Horatio Alger, Driven from Home — Chapter XXXI: Carl Takes Supper with Miss Norris (1889)
“ During the meal Miss Norris questioned Carl closely as to his home experiences. Having no reason for concealment Carl frankly related his troubles with his stepmother, eliciting expressions of sympathy and approval from his hostess."Your stepmother must be an ugly creature?" she said."I am afraid I am prejudiced against her," said Carl, "but that is my opinion.""Your father must be very weak to be influenced against his own son by such a woman." ”
