Summary

Norah Coveney tells the story to the narrator about Miss Kate and Miss Ellen. Ellen is mentally ill, and Kate works hard to keep her out of an institution. Miss Kate dies suddenly. They find Ellen, and discover that she is not in fact the woman’s sister.

Analysis

Kate is described as prideful. Though the shock of discovering her dead is great, it takes the men and even a few of the women a while to realize what has happened. It is never explicitly stated in the story, but Kate appears to be Ellen’s daughter as opposed to her sister.

Vocabulary

shabby, astray, stupefied, pertly