You ain't to blame for it any more than a flower is to blame for being a rose and not a common burdock.

If you've got to do anything, you had better teach school." "I would rather teach school," said Ellen, "but I couldn't earn so much unless I got more education and got a higher position than a district school, and that is out of the question." "I thought maybe your grandmother could send you," said Abby.
"Oh no, grandma can't afford to.

Sometimes I think I could work my own way through college, if it wasn't for being a burden in the mean time, but I don't know." Suddenly Abby Atkins planted herself on the sidewalk in front of Ellen, and looked at her sharply, while an angry flush overspread her face.
"I want to know one thing," said she.
"What ?" "It ain't true what I heard the other day, is it ?" "I don't know what you heard." "Well, I heard you were going to be married." Ellen turned quite pale, and looked at the other girl with a steady regard of grave, indignant blue eyes.
"No, I am not," said she.
"Well, don't be mad, Ellen.

I heard real straight that you were going to marry Granville Joy in the fall." "Well, I am not," repeated Ellen.
"I didn't suppose you were, but I knew he had always wanted you." "Always wanted me!" said Ellen.

"Why, he's only just out of school!" "Oh, I know that, and he's only just gone to work, and he can't be earning much, but I heard it." The stream of factory operatives had thinned; many had taken the trolley-cars, and others had gone to the opposite side of the street, which was shady.