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.