Who are Sam Simpson and Stella from the short-story, The Conversion of Sam?

Stella is a transplant from Virginia to Harlem, and she gets a job at Jim’s shop as a waitress. There, she meets Samuel Simpson, a friendly and witty man. Sam does not have a steady job; instead, he makes money by teaching his dog to perform tricks. Despite his poverty, Stella finds Sam attractive, but hesitates to trust his intentions. His acquisition of a job, though, changes his appearance, from rags to suits, and thus his social status. This convinces her, and she agrees to marry him after his raise. Stella is described as “a lady” who helps Sam maintain his good habits and runs her home well (30).

The rest of the story focuses on Sam, who is well-respected by his boss for being a good worker. Sam’s responsibility as a middle-class man is to maintain his income to keep his wife at home. This requires him to abandon his bad habits, like drinking and gambling. After about six months, though, Sam gravitates back to Poplar Street. His inner strength is tested after being regularly exposed to temptation. When he resorts back to gambling, Sam loses all their money. His love for Stella then makes him ashamed of his habit, keeping him away from home. When Stella is injured searching for him, Sam is jolted back into the life he leads for her in the first place. This motivates him to beg for his job back, which he receives by promising not to relapse into bad behavior again.