For twenty-five years he had looked at her so . Must he continue to go on looking at ugliness in the shape of a wife all the rest of his life -- he , who worshipped beauty in everything ? `` Did my mother look like you , Aunt Catherine ? '' he asked abruptly . His aunt stared -- and snorted . Her snort was meant to express kindly amusement , but it sounded like derision and contempt . `` Yer ma was n't so humly as me , '' she said cheerfully , `` but she wa n't no beauty either . None of the Temples was ever better lookin ' than was necessary . We was workers . Yer pa wa 'n' t bad looking . You 're humlier than either of 'em . Some ways ye take after yer grandma -- though she was counted pretty at one time . She was yaller and spindlin ' like you , and you 've got her eyes . What yer so int ` rested in yer ma 's looks all at once fer ? '' `` I was wondering , '' said Roger coolly , `` if Father ever looked at her across the table and wished she were prettier . '' Catherine giggled . Her giggle was ugly and disagreeable like everything else about her -- everything except a certain odd , loving , loyal old heart buried deep in her bosom , for the sake of which Roger endured the giggle and all the rest . `` Dessay he did -- dessay he did . Men al ` ays has a hankerin ' for good looks . But ye 've got to cut yer coat ` cording to yer cloth .
As for yer poor XXXXX , she did n't live long enough to git as ugly as me .
Aunt None beauty bosom contempt ma sake snort t ways