 The story takes place in 1910, texas. 19-year-old Horace Robedaux is invited by his mother (Corella Davenport) to visit her and his little sister (Lily Dale) in Houston. Horace s father died of alcoholism when he was 12 and Corella has been married to a railroad worker (Pete Davenport) for seven years. Pete let Corella bring along Lily Dale but refused to accept Horrace. Tension built up between Pete and Horace as Pete s trip to Atlanta cut short and Horace was seriously ill when he got there.