It's them! Those Vertreeses!" She wiped her eyes.

"They've had to sell their piano!" "Well, what of it ?" "That Mrs.Kittersby told me all about 'em a week ago," said Sibyl.
"They've been hard up for a long time, and she says as long ago as last winter she knew that girl got a pair of walking-shoes re-soled and patched, because she got it done the same place Mrs.Kittersby's cook had HERS! And the night of the house-warming I kind of got suspicious, myself.

She didn't have one single piece of any kind of real jewelry, and you could see her dress was an old one done over.

Men can't tell those things, and you all made a big fuss over her, but I thought she looked a sight, myself! Of course, EDITH was crazy to have her, and--" "Well, well ?" he urged, impatiently.
"Well, I'm TELLING you! Mrs.Kittersby says they haven't got a THING! Just absolutely NOTHING--and they don't know anywhere to turn! The family's all died out but them, and all the relatives they got are very distant, and live East and scarcely know 'em.

She says the whole town's been wondering what WOULD become of 'em.