Regret

"Mamzelle Aurlie possessed a good strong figure, ruddy cheeks, hair that was changing from brown to gray, and a determined eye. She wore a man's hat about the farm, and an old blue army overcoat when it was cold, and sometimes top-boots...

'Regret' is a short story by Kate Chopin that was first published in 1897, when it appeared in Chopin's short story collection 'A Night in Acadia' (1897).

When Mademoiselle Aurelie's neighbor appears and asks her to take care of her four children in an emergency, she accepts the challenge very reluctantly. Mademoiselle Aurelie knows nothing about children and cares even less for them. But over the following weeks, the children become a part of her life... until the day when their mother reappears to reclaim them.

Kate Chopin (1850-1904) was an American novelist and short-story writer. She is best known for her classic 1899 novel, 'The Awakening', which has since become a standard of American literature, appreciated for its sophistication and artistry. Chopin's short stories of Cajun and Creole life are collected in 'Bayou Folk' (1894) and 'A Night in Acadie' (1897), and include 'Desiree's Baby' (1893), 'The Story of an Hour' (1894) and 'The Storm' (1969).