directornotesfromthe

Monty The son of Mose and Angeline. Before he was Wes Williamson’s chauffeur, he was a rodeo clown. Dedicated and eager, Monty is a singer of uncommon voice. A dreamer at heart, Monty has been taught by life to

temper his expectations: “life as he was practicing it was never going to provide beyond what it already did.”

Mose Monty’s father, Sergeant Mose Rathbun was a “rough-hided veteran of the Tenth Cavalry, sent trotting to Fort Assinniboine to fight Indians who no longer needed fighting.” After his stint in the army, he found employment on Warren Williamson’s ranch, only todisappear soon after, leaving Angeline and Monty alone.

Angeline Monty’s mother, Angel Momma is a

tough but caring woman “imported” to the Double W Ranch to do the linens. She

is a woman of deep faith and deeper voice. The tough realities of her hard-working life fuel the

beautiful spirituals to which she gives voice. She is left to care for Monty once Mose disappears.

Anna The constant object of Angus’ real love. She is “frank as a clock,” an honest woman, though at times a bit aloof. She too is a schoolteacher, and Angus is drawn not only to her physical beauty and her

long raven-black braid, but to her intelligence. Anna Reese, however, does not share Angus’ dreamer

tendencies, and she makes the practical choice to marry Isaac

Reese, even though she knows it will break

Angus’ heart.

Isaac Anna’s husband. “Isaac was not a man who could be despised. Calm, solid, entirely himself in the way a mountain is itself; that, and nothing else, so far as could be seen.”

Ninian Susan’s father, and the inimitable, prophetic founder of Scotch Heaven. “He had one of those alarming foreheads you sometimes see on the most Scottish of Scots, a kind of sheer stark cliff from the eyes up. As if the skull was making itself known under there.”

Flora Ninian’s wife, mother of Susan.Susan Susan is the passionate, whip-smart, sometimes-aloof daughter of Ninian and Flora Duff. She has “an enlarged sense of justice,” and “cinnamon eyes that could put you in your place and make you like it.” Possessed of a beautiful and confident singing voice, Susan makes her living giving singing lessons to Helena’s best and brightest.

Samuel Susan’s beloved brother. Died in the French trenches as a runner for

Major Wesley Williamson.

staffArtistic

mee

t the

affliations

special thanks to

honoring book-itcontributors