Muddy

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Married to Esther. He and his wife are a young married couple that live in Milwaukee. Sade's sister Bess writes about him and his wife in letters to Sade. He used to work in Walter's barber shop but Walter fired him because he kept cutting his own hair and shaving himself.

Mis' Frostscum

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Neighbor of the Helfer family who told Bess that Vic was distinguished-looking.

Mrs. Guffer

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Neighbor of the Helfer family who broke in Bess's shoes for her over a weekend in Freeport.

Euncie Helfer

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Daughter of Walter and Bess Helfer. Sade's niece. Plays the piano. Her first piano teacher was Agnes Peterson.  She had only one leg and had to put a flat iron on the loud pedal.  Mis' Peterson was also deaf and had to bite the piano leg to see if Euncie was playing her pieces correctly.  Can play in 5 flats.  Runs her fingernail on the white keys.  Can do hand crossovers.  Hammers on top of the piano with her fists and also lets out an Indian war hoot. At one time, was writing Sade a lot of letters in a scheme to get Sade to stop writing her letters.  Sold Christmas cards to Sade by slyly sending them C.O.D.  Wants to memorize The Great Colorado Train Robbery Scottish piano piece - which is "Full of sharps and flats and big notes and trash."  In 1944, her piano teacher is Mis' Bahcol.  It took a great deal of practice and many months to learn The Great Colorado Train Robbery Scottish song - and it was painful as well, as Euncie broke a thumb and smashed her foot practicing the running her thumb down the keys and stompin' on the loud pedal.  Was down with a cold for 4 days in the waning days of the Summer of 1944.  Has been learning a new piano solo, Facin' the Barkin' Revolvers of Frank and Jese James. This piece allows her to scrape her thumb down the white keys and stomp the loud pedal with both feet.

Esther

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Married to Muddy. She and her husband are a young married couple that live in Milwaukee. Sade's sister Bess writes about them in letters to Sade.