The Devil's Trill

EDIT: Someone pointed out that the “join a convent” line would imply that Miriam’s family is catholic, when they’re actually meant to be methodist. So yeah, that’s indeed a mistake, hence that bit of dialogue was cut and tweaked.

During my research I did read that for young women who were seen as a “stain” on the family’s reputation, getting kicked to the curb like this was sadly not unheard of.  Even worse is when some were sent to asylums for “treatment” of whatever they saw as “wrong” with them, and sometimes the families who sent them there would still keep contact with them cut even after they’re released.

Heck even if they simply can’t nab a husband soon enough, they’re considered a doomed old maid and often sent away to a relative’s house to become something like a governess or lady’s maid.