y a
well-to-do spinster aunt, who is strong-minded and runs her own farm.
After a time we glided by way of similar transitions to the mention of
his name.

"'Niram Purdon tells me his stepmother is no better," I said. "Isn't it
too bad?" I thought it well for Ev'leen Ann to be dragged out of her
black cave of silence once in a while, even if it could be done only by
force. As she made no answer, I went on. "Everybody who knows 'Niram
thinks it splendid of him to do so much for his stepmother."

Ev'leen Ann responded with a detached air, as though speaking of a
matter in China: "Well, it ain't any more than what he should. She was
awful good to him when he was little and his father got so sick. I guess
'Niram wouldn't ha' had much to eat if she hadn't ha' gone out sewing to
earn it for him and Mr. Purdon." She added firmly, after a moment's
pause, "No, ma'am, I don't guess it's any more than what 'Niram had
ought to do."

"But it's very hard on a young man to feel that he's not able to marry,"
I continued. Once in a great while we came so near the matter as this.
Ev'leen Ann made no answer. Her face took on a pinched look of
sickness. She set her lips as though she would never speak again. But I
knew that a criticism of 'Niram would always rouse her, and said: "And
really, I think 'Niram makes a great mistake to act as he does. A wife
would be a help to him. She could take care of Mrs. Purdon and keep the
house."

Ev'leen Ann rose to the bait, speaking quickly with some heat: "I guess
'Niram knows what's right for him to do! He can't afford to marry when
he can't even keep up with the doctor's bills and all. He keeps the
house himself, nights and mornings, and Mrs. Purdon is awful handy about
taking care of herself, for all she's bedridden. That's her way, you
know. She can't bear to have folks do for her. She'd die before she'd
let anybody do anything for her that she could anyways do for herself!"

I sighed acquiescingly. Mrs. Purdon's fierce independence was a rock on
which every attempt at sympathy or help shattered itself to atoms. There
seemed to be no other emotion left in her poor old work-worn shell of a
body. As I looked at Ev'leen Ann it seemed rather a hateful
characteristic, and I remarked, "It seems to me it's asking a good deal
of 'Niram to spoil his life in order that his stepmother can go on
pretending she's independent."

Ev'leen Ann explained hastily: "Oh, 'Niram doesn't tell her anything
about