Olive Higgins Prouty

“ But so long as the reasons which she had given out to Reba, and to her little world in Ridgefield, for undertaking this self-sacrificing task existed, so long, it seemed to her, she must stay by it. No self-respecting woman could abandon a mission of mercy, as broadly advertised as hers had been, simply because it proved disagreeable.
It was the intervention of heaven that released Augusta finally, and at the same time loosed Emma's chains, mercifully flung wide all closed doors for poor Joey Rand, dried Eunice's tears, solaced David, and gave to the unexpecting, unhoping Reba freedom again. ”

“ As sweet as victory was to Augusta Morgan she felt nothing but rancor for Reba, who had made her pay such a price for triumph. During the week or two preceding her aunts' departure for Maine, Reba endured all sorts of cruelties—long tirades on her "doings" at the Alliance, thrusts at her age, and frequent jibes at her failure to marry. ”

“ Reba had never had any experience before in the personal care of the invalid. Aunt Emma had always dressed Eunice, bathed her, brushed her hair, and taken complete charge of her at night, sleeping on a cot in one corner of the room. Reba wished her mother would be a little more patient with her in her awkward handling of basin, washcloth, and hairbrush. She would learn in time. But no—always criticism, always irritation, always tears at last. It seemed to Reba that her mother's wrinkled cheeks were never dry. ”