decisively
''1'm never going to speak to Andrea
Lotion again in my life! Why she's
the most deceitful person I've ever
met. And Mrs. Lotion, tool I despise
them BOTH"
"What on earth are you shouting
about?" Sally asks, annoyed. "Have
you and Andrea had a quarrel ?"
"No-that's just it. She's been
so sweet to me, lately. Saturday
she took me to the movies and yester-
day she bought me a soda. And now
I've found out Why Mother-she's
actually giving party-a graduation
party Thursday and she's not inviting
me! All the boys and girls from
school will be there-except me-her
best friend! Ohm mother" and then
Josie burst into heartbreaking sobs.
Sally draws her daughter to her and
says comfortingly, "There, Josie.
don't think it's as bad as you imagine
Pm sure Andrea is still your best
friend. But, Pm afraid dear, you
would feel out of place there Thurs
day night. Why, there'I be dancing
and there won't be any colored boys
for you to dance with"
"Well, what of that, Mother?" Josie
asks demurely "Why, l can dance
with the white boys, can't II" .
/
her daughters that causes Sally to APP
proach her husband one June morning
fourteen years after the beginning of
our story.
"Joe," she says hesitantly, GIVE
been thinking lately-perhaps we
should move back to River Street this
summer We could sell this house and
perhaps buy my parents old home;
no one has lived in it since they died. y
"You say you want us to move back
to River Street," Joe asks incredu-
lousy, "But, Sal, 1 thought you
liked it here"
] ooh, l debut Pm thinking of our
child again. Do you know that Jose
phine doesn't know a single colored
boy or girl in this city? There haven't
been any at her school and you know
we stopped going to church after we
moved out here. Josephine will be
going to high school this fall and
she'll be old enough to go to parties
and dances. Her white friends aren't
going to invite her; why, Andrea is
irving a party tomorrow night anc
Josie isn't even invited! Colored anC
white children can be close friends
Just so long-but when they reach the
age of Andrea and Josephine-anC
begin thinking about boys and parties
well it's then they want to be with
their own race. They are through
mixing; of course they'll still be
friends, but not in a social way"
$50 if we move back to River
Street." Sally continues, Josephine
will have to go to the high school neal
there-where the other colored chill.
; dren attend and she'll-Joe have you
been listening to me?"
eyes" Joe answers seriously, "I'm
thinking, that's ALL"
"Well, would you mind so much-it
we moved back to River Street p
Sally asks anxiously.
"Sally, I've kept this from you ever
since we moved here-but I've never
really felt at home here. It's been
darn lonely; I've missed the folks or
River Street. Why, Sal, old girl, III
be tickled to death to move back
Why we can start packing next week
can't WEI"
e.. So in the autumn we find Mr.
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