Rural Maine was poverty stricken. A 13 year old girl left to make money at a cotton factory, but the boss slept with her. She had an illegitimate child and was persuaded to give it to a childless couple who paid hey expenses to go back home at the earliest opportunity She shunned all men and grew to be an old maid (30 years old and unwed). A young man came to build highways and they feel in love and got married. When the inlaws came to visit, they were horrified to see that she was his mother. Their marriage was annulled and the whole town knew she had an illegitimate child. She was shunned by the whole town and banned from visiting her family. She wasn't even allowed to see her mom in the casket. Alone she made money from small projects for a meager living and grew her own food. After one particularly bad winter, someone came to see her and she was lying on the floor starving to death. She didn't live to see a doctor. At her funeral her sister put a hand on her body and said "finally she has paid for her sins".