Herman Kreder did not care much to get married.  He was a gentle soul and a little fearful.  He had a sullen temper, too.  He was obedient to his father and his mother.  He always did his work well.  He often went out on Saturday nights and on Sundays, with other men.  He liked it with them but he never became really joyous.  He liked to be with men and he hated to have women with them.  He was obedient to his mother, but he did not care much to get married.

Mrs. Haydon and the elder Kreders had often talked the marriage over.  They all three liked it very well.  Lena would do anything that Mrs. Haydon wanted, and Herman was always obedient in everything to his father and his mother.  Both Lena and Herman were saving and good workers and neither of them ever wanted their own way.

The elder Kreders, everybody knew, had saved up all their money, and they were hard, good german people, and Mrs. Haydon was sure that with these people Lena would never be in any trouble.  Mr. Haydon would not say anything about it.  He knew old Kreder had a lot of money and owned some good houses, and he did not care what his wife did with that simple, stupid Lena, so long as she would be sure never to need help or to be in trouble.

Lena did not care much to get married.  She liked her life very well where she was working.  She did not think much about Herman Kreder.  She thought he was a good man and she always found him very quiet.  Neither of them ever spoke much to the other.  Lena did not care much just then about getting married.

Mrs. Haydon spoke to Lena about it very often.  Lena never answered anything at all.  Mrs. Haydon thought, perhaps Lena did not like Herman Kreder.  Mrs. Haydon could not believe that any girl not even Lena, really had no feeling about getting married.

Mrs. Haydon spoke to Lena very often about Herman.  Mrs. Haydon sometimes got very angry with Lena.  She was afraid that Lena, for once, was going to be stubborn, now when it was all fixed right for her to be married.

“Why you stand there so stupid, why don’t you answer, Lena,” said Mrs. Haydon one Sunday, at the end of a long talking that she was giving Lena about Herman Kreder, and about Lena’s getting married to him.

“Yes ma’am,” said Lena, and then Mrs. Haydon was furious with this stupid Lena.  “Why don’t you answer with some sense, Lena, when I ask you if you don’t like Herman Kreder.  You stand there so stupid and don’t answer just like you ain’t heard a word what I been saying to you.  I never see anybody like you, Lena.  If you going to burst out at all, why don’t you burst out sudden instead of standing there so silly and don’t answer.  And here I am so good to you, and find you a good husband so you can have a place to live in all your own.  Answer me, Lena, don’t you like Herman Kreder?  He is a fine young fellow, almost too good for you, Lena, when you stand there so stupid and don’t make no answer.  There ain’t many poor girls that get the chance you got now to get married.”