The Green caldron - University Library

30 The Green Caldron
is different in nature from a law established by legislative action of Congress,
but even laws established by the Supreme Court are not so iron-bound and
unyielding that they cannot be questioned and possibly even altered by those
governed by the laws.
Those who would banish the White Citizens' Councils choose to ignore
two of the basic rights of American citizens in order to hasten the enforcement
of a law. The thoughtful observer may foresee the dire consequences of
this hasty action. If the rights of the members of the White Citizens' Councils
are nullified, it will set a precedent which will endanger the basic rights of
every American citizen. That precedent will be the nullification of basic
rights in order to facilitate quicker and more efficient enforcement of other
laws. When this happens America will cease to be the great free country
it is today.
EVERY
Sketch
JuTTA Anderson
Rhetoric 101, Theme 12
WEDNESDAY—AT THREE—THEY WOULD COME.
Every Wednesday, we could hear their feeble stumbling, their giggling
and chuckling, coming through the garden into the house. Anna, the
maid, would open the door and tell them that the table was set in the second
dining room. Every Wednesday—at three Maman had coffee hour for her
lady friends.
Papa, in his formal and a little bit uncomfortable suit, Maman, in her
silky afternoon dress, and we three girls, bored, but having surrendered to
the ceremony, would await them in the living room. Papa would bow over
every hand, kiss it, and assure each of these old ladies of his most exquisite
delight to see her. Maman would accept the somewhat tired, tepid greetings
as a queen accepts the cheerings of her subjects. We girls, according to
strict etiquette, would kiss all those old, faded, flabby, dried cheeks, and show
our best smiles. Each time, after this welcome scene. Papa would excuse himself
and disappear, not without my sister whispering into my ear, "Lucky
person !"
At 3:15, Anna would open the sliding doors to the dining room where the
table was set : every time, one little tiny glass of sherry ; every time, coffee
with whipping cream ; every time, two different coffee cakes.
Then we would take our seats. My sisters and I, placed carefully among
the ladies, had no other social obligation than to pass coffee, whipping cream,
sugar, or cake plates up or down the table, and to say : "How wonderful !" or
'Tsn't that interesting!" or "How delightful, ma cherie!" at the appropriate
—