It took me a while to find the lodging house. I had, after all, never been to New York and had to ask several times for directions. It really annoyed me that most of the people I asked laughed in my face. I got a few fleeting glances after someone laughed because I would walk away cursing under my breath. Needless to say my first impressions of Manhattan were not good ones.

I ended up in Central Park after about an hour of wandering around aimlessly. That was when I saw a boy about my age with a stack of newspapers under his arm. A newsie. I thought to myself. I heard him calling out all sorts of ridiculous headlines and figured that if any one could help me it would be a fellow newsie.

I walked up to him and he turned and smiled at me. He had curly brown hair and brown eyes and was wearing an off-white shirt, shorts, and brown boots. He looked me up and down once, glancing at my light blue dress. Did I mention that with Mr. Gandel's help my mother and I became extremely well-off.

"Would you like to but a pape miss?" He asked me smiling. He had a beautiful smile and it was contagious…I found myself smiling too.

"Oh no not today, sorry." I rushed on because his face fell slightly and he had started to turn away. "I was wondering if you could help me actually. I'm looking for the newsboy lodging house." I said. He whipped back around and smiled again.

"Oh well sure I can help you. Come with me and I'll show you where it is." He said taking my arm and leading me out of the park.

"My name's Mush by the way. Mush Meyers" He told me on our way out of Central Park.

" My name's Emma. Emma Thanes." I said. " Mush." I said a moment later. " Forgive me for saying this but that is a bit of an odd name."

"Oh that's not my real name. That's just my newsie name. All the newsies have one. A newsie name I mean. Their just little nicknames we have for eachother."

"Oh really? That sounds interesting" I said giggling slightly. "Well what is your real name?"

" Can't tell you that," he said laughing. The way he turned away I could tell that conversation was over. "So what's a girl like you want with the newsie lodging house?" He asked me. It was casual to him but I was slightly taken aback. He noticed my expression and quickly tried to make up for his mistake. "I just meant you'se don't look like you need to be worken. You look, ummmm…well, rich.

"Oh well, my mother's just died and my father left us eleven years ago. I was told I have a brother and that I could find him at the newsboy's lodging house in Manhattan." I said taking out the letter from Peter. It was folded inside my purse and I was a bit torn. I had read it so many times. I showed Mush the letter and he read it. When he was done he looked back at me and handed the letter to me.

"Well, I'm not sure there is a Peter at the lodging house but I don't know everyone's real names. I'm sure Kloppman will know though."

"Who's that?" I asked?

"He runs the lodging house. He's like a grandfather to all of us. And speakin of, this is it." He said as we stopped outside of a small three story building. It looked a bit run-down but something about it just looked inviting. Mush pushed open the door and held it for me gesturing with his hand that I could go in first.

"Ladies first." He said and I walked in. He came in after me and took me up to a desk where there was an older looking man sitting on the other side. I took him to be Kloppman.

Mush talked to him for a minute and I was only half listening anyway. I was busy looking around the room behind the entranceway. It was a small sitting room that had tables a nd chairs strewn around the room. After Mush and Kloppan were done the two of them turned to me.

"Well I'll be. It's been a long time since we've had a girl here. Emma is it? Well I will look around and find out which one Peter is. I'll be able to find out who he is by the end of the day." He said smiling at me. He seemed very nice and I liked him immediately.

"Mush, I think I can get her settled in. Why don't you go finish selling then." Kloppma told Mush and Mush quickly said bye to me and ran out the door. It was so quiet in the house and I figured no one was here but me and Kloppman.

Kloppman showed me upstairs to the third floor and we went inside a room that I could tell hadn't been used in while.

"Sorry about the shape it's in, but like I said, we haven't had any girls in years. There was been no need to keep up the girls room.' I walked over to abed and put my suitcase on top of it.

"It's perfect." I said turning to face him. He nodded and went back downstairs. I was left alone to unpack and wonder what it was going to be like when I finally met my brother.