# Mahailey — One of Ours character guide > Mahailey in One of Ours by Willa Cather. **Role:** supporting **Also known as:** Old Mahailey **First appearance:** 0004-i ## Snapshot The Wheelers' illiterate, warm-hearted hired woman, who mends and is mended by Claude and remembers him when he was small. ## Who they are Brought West by a family that scattered, Mahailey found a home with the Wheelers and never left; she can't read, counts herself lucky to have shoes, and senses every current of feeling in the household. Claude fixes her rolling pin and butcher knife, and she loves him for never flinching when he touches her. Her memories of the creek and the wild-plum thicket are the book's tenderest image of the home Claude is trying to leave — and of what leaving will cost. ## Relationships ### [Claude Wheeler](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/one_of_ours_se/characters/claude_wheeler) _family_ Claude has a tender, protective relationship with the family's elderly, simple-minded servant who adores him. ### [Nat Wheeler](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/one_of_ours_se/characters/nat_wheeler) _professional_ Mahailey serves as the Wheelers' loyal, long-term servant, and Nat Wheeler treats her with casual authority. ### [Ralph Wheeler](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/one_of_ours_se/characters/ralph_wheeler) _family_ Mahailey has a simple, affectionate relationship with young Ralph, whom she helped raise in the household. ### [Claude Wheeler](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/one_of_ours_se/characters/claude_wheeler) _family_ Claude has a tender, protective relationship with the family's elderly, simple-minded servant who adores him. ### [Claude Wheeler](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/one_of_ours_se/characters/claude_wheeler) _family_ Claude has a tender, protective relationship with the family's elderly, simple-minded servant who adores him. ### [Nat Wheeler](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/one_of_ours_se/characters/nat_wheeler) _professional_ Mahailey serves as the Wheelers' loyal, long-term servant, and Nat Wheeler treats her with casual authority. ### [Ralph Wheeler](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/one_of_ours_se/characters/ralph_wheeler) _family_ Mahailey has a simple, affectionate relationship with young Ralph, whom she helped raise in the household. ### [Ralph Wheeler](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/one_of_ours_se/characters/ralph_wheeler) _family_ Mahailey has a simple, affectionate relationship with young Ralph, whom she helped raise in the household. ### [Nat Wheeler](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/one_of_ours_se/characters/nat_wheeler) _professional_ Mahailey serves as the Wheelers' loyal, long-term servant, and Nat Wheeler treats her with casual authority. ## In the story ### [Book I: On Lovely Creek](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/one_of_ours_se/chapters/book-i-on-lovely-creek) The family servant, a loyal and simple woman who has lived with the Wheelers for years. ### [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/one_of_ours_se/chapters/i) The old servant, fond of Claude, starts the fire and bakes griddle cakes. ### [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/one_of_ours_se/chapters/ii) Mentioned as being enlightened by the boys' words of wisdom during study sessions. ### [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/one_of_ours_se/chapters/iii) Watches Claude work in the cellar; reminisces about her hard past and her fondness for Claude. ### [V](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/one_of_ours_se/chapters/v) Mahailey notices Claude's dislike of Brother Weldon and whispers to Mrs. Wheeler about it. ### [VII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/one_of_ours_se/chapters/vii) Cooking mush; warmly greets Claude with a hug. ### [XII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/one_of_ours_se/chapters/xii) Mahailey sits in the kitchen hemming dishtowels, half-asleep, providing a quiet presence for Mrs. Wheeler. ### [XIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/one_of_ours_se/chapters/xiii) Mahailey is outraged by Ralph packing the household linen and preserves. She hides her pickled peaches and her cherished quilts to prevent Ralph from taking them. ### [XIV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/one_of_ours_se/chapters/xiv) Appreciates Claude's help with wood and coal, calls him a 'nice boy'. ### [Chapter XVII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/one_of_ours_se/chapters/xvii) Delighted by the storm, sweeps snow, prepares supper, and fusses over Claude's comfort. ### [XVIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/one_of_ours_se/chapters/xviii) Appears in her 'calamitous' costume, pleads to butcher the dead hogs, and recalls butchering a pig in Virginia. ### [Chapter II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/one_of_ours_se/chapters/ii) Claude thinks of Mahailey gathering dandelion greens early in the morning. ### [VII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/one_of_ours_se/chapters/vii) Works hard during harvest, wrings chickens until her wrist swells. ### [IX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/one_of_ours_se/chapters/ix) Briefly mentioned as being in the kitchen while Mrs. Wheeler makes pickles. ### [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/one_of_ours_se/chapters/ii) Claude reflects that Mahailey also has an imprisoned spirit, though her prison walls are thick. ### [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/one_of_ours_se/chapters/iv) Shows Claude newspaper cartoons of German brutality; recalls her memories of the Civil War and feels superior for having seen war. ### [VI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/one_of_ours_se/chapters/vi) Collects war pictures and searches for pictures of China; marks Enid's arrival date in Hong-Kong on her calendar; worries that people will say Enid 'run off an' lef'' Claude; loudly references Enid's cooking to visitors. ### [VIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/one_of_ours_se/chapters/viii) Kisses Claude's hand in pride and sorrow upon learning he is going to fight the Germans. ### [XI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/one_of_ours_se/chapters/xi) Awed by Claude's uniform, gives him advice about lice, and shows him a Red Cross poster. ### [XIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/one_of_ours_se/chapters/xiii) Watches Claude shave and asks him to help the old women in the war. ### [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/one_of_ours_se/chapters/iv) Mahailey is mentioned in a simile comparing Victor Morse to a captured crane among her chickens. ### [XIX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/one_of_ours_se/chapters/xix) Shares grief with Mrs. Wheeler, addresses her as 'Mudder,' and comforts her with thoughts of Claude. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/one_of_ours_se/characters/mahailey - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/one_of_ours_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/one_of_ours_se/characters