When he talked with them it was of things they understood, local affairs, the cranberry crop, fishing, and the doings of the Board of Selectmen.

He was willing to listen as well as talk and he did not refer to permanent residents as "natives," a habit of his wife's which irritated the Captain extremely.
"Jumpin' fire!" said the latter on one occasion, "every time that woman calls us town folks 'natives' I feel as if she cal'lated I lived up a tree and chucked coconuts at folks.

I don't wonder some of the South Sea Islands heathen eat missionaries.

If I ATE that woman she might agree with me; she don't as 'tis.

Every time I say yes she says no, and that makes me think yes harder'n ever." So Mrs.Keith was not popular with the South Harniss natives, perhaps because she tried so hard to be; her husband, who apparently did not try to be, was.