cul osis . ▁ ▁Ari ana ▁McC une ▁– ▁The ▁McC unes ' ▁reb elli ous ▁and ▁dram atic ▁daughter , ▁she ▁is ▁a ▁child hood ▁friend ▁of ▁Johnny ▁Gordon , ▁and ▁has ▁a ▁talent ▁for ▁music ▁and ▁acting . ▁She ▁att ends ▁music ▁less ons ▁at ▁the ▁Ball ard ▁home , ▁and ▁the ▁Ball ard ▁sister s , ▁especially ▁El iza , ▁take ▁an ▁interest ▁in ▁her . ▁As ▁a ▁young ▁te en ager , ▁she ▁runs ▁away ▁from ▁her ▁opp ress ive ▁family , ▁gets ▁married ▁and ▁joins ▁a ▁travel ing ▁acting ▁tr oupe . ▁She ▁later ▁returns ▁to ▁Way nes bor o ▁termin ally ▁ill ▁and ▁is ▁c ared ▁for ▁by ▁the ▁Ball ard ▁sister s ▁until ▁her ▁death . ▁▁ ▁† R u ham ah ▁McC une ▁– ▁Ari ana ' s ▁younger ▁sister , ▁she ▁becomes ▁the ▁li br arian ▁of ▁the ▁first ▁Way nes bor o ▁l ending ▁library , ▁initially ▁established ▁by ▁the ▁Club , ▁and ▁continues ▁as ▁town ▁li br arian ▁for ▁many ▁years . ▁Although ▁regarded ▁as ▁knowledge able ▁about ▁books , ▁she ▁is ▁never ▁asked ▁to ▁join ▁the ▁Club ▁due ▁to ▁her ▁lack ▁of ▁formal ▁education . ▁ ▁Other ▁major ▁characters ▁ ▁Am anda ▁Re id ▁– ▁The ▁daughter ▁of ▁a ▁wid ow ▁who ▁oper ates ▁a ▁board ing house , ▁she ▁is ▁an ▁intellig ent , ▁dedicated ▁scholar ▁who ▁obtain s ▁a ▁" man ' s ▁degree " ▁from ▁Ober lin ▁and ▁then ▁returns ▁to ▁teach ▁at ▁the ▁Fem ale ▁College .