Mary E. Wilkins Freeman

“ Now I'm goin' to preach to the minister and the minister's wife. Who be you, either one of you, to set up for knowin' what your duty is before other folks that's older? Esther's father wants her to get married. He thinks the world of her, and he knows she's always devoted her life to him, but — he don't want her to! And Willard's ma; she knows Willard has devoted his life to her, and — she don't want him to!
“Billy, here, and Maria, both just want their son and daughter to get married and look out for their own interests, and let them alone to look out for theirs. ”

“ We could do jest as we was a mind to.”
“But Esther's sot.”
“When it comes to what she thinks is her duty, Esther is more than sot. She's growed to it.”
“Willard Comstock always liked her, and a minister ought to have a wife.”
“Esther told him not to come here again. She said it would make talk, and he'd better marry some one else. She said, ‘As long as father lives, my duty is right here.’ It made me feel kind of queer.” Old Billy's voice was pathetic. “Seems as if old folks hadn't ought to stand in the way of young ones, but how in Sam Hill be they goin' to git out till the Lord calls 'em?” ”

“ She says she and her sister can be a heap more comfortable if Willard gets married. She says their help is gittin' old, and it's nothin' but tend door, and answer the telephone, and entertain ministers exchangin'. She says it ain't any work for elderly women. Then she says they have to entertain a lot besides, and poor folks are always comin' for some charity just at meal-times. Lord! poor Maria Comstock don't want duty done by her any more than you do, Billy. ”

“ Much of Sam's slender income was spent for cleanliness, although the general aspect of his living-room went far to deny it.
Dust was everywhere. Sam was philosophical about dust. “Folks are silly, fussin' so about dust,” he was wont to remark. “Dust has to be somewhere. When it's layin' on the chairs and tables it's out of mischief. You ain't breathin' it in. What folks want to go round stirrin' up dust for when it's quiet and out of mischief, beats me.” ”

“ The chairs and the deep old sofa were worn into the exact comfortable needs of human forms. A stovepipe had been fitted into an iron fireboard covering the great fireplace, and there was a cooking-stove. ”

“ She said tobacco ashes was clean dirt, and good to keep out moths. I dunno but Betsey would have smoked herself if I'd tried to make her. And I could set anywhere I wanted to, and tip my chair back, and lean my head agin' any wall-paper in the house. ”

“ Sam began to speak.
“I know all about it,” said he. “I know you two young folks, that ain't gittin' any younger whilst you're waitin', want to get married and set up your own home. And I know Esther thinks it's her duty to stay single and take care of her pa. And Willard thinks it's his to stay single and take care of his ma. ”