Such a mother is a terrible burden on a young man," and Mercy continued talking about Mrs.White, until she had effectually led the conversation away from Stephen.
When Lizzy Hunter first began to recognize the possibility of her Uncle Dorrance's loving her dear friend Mercy, she found it very hard to refrain, in her talks with Mercy, from all allusions to such a possibility.

But she knew instinctively that any such suggestion would terrify Mercy, and make her withdraw herself altogether.

So she contented herself with talking to her in what she thought were safe generalizations on the subject of marriage.

Lizzy Hunter was one of the clinging, caressing, caressable women, who nestle into men's affections as kittens nestle into warm corners, and from very much the same motives,--love of warmth and shelter, and of being fondled.

To all these instincts in Lizzy, however, were added a really beautiful motherliness and great loyalty of affection.