Sister has no possessions. Her exodus therefore promises to be similar, though shorter, than Stella Rondo's. .

             In a small town like China Grove it is impossible for Sister to avoid her family. If Shirley T is in fact Papa-Daddy's progeny (this would explain why Papa-Daddy feels so threatened by Sister's casual joke about cutting off his beard to make the resemblance clear to all), it is clear as well why Sister, now given the tangible evidence of Shirley T to underscore Papa-Daddy's incestuous capability, wishes to create as much physical distance between herself and Papa-Daddy as possible. Still, she will likely return home soon. Even within this comical story, the dark possibility of incest manages to peek through, clearly and ominously. There is, Welty playfully implies, more to this family (and story) than meets the eye; one should feel free to be amused, but not too amused, since Sister's light-hearted persona essentially underscores rather than diminishes her vulnerability. Further, if the implicit, unspoken family agreement is to lie to one another about the true paternity of Shirley T, the rest of the family, understandably, cannot abide Sister's insistent poking at the truth. Even Mama (who has no husband, raising yet another tendril of suspicion, especially since Mama, too, calls Sister "Sister") is securely under Papa-Daddy's thumb. When Sister leaves the dinner table in disgust, Mama suggests calling her back "or she'll starve to death." But Papa-Daddy, still fuming about the mention of cutting off his beard ("This is the beard I started growing on the Coast when I was fifteen years old") immediately nixes the idea. When she leaves home Sister furnishes her room at the P.O. entirely with materials brought from home: "Radio, sewing machine, book ends, ironing board and that great big piano lamp". Like a child playing house, Sister plays at being independent, with property from others.