The Wife of his Youth and Other Stories of the Color Line, and Selected Essays

Cicero Clayton at one of the monthly meetings of the Blue Vein Society, of whic

ounger members of the society sometimes spoke of him-among themselves of course-as "Brotherhood Clayton." The sob

Clayton's social creed was th

is classification, for my part, and I imagine that, as the chief party in interest, I have a right to my opinion. People who belong by half or more of

subject; too much, indeed, for he had not been able to escape entirely the tendenc

e best we can. If we are not accepted as white, we can at any rate make it clear that we object to being called black. Our protest cannot fail in time to impress it

nscious of no inconsistency in this eulogy, tended to establish the r

ertainments where many black people were likely to be present. But they had a social refuge in a little society of people like themselves; they attended, too, a church, of which nearly all the members were white, and they were connected with a number of the religi

ring establishment in Groveland. His business occupied a double store on Oakwood Avenue. He owned houses and lots, and stocks and bonds, had good credit at the banks, and lived in a style befitting his income and business standing. In person he was of olive complexion, with slightly curly hair. His features approached the Cuban or Latin-

erm is used with apologies to Mr. Clayton, explaining that it does not necessarily mean a negro-in Groveland. So pronounced was her superiority that really she had but one social rival worthy of the name,-Miss Lura Watkins, whose father kept a prosperous livery stable and lived in almos

ng from the curiosity manifested toward married people of strongly contrasting colors, would not marry black men, and except in rare instances white men would not marry them. They were therefore restricted for a choice to the young men of their own complexion. But these, unfortunately for the girls, had a wider choice. In any State where the laws permit freedom of the marriage contract, a man, by virtue of his sex, can find a wife of whatever complexion he prefers; of course he must not always ask too much in oth

ther's wealth, all made her eminently desirable. But, on the other hand, the same things rendered her more difficult to reach, and harder to please. To get access to her heart, too, it

of work that kept fully impressed upon him the fact that he was a poor dependent. Nevertheless he was a cheerful lad, who took what he could get and was properly grateful, but always meant to get more. By sheer force of industry and affability and shrewdness, he forced his employer to promote him in time to a position of recognized authority in the establishment. Any one outside of the family would have perceived in him a very suitable husband for Miss Clayton; he was of about the same age, or a year or two older, was as fair of complexion as she, when she was not powdered, and was passably good

id. If we can't find anything better for you, there 's always Jack. As long as he does n't take to some o

ished, and when he became aware that the possibility of such a match had occurred to the other parties in interest, he made up his mind that the idea should in due course of time become an accomplished fact. He had even suggested as much to Alice, in a casual way,

see it in that light, for they were gathered from near and far to press their claims for recognition and patronage. On the evening following the White House inaugural ball, the colored people of Washington gave an "inaugural" ball at a large public hall. It was under the management of their leading citizens, among them several high officials holding over from the last administration, and a number of professional and business men. This ball was the most noteworthy social event that colored circles up to that time had ever known. There were many visitors from various parts of the country. Mi