Columbus, Ohio - 1911
"ESME ANNE PLATT, get out of that tree!"
Esme tucks her knees up closer to her chest, wobbling a little to keep her balance. She's tired of her brothers bossing her around, tired of being the only girl and having to do all the household chores, tired of her mama and daddy traveling to neighboring farms to help with the harvest and leaving her home alone with the boys.
"Aw, come on, Essie," Joey begs. He's always been nicer than Walt, but that doesn't mean she's going to come down.
Of course, Esme knows that she can't hide in the tree forever. Or even until mama and daddy get home. Especially since her stomach is reminding her that it's nearly supper time.
"Come on, Esme, it's almost supper time," Walt calls. "I'm sorry I yelled at you."
He does sound sorry, she decides. And she's hungry. So she unfolds herself and swings her legs around to begin her descent. Unfortunately, she misjudges and loses her balance. She overcompensates and ends up falling the ten feet from the branch to the ground.
"Essie!" Joey calls, running to her side. "You okay"
She looks down at her leg, which is twisted in a position it shouldn't be able to bend in and shakes her head. "I think I broke my leg."
"Walt, go get the doc," Joey calls, gathering his sister in his arms and carrying her into the house to wait for help.
Esme tucks her knees up closer to her chest, wobbling a little to keep her balance. She's tired of her brothers bossing her around, tired of being the only girl and having to do all the household chores, tired of her mama and daddy traveling to neighboring farms to help with the harvest and leaving her home alone with the boys.
"Aw, come on, Essie," Joey begs. He's always been nicer than Walt, but that doesn't mean she's going to come down.
Of course, Esme knows that she can't hide in the tree forever. Or even until mama and daddy get home. Especially since her stomach is reminding her that it's nearly supper time.
"Come on, Esme, it's almost supper time," Walt calls. "I'm sorry I yelled at you."
He does sound sorry, she decides. And she's hungry. So she unfolds herself and swings her legs around to begin her descent. Unfortunately, she misjudges and loses her balance. She overcompensates and ends up falling the ten feet from the branch to the ground.
"Essie!" Joey calls, running to her side. "You okay"
She looks down at her leg, which is twisted in a position it shouldn't be able to bend in and shakes her head. "I think I broke my leg."
"Walt, go get the doc," Joey calls, gathering his sister in his arms and carrying her into the house to wait for help.