She had been a Miss Foley, a dress-maker, and an old maid.
Jeremiah had married her after a brief widowerhood, principally because she was the sister of his parish priest, and had a considerable reputation for piety.

It was at a time when the expansion of his business was promising certain wealth, and suggesting the removal to Octavius.

He was conscious of a notion that his obligations to social respectability were increasing; it was certain that the embarrassments of a motherless family were.

Miss Foley had shown a good deal of attention to his little children.

She was not ill-looking; she bore herself with modesty; she was the priest's sister--the niece once removed of a vicar-general.