He had not encumbered himself with a crude wife from the countryside, but had married a woman with important connections.

Blackford Singleton had been one of the leading men of the state, and Mrs.Owen, his sister, was not a negligible figure in the background against which the reporter saw he must sketch the Fraserville senator.

Harwood had met the wives of other Hoosier statesmen--uninteresting creatures in the main, and palpably of little assistance to ambitious husbands.
It appeared that the Bassetts spent their summers at their cottage on Lake Waupegan and that Mrs.Owen had a farm near them.

It was clear that Bassett enjoyed his family.

He fell into a chaffing way with his children and laughed heartily at Marian's forwardness.