Character Analysis
The butcher is the one dude who treats Mrs. Grimes with any amount of respect.
That's not saying too much, though, especially when she has people like Jake Grimes waiting for her back home. In fact, it's almost like the butcher gives her extra meat and grain to spite Jake, saying that "he'd see [Jake and his son] starve first" before giving them any food (2.13). Even though he's being nice to her, he does it while practically seeing right through her.
Although this is "the first time any one had spoken to her in a friendly way for a long time," it's really not all that friendly (2.13). Don't get it mistaken: the butcher seems like a decent guy, and his generosity was warmly welcomed by the old woman. Regardless, he represents yet another example of a man neglecting to see Mrs. Grimes as a human being—at least, until she ends up dead.