In Sarah Orne Jewett's story "A White Heron," Mrs. Tilley lives in an isolated little house in the country with only her granddaughter Sylvia for company. Mrs. Tilley chose Sylvia as her companion out of all her daughter's many children perhaps because she sensed that the girl is afraid of people. Perhaps Mrs. Tilley notices such things more because she spends so much time in solitude herself. She recognizes her granddaughter's similar personality.

Mrs. Tilley and her granddaughter don't get much company, and even though Mrs. Tilley seems to enjoy her days in her home, she is quick to offer hospitality to the passing hunter. She knows the area well, and she realizes that it is isolated and that there is nowhere else nearby for him to stay. Mrs. Tilley sets a good table for the young hunter, and she enjoys visiting with him. Perhaps his arrival has reminded her that socializing can sometimes be pleasant. Further, she has a comfortable little house with plenty to share, even of stories, and she is willing to do so.

Mrs. Tilley is also a calm, steady woman who goes about her daily life in a peaceful, quiet way. This likely reflects the beauty of the natural world all around here. There is no reason to hurry or get upset about things. Nature never hustles or frets, and Mrs. Tilly doesn't either. She cannot, therefore, understand the hunter's urgency about killing the white heron.