[One Thousand Characters a Day] Some Solitudes Are Not Lonely <3>

Editor's NoteMary E. Wilkins Freeman (1852?1930), an American novelist, published many works dealing with women's roles and their relationships in society. She was recognized by critics for her detailed portrayal of the Puritan character of the New England region and its people, especially the lives of poor working-class women. In the short story collection introduced today, (1891), she breaks prejudices about women's roles and values by granting female characters independence instead of weakness and dependence. Above all, she depicts the peaceful and elegant life of a single woman as supremely comfortable and delightful. Word count: 882.

Louisa tied a green apron around her waist and took out a flat straw hat adorned with a green ribbon. Then, carrying a small blue bowl, she went to the garden to pick berries of the American mountain ash to brew tea. After picking them all, she sat on the steps behind the house, removed the berries, and carefully gathered the remaining stems in her apron to throw them into the chicken coop. She thoroughly checked to make sure no branches had fallen onto the lawn behind the steps.

Louisa moved slowly and quietly. It took her a long time to prepare the tea. But when it was finally ready, she served it very elegantly, as if entertaining a precious guest. The linen tablecloth spread over the small square table in the middle of the living room was starched stiff with grass and the embroidered floral patterns along its edges shimmered. Louisa laid a damask napkin on the tea tray, along with a cut-glass container holding teaspoons, a silver cream pitcher, a sugar bowl made of porcelain, and a pink ceramic teacup with its saucer. Louisa used porcelain dishes every day, which was something no one else in the neighborhood did. The neighbors whispered about it. They usually placed ordinary dishes on the table and kept their best porcelain sets reserved in the cabinet in the living room, never using them. Yet Louisa Ellis was neither wealthier nor of higher status than they were. Still, she continued to use those porcelain dishes. She set the table with tea made from American mountain ash berries sweetened with plenty of sugar, a plate of small cakes, and a thin white biscuit plate. Another plate held one or two neatly sliced lettuce leaves. Louisa loved lettuce and had perfectly grown it in her small vegetable garden. She ate all this food elegantly but diligently, little by little. It was astonishing how the food disappeared despite her eating so little.

－ , edited by Zachary Seeger, translated by Park Sanho, Influential, 16,500 KRW