Mary E. Wilkes Freeman

Mary E. Wilkes Freeman's story, "A New England Nun," challenges the notion that a woman alone is an unhappy, lonely woman. Through Louisa Ellis, Freeman shows us that this is not always the case. Louisa cherishes her independence and the thought of losing it fills her with dread. Freeman captures Louisa's nervousness and trepidation about her impending marriage so well that I am easily able to fall into the story and have much empathy for the character.
As the story begins we are introduced to her fiance, Joe Dagget. The first encounter between the two of them is filled with tension and unease. Joe moved the books, Louisa put them back. It is  obvious from the beginning that things will not go well for their relationship. As the scene progresses I grow more and more tense along with Louisa. I feel myself cringing throughout their encounter, and when Joe finally leaves the house I realized I have been holding my breath in anticipation of some sort of outburst that never comes.
See, Louisa has been waiting for Dagget to return from a journey where he has made his fortune. The plan is for the two to be married upon his homecoming, but life does not always go according to plan. In his fourteen year absence, Louisa has grown to enjoy her life alone. She cannot imagine giving up her little home and her precious routines. She has become comfortable with her yellow canary and her sad, chained-up dog. Louisa feels that only in her own home can she be truly happy and free from the judgement of others. She can easily spend her time cleaning, organizing and doing her "pointless" needlework. These are the things she takes pride in and she would hate to give them up.
throughout the story Louise yearns for a way out of the impending marriage. In her heart she knows it would be a mistake, but she sees no way out. That is, until she hears Joe and Lily expressing their love to one another. As she listens to them, she feels an immense release of tension as she realizes she is no longer chained to a man she does not want to marry. After she and Joe go their separate ways, she sheds a few tears and is once more able to settle into her simple, yet satisfying day to day routines without fear of reprisal.