▁courts ▁and ▁mar ries ▁S ally , ▁who ▁is ▁both ▁pretty ▁and , ▁with ▁her ▁family ▁money ▁and ▁social ▁connections , ▁an ▁asset ▁to ▁him ▁in ▁his ▁business ▁career . ▁He ▁is ▁also ▁polit ically ▁active ▁in ▁the ▁local ▁Republican ▁Party . ▁▁ ▁† Mr . ▁and ▁Mrs . ▁C och ran ▁– ▁S ally ' s ▁parents ; ▁her ▁father ▁own s ▁the ▁local ▁bank . ▁▁ ▁El sa ▁R aus ch ▁Evans ▁– ▁S ally ▁and ▁Ludwig ' s ▁oldest ▁child ▁and ▁only ▁daughter . ▁Although ▁she ▁is ▁primarily ▁a ▁house w ife ▁and ▁mother , ▁her ▁father ▁recogn izes ▁that ▁she ▁has ▁a ▁better ▁head ▁for ▁business ▁than ▁her ▁brothers , ▁and ▁she ▁takes ▁over ▁as ▁head ▁of ▁the ▁family - owned ▁bank ▁after ▁he ▁dies . ▁She ▁is ▁in ▁love ▁with ▁her ▁child hood ▁friend ▁Johnny ▁Gordon , ▁but ▁he ▁falls ▁in ▁love ▁with ▁Julia ▁Dem ing , ▁so ▁El sa ▁mar ries ▁Gib ▁Evans , ▁who ▁had ▁long ▁been ▁in ▁love ▁with ▁her . ▁▁ ▁† G il bert ▁" G ib " ▁Evans ▁– ▁El sa ' s ▁child hood ▁friend ▁and ▁event ual ▁husband ; ▁the ▁nep hew ▁of ▁the ▁local ▁Bapt ist ▁minister . ▁He ▁works ▁as ▁a ▁travel ing ▁sales man ▁for ▁his ▁father - in - law , ▁Ludwig ▁R aus ch . ▁ ▁† M rs . ▁G wen ▁Evans ▁– ▁Gib ' s ▁a unt ; ▁the ▁wife ▁of ▁the ▁local ▁Bapt ist ▁minister . ▁▁ ▁Jenn ifer ▁Evans ▁Gordon ▁–