Caleb Trench

"Caleb Trench" by Mary Imlay Taylor is a story from the early 1900s that tells about Caleb Trench, a store owner who wants to become a lawyer. He's a really honest person, which makes him different in his small southern town, especially since there are a lot of problems with social classes and politics. The book centers on how Caleb interacts with Diana Royall, a fancy woman who is confused about her own feelings. This sets up a story about being honest, dealing with different social classes, and maybe even falling in love. Early in the story, Diana is in her fancy room, talking about how Caleb came to visit her just to return six cents he owed her. This shows that Diana thinks she's better than him, but it also hints that she might have feelings for Caleb, even though his honesty challenges what she believes. As the story goes on, the readers learn about Caleb’s life, like how he helps a poor young mother and how good of a friend he is to his dog. The beginning of the story brings together ideas about class differences, being true to yourself, and starting to like someone, all while showing how hard it can be when what you want is different from what society expects.