CHAPTER 1
Lillian was a lonely girl with a hidden past. She wandered the streets of New York alone. By day she shined shoes, using her pretty face, gender, and skirts as a sympathy ploy to lure customers. At night she slept in dark alleys. In winters, she would sleep in an abandoned warehouse, if she could find one. She spent much of her money on her little brother. She bought him food and paid for his stay in the Manhattan Newsboy Lodging house. She didn't want anything to happen to him. She wanted to be sure that he did not get sick or captured by the bulls. She could not stand it if anything happened to someone else she loved.
The days became cooler as winter approached. Lillian had finally finished shining shoes for the day. She was exhausted and hungry, but Lillian was late for a meeting with her brother. She hurried her way through the crowded streets, dodging pedestrians and wagons as she made her way to a secluded area in Central Park.
"Heya, Lillian!" Her little brother called when she had arrived red in the face and out of breath.
In response, Lily quickly hugged her brother and knocked his hat down over his eyes. "Hello, Timothy." She said with a smile, "How's life as a newsie?"
"Da name's Hudson." He said proudly, "An bein' a newsie's just fine for me! I'se good wid sellin' papes."
"Hudson?" Lily questioned.
"Dat's what da fellas is callin' me."
"And why is that?"
"Cuz I took a dip in da Hudson Rivah, dat's why. An' I likes it."
"But, darling, it's so cold. You are going to get yourself sick! Don't you dare do anything like that ever again." Lily was angered. Why would he do something so stupid after recent events? "Whatevah, Hudson." Lily said with a laugh, trying to shake off the chill of her thoughts. "So now you have a nickname. You are a real newsy."
"Yep I'se hungry. Let's get somthin' ta eat."
"Where would you like to go?"
"How bout Tibby's; I can introduce ya to da fellas, den."
"I'm not hungry." Lily said quickly. She was shy, especially around boys. Lately, she hadn't been felling like being around people or talking.
"You'se as scrawny as a mouse. Ya don't gotta be shy. Dese is nice fellas. Plus, it's Tuesday. Dats da night when we all splurge for a real meal. Can't afford more 'n dat. "
"What happened to your good English?" Lillian questioned in a scolding manner.
"I don't need good English. I'se a newsy now!" Hudson shouted as he hurried ahead to the restaurant where the newsies liked to hang out at, when that could spare the money. Lily followed more slowly and reluctantly. She knew she was going to regret this.
Tibby's was loud with the voices of jesting newsies as they are ate and discussed the happenings of the day.
"Hey," Boots said, "Where's Hudson."
"He's probably pickin' up some goil." Snipeshooter answered with a laugh and a cigar hanging unlit from the corner of his mouth. Peals of laughter spread through the room.
Kid Blink choked on his drink and called out jokingly, "How'se the little guy gonna catch a goil when Itey, here, don't even got one?" Everyone laughed, even Itey as Blink jokingly punched his arm.
"Well, speak 'o da devil." Race snickered as the door opened and Hudson entered the restaurant. They were all surprised to see what he was dragging behind him.
"Whatcah all starin' at?" Hudson called to the almost silent group of boys. Hudson was standing in the doorway with a lovely, older girl. "It's just me sistah." Laughter burst out from a few of the younger newsies because of the irony of the situation, but most of the room was entranced by the lovely girl who stood before them. Lily blushed at the stares and began to turn to leave as Hudson ran to join his friends and order some food, but Race and Kid Blink jumped up to assist the young lady to a table.
"Hiya, lovely." Race began as he pulled her to a table in the middle of the room. Lillian was sickly thin, but her curly brown hair flowed down below her shoulders and her green eyes sparkled warily in the uncertain situation. Fear was emitted from every poise and movement of her body. Race wanted to make her more at ease. "I'se Racetrack, but you can call me Race, and dis here-."
"Me name's Kid blink, sweetheart." Blink said. He was a handsome boy with a patch covering one of his eyes, bringing her hands to his lips in a gentle kiss. Lily became aware of the shoe polish on her hand and quickly pulled away. Blink looked hurt, almost shocked, so she spoke quickly to try to soften her rude gesture. "I'm pleased to make your acquaintance." He was rewarded with a lovely smile.
"You'se not from around here are ya?" a tall attractive boy in a cowboy hat spoke as he stood to shake her hand. "The name's Kelly, Jack Kelly, but me friends call me Cowboy. Sorry bout da stares. Dese fellas don't get ta see a pretty goils everyday." Lily blushed and looked away.
A handsome boy with brown curly hair smiled at her. "My name's Mush." She smiled back. She looked at the many faces that were seated before her. She would never remember all of their names.
Jack pointed at all the boys seated around the room. "This here's Snipeshooter, Pie-Eater, Skittery, Snoddy, Crutchy, Boots, Dutchy, Specs, Swifty, Snitch, Jake, and last but not least, Itey." All of the boys called out hellos and greetings. Itey smiled shyly at her.
She was seated at a table with Race, Kid Blink, Mush, and Jack. They had already eaten and Lily had lost her appetite, not that she had enough money to spare for food. She ordered a water and sipped it slowly as the boys bragged to her about winning the strike and then began interrogating her.
"Where do ya live?" Race asked as he pulled out a cigar and lit it. Lily began coughing and sputtering in the smoke.
"Hey." Jack laughed, coming to her rescue. "No smokin' in da restaurant." He pulled the cigar from Race's mouth and put it out in the ashtray.
"Thank you." Lily said quietly. Jack waved her thanks aside.
"So, where ya stayin', sweetheart?"
"I've been staying at the girl's lodging house in Harlem." Lily lied, blushing crimson. She had never told her brother she had been sleeping in the streets.
The four boys exchanged looks. They knew she had not told the truth, but she did look kind of familiar.
"Den, how come we'se nevah seen ya before?" Blink asked.
"I'm new. It's getting late. I've got to get back to the lodging house." Lily said quickly.
"It is late. Let us walk ya back." Mush said politely. "We don't want anything ta happen to ya."
"I'll be fine on my own."
"Suit yourself." Lily stood and walked over to the table where her brother was seated. She gave him a hug and kissed him on the cheek.
"I miss you. Same time, same place?" she asked.
Lily then muttered a few quick goodbyes and waved as she left, flustered, but thankful that they had let her go.
"She wasn't too friendly, was she?" Mush said wonderingly. He was a sweet boy and most people had liked him almost instantly.
"Nah, she's just a bit shy." Race said, relighting his cigar. "I wonder where she's goin'."
"I dunno, but I'm gonna find out." Blink said. The four boys quickly moved to the door to follow the girl out into the dark, cold night and through the streets of New York.
A/N Well, my first try was terribly unsuccessful. I probably shouldn't have started with all 7 chapters...well if you like it REVIEW!!!!! And I mean it! It would mean so much to me. It's fun to be appreciated and criticism will help with writing, so anything is welcome. Love to all...yeah
Lillian was a lonely girl with a hidden past. She wandered the streets of New York alone. By day she shined shoes, using her pretty face, gender, and skirts as a sympathy ploy to lure customers. At night she slept in dark alleys. In winters, she would sleep in an abandoned warehouse, if she could find one. She spent much of her money on her little brother. She bought him food and paid for his stay in the Manhattan Newsboy Lodging house. She didn't want anything to happen to him. She wanted to be sure that he did not get sick or captured by the bulls. She could not stand it if anything happened to someone else she loved.
The days became cooler as winter approached. Lillian had finally finished shining shoes for the day. She was exhausted and hungry, but Lillian was late for a meeting with her brother. She hurried her way through the crowded streets, dodging pedestrians and wagons as she made her way to a secluded area in Central Park.
"Heya, Lillian!" Her little brother called when she had arrived red in the face and out of breath.
In response, Lily quickly hugged her brother and knocked his hat down over his eyes. "Hello, Timothy." She said with a smile, "How's life as a newsie?"
"Da name's Hudson." He said proudly, "An bein' a newsie's just fine for me! I'se good wid sellin' papes."
"Hudson?" Lily questioned.
"Dat's what da fellas is callin' me."
"And why is that?"
"Cuz I took a dip in da Hudson Rivah, dat's why. An' I likes it."
"But, darling, it's so cold. You are going to get yourself sick! Don't you dare do anything like that ever again." Lily was angered. Why would he do something so stupid after recent events? "Whatevah, Hudson." Lily said with a laugh, trying to shake off the chill of her thoughts. "So now you have a nickname. You are a real newsy."
"Yep I'se hungry. Let's get somthin' ta eat."
"Where would you like to go?"
"How bout Tibby's; I can introduce ya to da fellas, den."
"I'm not hungry." Lily said quickly. She was shy, especially around boys. Lately, she hadn't been felling like being around people or talking.
"You'se as scrawny as a mouse. Ya don't gotta be shy. Dese is nice fellas. Plus, it's Tuesday. Dats da night when we all splurge for a real meal. Can't afford more 'n dat. "
"What happened to your good English?" Lillian questioned in a scolding manner.
"I don't need good English. I'se a newsy now!" Hudson shouted as he hurried ahead to the restaurant where the newsies liked to hang out at, when that could spare the money. Lily followed more slowly and reluctantly. She knew she was going to regret this.
Tibby's was loud with the voices of jesting newsies as they are ate and discussed the happenings of the day.
"Hey," Boots said, "Where's Hudson."
"He's probably pickin' up some goil." Snipeshooter answered with a laugh and a cigar hanging unlit from the corner of his mouth. Peals of laughter spread through the room.
Kid Blink choked on his drink and called out jokingly, "How'se the little guy gonna catch a goil when Itey, here, don't even got one?" Everyone laughed, even Itey as Blink jokingly punched his arm.
"Well, speak 'o da devil." Race snickered as the door opened and Hudson entered the restaurant. They were all surprised to see what he was dragging behind him.
"Whatcah all starin' at?" Hudson called to the almost silent group of boys. Hudson was standing in the doorway with a lovely, older girl. "It's just me sistah." Laughter burst out from a few of the younger newsies because of the irony of the situation, but most of the room was entranced by the lovely girl who stood before them. Lily blushed at the stares and began to turn to leave as Hudson ran to join his friends and order some food, but Race and Kid Blink jumped up to assist the young lady to a table.
"Hiya, lovely." Race began as he pulled her to a table in the middle of the room. Lillian was sickly thin, but her curly brown hair flowed down below her shoulders and her green eyes sparkled warily in the uncertain situation. Fear was emitted from every poise and movement of her body. Race wanted to make her more at ease. "I'se Racetrack, but you can call me Race, and dis here-."
"Me name's Kid blink, sweetheart." Blink said. He was a handsome boy with a patch covering one of his eyes, bringing her hands to his lips in a gentle kiss. Lily became aware of the shoe polish on her hand and quickly pulled away. Blink looked hurt, almost shocked, so she spoke quickly to try to soften her rude gesture. "I'm pleased to make your acquaintance." He was rewarded with a lovely smile.
"You'se not from around here are ya?" a tall attractive boy in a cowboy hat spoke as he stood to shake her hand. "The name's Kelly, Jack Kelly, but me friends call me Cowboy. Sorry bout da stares. Dese fellas don't get ta see a pretty goils everyday." Lily blushed and looked away.
A handsome boy with brown curly hair smiled at her. "My name's Mush." She smiled back. She looked at the many faces that were seated before her. She would never remember all of their names.
Jack pointed at all the boys seated around the room. "This here's Snipeshooter, Pie-Eater, Skittery, Snoddy, Crutchy, Boots, Dutchy, Specs, Swifty, Snitch, Jake, and last but not least, Itey." All of the boys called out hellos and greetings. Itey smiled shyly at her.
She was seated at a table with Race, Kid Blink, Mush, and Jack. They had already eaten and Lily had lost her appetite, not that she had enough money to spare for food. She ordered a water and sipped it slowly as the boys bragged to her about winning the strike and then began interrogating her.
"Where do ya live?" Race asked as he pulled out a cigar and lit it. Lily began coughing and sputtering in the smoke.
"Hey." Jack laughed, coming to her rescue. "No smokin' in da restaurant." He pulled the cigar from Race's mouth and put it out in the ashtray.
"Thank you." Lily said quietly. Jack waved her thanks aside.
"So, where ya stayin', sweetheart?"
"I've been staying at the girl's lodging house in Harlem." Lily lied, blushing crimson. She had never told her brother she had been sleeping in the streets.
The four boys exchanged looks. They knew she had not told the truth, but she did look kind of familiar.
"Den, how come we'se nevah seen ya before?" Blink asked.
"I'm new. It's getting late. I've got to get back to the lodging house." Lily said quickly.
"It is late. Let us walk ya back." Mush said politely. "We don't want anything ta happen to ya."
"I'll be fine on my own."
"Suit yourself." Lily stood and walked over to the table where her brother was seated. She gave him a hug and kissed him on the cheek.
"I miss you. Same time, same place?" she asked.
Lily then muttered a few quick goodbyes and waved as she left, flustered, but thankful that they had let her go.
"She wasn't too friendly, was she?" Mush said wonderingly. He was a sweet boy and most people had liked him almost instantly.
"Nah, she's just a bit shy." Race said, relighting his cigar. "I wonder where she's goin'."
"I dunno, but I'm gonna find out." Blink said. The four boys quickly moved to the door to follow the girl out into the dark, cold night and through the streets of New York.
A/N Well, my first try was terribly unsuccessful. I probably shouldn't have started with all 7 chapters...well if you like it REVIEW!!!!! And I mean it! It would mean so much to me. It's fun to be appreciated and criticism will help with writing, so anything is welcome. Love to all...yeah