A family comes through Billie Jo's town. The family consists of a grandmother, a mother and father, two young kids and another baby on the way. The family stays in a sectioned off part of the school. One morning, the mother goes into labor. This affects Billie Jo more than she thought that it would. She prays that the baby will be healthy and not die young like her brother did.
"...praying for the sound of a baby crying into this world, and not the silence my brother brought with him. And then the cry comes and I have to go away for a little while and just walk off the feelings." Winter 1935 Page 123
These lines show that Billie Jo is selfless. She does not wish what happened to her onto the family. Even though she's still mourning the death of her brother, she does not wish that pain onto others. Instead she walks away so she can control herself and to most likely remember her brother. This shows maturity beyond her years. It shows that Billie Jo is mature enough to not be hateful that this baby was born healthy and her brother wasn't. It also shows control over her emotions as well as self-control.
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