Chapter Two

The Ugly Side of Manhattan

After spending almost the whole day in the three story brick immigration building, Nicolette was glad to finally breath fresh air again. After filling her lungs deeply she looked around. She saw others looking around also and since none of them seemed to know what to do she went over to a uniformed man that was standing by a bench.

"Excuse me, sir." She said.

"Yes?"

"Um... what should I do now, sir?" He looked around.

"Where is your family?"

"I am alone."

"Well, go and find whoever you came here to stay with." He said gruffly.

"But I... I..." She started to protest but he just walked away. "Americans!" She huffed. Now what was she going to do?

***

It had taken awhile but she had finally gotten someone to help her and now she was standing in a street in a place called Manhattan.

The woman she had talked to, told her that their was a respectable boarding house here somewhere. Now all she had to do was find it...

She wandered around for awhile and soon came upon a constable. She asked him for help and he kindly walked her to the right boarding house which, he said, was run by a Mrs. Kathleen Travis.

All Nicolette could think was, if this was considered a respectable place to the woman that had told her about it, she would be utterly scandalized to think what that woman must think disreputable!

Since it was getting quite late and there was nowhere else to go Nicolette forced herself to enter the horrid looking structure.

Inside sat a disheveled woman, Mrs. Travis, at a lopsided desk. Nicolette talked with her and it was arranged that Nicolette would pay one quarter for each night that she spent there. Once that was settled the woman led Nicolette up a set of stairs that Nicolette was sure she would fall through at any moment, and into a room as small as a cracker tin, or smaller.

Nicolette sighed when Mrs. Travis left. She was so tired that she fell asleep on the old, lumpy mattress that was laying on the floor in the corner, before she even had time to undress.

***

After awaking from her first night in America Nicolette felt like she had been cheated. Her dreams of adventure and wealth had been extinguished by the squalor that surrounded her. Namely, her room. This was just not what she was use to!

She pulled herself up and heard her stomach tell her that she'd better find something to eat. She decided to take her suitcase with her and see if she could find someone to open it today.

When she got downstairs she was about to go outside when someone grabbed her from behind.

"Ya doity, Irish scum! Where dya tin'k yer goin' without payin'?" Nicolette was relieved to see it was just Mrs. Travis.

"Oh, excuse me. I had forgotten all about paying. And I'm not Irish."

"Whateva. Na hand it over." Nicolette was already pulling the small pocketbook that she wore around her neck, from beneath her blouse. She quickly opened it and counted out two bits then handed them to Mrs. Travis.

"Tanks kid." The woman said. Nicolette looked at her warily then backed out the door and was almost run over by a produce cart. She turned and stared at how different the street looked than it had last night. It was much, much busier.

She cautiously entered the mob and tried to make sense of where she was being pushed to. When she fought her way through and to the other side she found that she had been swept so far that she couldn't even see the boarding house any longer. Oh well.

Suddenly a huge crowd of boys came swarming into the now fairly clear street, from between two large iron gates. Nicolette watched in fascination as they fanned out across the square and went in different directions some shouting, "Extry! Extry!" While others said things like, "Huge fire in the train yard! Read all about it!" and "Another bloody battle in Queens! Learn more for a mere penny!"

She had to laugh when one little kid went up to someone and coughed a little then sold his last paper and then a moment later she saw him using the same routine on another unsuspecting lady and gent.

Still laughing she turned around but before she could take a step a paper was thrust into her face.

"Wanna buy a papah lady?" Asked a tall, handsome boy with dark blond hair. "They's somtin' special taday. Page two."

"Uh, no. Thank you." She said. The boy shrugged.

"Suit yerself lady." He said then continued on his way shouting. "Extry! Extry!" in his curious accent. She watched him for a moment then started looking for a blacksmith.

She turned down an alley but there were no shops there. As she was about to emerge onto the street again a pair of men stepped into the alley and blocked her way.

"Excuse me." She said nervously and tried to squeeze between them but they each grabbed one of her arms then picked her up and carried her to the back of the alley.

"Listen up, this's a robbery. We want's everything youse got. Understand?"

"But, but..." The taller man grabber her by the throat and pushed her against the wall.

"I say's, dya understand?" He asked his sweaty face close to hers. She nodded and he looked at her neck. "What 'ave we heah?" He yanked on the cord that held her pocketbook and with a snap it left her neck.

"Ow!" She cried.

"Aww... Did I hoit ya?" He knocked her to the ground and she cried out again as her head made contact with the brick wall. He laughed and then picked up her suitcase and tried to open it. He got angry when he found it was stuck closed. He threw it and the other man had to duck so it wouldn't hit him.

"Hey gal, youse got that stuck on poipus didn't ya? Just so's I couldn't get it open. Well, I ain't to happy about that." Nicolette was terrified at the murderous look in his eyes. She leapt up and ran down the alley. She hard the tall man shout and then the sound of both men pursuing her.

Author's note: So, wha'da youse all tink'? Lol. I know that chapter only had a little about the Newsies but please don't give up!!! This is, after all, a NEWSIES story! (I am still setting the stage...)

~Jessie