Miss Holdfelder did not seem content with her life, however. Clara Holdfelder did not know her true birth parents. She also could not bear the thought of having a husband whose lineage was so dignified while she did not have any sort of lineage at all. What was worse to her was if he found out that she was of a much lesser family in status after they got married. .
It is interesting how Clara longed to know about her heritage, but for some reason, she was afraid of finding out at the same time. If her family's social status was not as distinguished as her suitor, than she would feel as if she was not worthy. "Suppose you should marry me, and then some time you should learn that my origin was the worst it could be- that I not only had no name, but was not entitled to one."(pg. 33) .
The author brings up the fact that the current class that Clara is teaching when we first meet her, is all colored pupils. He mentions that although Clara was hesitant at first, only being taken aback by the fact that she would have "personal contact with the dark faces-(pg. 36). Clara is also shown admiring the class full of colored students, making remarks on their ability to learn dance maneuvers quickly, their polite mannerisms, and most of them come from very respectable backgrounds. Admiration and respect, however, is something other than complete and natural acceptance. .
Although Clara's class consisted of students that she " usually passed on the street without a second glance, and among them were several whom she had known by sight for years, but had never dreamed of as being colored people." (pg 37), it shows that Clara does indeed had stereotypes of African Americans looking very dark skinned. She also states that to her surprise, she expected her pupils to be " darker and more uncouth." At one point, Clara's suitor states something that reinforces the biased view underlying all the respect and admiration: " the whitest of them would find their position painful and more or less pathetic; to be so white and yet to be classed as black- so near and yet so far.