▁B ense y , ▁a ▁friend ▁of ▁the ▁L esters , ▁wal ks ▁to ▁his ▁home ▁at ▁the ▁train ▁yard ▁coal ▁ch ute . ▁He ▁has ▁walked ▁seven ▁and ▁a ▁half ▁miles ▁to ▁get ▁a ▁s ack ▁of ▁winter ▁turn ips ▁for ▁ 5 0 ▁c ents , ▁which ▁is ▁half ▁of ▁his ▁daily ▁w age . ▁On ▁his ▁way ▁home , ▁he ▁stops ▁by ▁the ▁L esters ▁to ▁talk ▁to ▁Je eter ▁about ▁Je eter ' s ▁ 1 2 - year - old ▁daughter ▁Pear l , ▁to ▁whom ▁Lov ▁is ▁married . ▁While ▁Lov ▁is ▁talking ▁to ▁Je eter , ▁the ▁book ▁introdu ces ▁the ▁reader ▁to ▁ 1 6 - year - old ▁D ude , ▁the ▁young est ▁of ▁the ▁L ester ▁boys ; ▁Ada , ▁Je eter ’ s ▁wife ; ▁Grand ma ▁L ester ; ▁and ▁Ell ie ▁May , ▁an ▁ 1 8 - year - old ▁girl ▁with ▁a ▁gro tes que ▁c left ▁lip . ▁The ▁entire ▁family , ▁acting ▁in ▁complete ▁des per ation , ▁works ▁to ▁ste al ▁the ▁turn ips ▁from ▁Lov , ▁who ▁then ▁becomes ▁n ause ated ▁by ▁the ▁sight ▁and ▁leaves ▁for ▁home . ▁ ▁At ▁this ▁point , ▁the ▁pre acher ▁B ess ie ▁enters ▁the ▁scene . ▁Sister ▁B ess ie ▁R ice , ▁like ▁Ell ie ▁May , ▁also ▁has ▁a ▁de form ity ▁of ▁the ▁face . ▁B ess ie ’ s ▁nose ▁contains ▁no ▁b one , ▁and ▁so ▁when ▁looking ▁straight