A Different Viewpoint of Lew Powell's Character

[Laurie Verge]

Now, Gene...

You are starting to sound like Bill O'Reilly by throwing every possible scenario or other writers' opinions into the pot hoping to make a tasty stew!

Seriously, maids of any background could be/still are "snippy" on occasion. Unfortunately, they are often very aware of what is REALLY going on around them. We have no idea what caused the altercation or what words were exchanged, but I bet there is sufficient guilt on both sides.

And, Betty is correct. Society before the mid-1900s had strict class lines, and gender did not prevent a "woman" from being shown her bounds.