I think the family is poor.

They've sold their handsome house, and are living in a much smaller one.

I heard father say that Mr.Howland had received an extension from his creditors, but that he was too much crippled to be able to go through, and would, in the end, break down entirely." There was another pause, and then Andrew changed the subject by asking the young man something about himself, and led on the conversation, from step to step, until he got him to mention the fact that he had a sister named Emily.
"Is she older than yourself ?" inquired Andrew.
"Oh, yes.

Some four years older," was replied.
"Married, of course," said Andrew.
The very effort he made to say this with seeming unconcern gave so unnatural an expression to his tone of voice, that young Winters looked at him with momentary surprise.
"No, she is not married," he answered.
"She's old enough," said Andrew, speaking now in a tone of more real indifference.
"Yes; but she'll probably die an old maid.

She's had two or three good offers; but no one appears just to suit her fancy.