Ruby Dayton

Full Many a Flower Ruby Dayton

In the aftermath of the Great Depression, two year old Molly Whittaker's mother dies and leaves her in the care of her father, Truman, and her two brothers. Truman is desperate to keep his family together but when World War 2 begins, his older son joins and his younger son takes residencewith his uncle. Truman and Molly roam the banks of the Mississippi river,he works clearing new ground and picking cotton until he gets a joboperating a ferry. But, after a steamer collides with his vessel he fearsfor Molly's life and tries to find work elsewhere. Truman meets with afarm couple and they persuaded him to leave Molly with them. After a few years, Truman returns with a gypsy wife and her threeadolescent sons. Molly is torn from a caring home and thrust into theclutches of this strange family. The Whittaker's take to the road asmigrant field workers. A tent provides the only roof over their heads. Periodically, they miscalculate the harvest seasons and fine themselvesdestitute and near starvation. Truman soon discovers Manita ,his wife, isa soliciting prostitute and chooses to ignore the fact due to the muchneeded money. During a harrowing drunken episode, Manita pins Truman tothe floor with a knife though his chest. Molly witnesses the event. Ateight she is orphaned. Molly suffers bells palsy, leaving her face distorted. She refuses tospeak. A mute, her teacher labels her incapable of learning and sends herhome. Molly grows up illiterate. After the war is over, she comes to livewith her brother and his wife, in the foothills of the Appalachianmountains. There, Molly triumphs over her years of adversity and becomesa prominent southern artist. She acquires an education and finds romance,love and stability..