Mr. Incoul's Misadventure

"Mr. Incoul's Misadventure" by Edgar Saltus is a story set in the late 1800s that centers on Harmon Incoul, a rich man left alone after his wife passes away, and how he is dealing with his sorrow as everyone expects him to move on. While coping with being lonely, Incoul becomes interested in Maida Barhyte, a young woman who is dealing with her family's money problems. We see how losing his wife changes Mr. Incoul, especially since he didn't have a loving childhood or a fulfilling marriage. When he starts going out again, he meets Miss Barhyte, and we learn that she has mixed feelings about marriage because of her own family's struggles. Incoul wants someone to be with, but Barhyte is trying to handle what her family wants and also find her own way, hinting at a complicated connection between them.