The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1943-08-14

Are you two quite alone here
now?" | asked
Yes il seemed they we're. There
was an older daughter away al
college living in a dormitory. !
learned. with white girls. asked
to see her picture, too. and they
brought me another framed photo
graph. looked into an extremely
fair and pretty face.
What a handsome family you
are!" ! exclaimed.
They smiled az that. but as If
they had heard il before.
We had tea. and we talked and
heard Of the trip 20 Europe where
the father had gone for advanced
study in medicine. Why had he
gone TO Europe. asked?
The faint shadow passed over the
pretty woman's face. "lt's easier
for US over there" she sai1. Then
she added I'VE doubted whether he
would have been allowed TO DO the
same work here"
Until then I had been enjoyirr
myself I had been thinkir7. here
IS a colored American family who
feels no disadvantage N thci- color
Obviously they are wellto-do. h .gh-
v educated. and happy. had
never had this experience before.
| had not seen colored Americans
who did not have a rambling bitter
sense OF injustice done them. Tbs
family. thought with relief,
showed that Il was possible 20 live
in America. co.ored. and yet Ike
anyone else.
Does your husband have white
patients as we'll as co.ored" !
asked.
"Oh yes" the pretty woman SAID
"Hc goes wherever he is needed.
And YOU asked. do you have
white friends"
NO" she sad quietly. ~ have
none"
"Bu: your daughter" persisted,
she tells ne she goes 10 sehoo!
with white girls?'
so did l." the mother said, but
after school I didn't see them any
more
But Why" 7 asked.
"One doesn't want 20 90 where
/ ne welcome IS doubtful" she re-
ped.
TIE SHADOW was very c,ea- now
determined 70 pierce !: and find
on: wha: J: meant.
Lets talk frankly abol: this
mater Of race" sad. DO YOU
have much .rou5.e with J. here IL
Philadelphia
Oh 70" she said quickly. NO
Z we choose our places. Tha. is
there are nice places 20 eat where
they will let Us come IN and We
lust don't go 10 the other places
We soon find out where the r Oh
places are and We avoid insult
And the theatres?"
The bes. ones don't d'scrimin
ate" she said And we can heal
good music-.hey lei Us come K
the concerts,
They" asked.
The white people, She sal;
gently. :.
:"Ba: YOU have your own friends
j., asked.
oh yes" SIZE sad. cFer ,ac'
81 gh.ened. II have *e-y nice
friends. and .he.r daughters are NY
daughters friends We have
Pleasant l.:,,e SCI Of our own ard
We I've within H.
We talked for AZ hour more.
pressing ny questions snd she an
swer.ng with a sor: Of sweet frank
ness ina. 7 found charming Now
and again the dark pretty daughter
would add soNe;a.ng
began after while 10 have
strange tw.rgeS Of memory. Where
rad seen tbs sort q thing before
delicate pretty women. sensitive
faces. weN-bred manners and gentle
voices ,u.eres, II music and thea
ire. and We; all ~ I; 'hedged aoou'
win az unexpresSed fear Where
before had seer this world WITH
n a world Vale We talked le
my Ind 81 searching MO the past
unit, Pound the people OF Whom
.hese ;Xo women reminded ne.
What L remembered were iAt
refugees in many parts 81 The wor d
They were the families O. white
Russian noblemen in Shanghai
driven out o. their oNn ooun'r!
- bv the communists. In a drawn
room in Shanghai had "a: some
times Ike THIS. listening 20 RusSia'
ladies WHO were living in a l;ttI'
world OF their own. try:r1 TO forge
he real world Yes, and ! remem
5ered refugees in France, the carl!
refugees from Germany. weA-bor'
we,l-bred people living N small
circle. maintaining their .:e D
forgetting what they did not wan
10 remember. And the oihc7 Ga.
IN New York | saw the refugee
again. Chinese ladies' IN New f'rs
ladies' from Hong kons ard Slang
hal. from Hangchow ard Pek'ns
come 70 America. infinitely >iranc
: hero IN their de.i,acy AMI the
: beauty. c,!reing together. Try u
; a make a little world tor them
selves in fearful world outside
Yes. that Is What they reminde
ne %. tbs American mother an
daughter
DO you feel American" I aske
, suddenly. They we're startled .
the question. oh yes" TIE moine
, sad. |, was her frs. toach Of rej
! MISSION. Why" she sa.o. "we De
,org here"
She looked az NE bew.,dered,
could see. by my qucS' OF. and Ia
, ri s!itered by i, We've been he.
; for generations" she sad and NJ
husbands fighting Tor AneF.e'
: On. yes. we're American"
-