Marguerite woke up in a strange place. Her head hurt and her sight
was very blurry, but she could tell that this was not the train, it was too
light. She blinked a few times and her vision cleared up some. She tried to
sit up, but her body just did not agree. She fell back down onto the bed.
She could see that she was in a hospital, but she didn't quite know why.
The last thing she could remember was that she and that girl.what was her
name?, had stop talking. The, the girl.Susan.that was it, got up and left
and shortly afterwards Marguerite had heard a sharp shrill go through the
air. Now, she was here. The only conclusion Marguerite could make was that
she was in a train wreck.
"Oh, good you're awake. I need to ask a few questions." A nurse, who had just come in, rambled on. "Your name?"
"Marguerite Hampshire."
"Relatives?"
"None."
"None? Well then, who will pay for your hospital bills?" The nurse said impatiently, she couldn't just let every street rat stay in this hospital.
"I will, I guess."
"Employment status?"
"Employed, I will be working at a milliner shop in Chautauqua. Madam Justine's shop on Main Street." Marguerite informed the nurse.
"Madam Justine's, you say. Well, your luck is running out on you Miss Hampshire, her shop burnt down yesterday afternoon, almost the same time as the train accident you were in. Also, I'm afraid you can only stay one more day here, then you must go. Money and all." The nurse left, leaving the bewildered girl, laying there thinking.
-Now, what. I have no job, very little money and no place to go. I'm hopeless. Hold yourself together Marguerite, you could always go find a new job, even though this one took me 2 months to find. Maybe someone needs a governess, or another milliner job. Someone would certainly need an intern, or slave. I can find work.-
The next morning, Marguerite woke up, gathered her things, she wasn't a hundred percent well, but she could walk. She needed a job. They had sent the train casualties to New York City because it had the most updated care facilities.
Marguerite, needing a way to find a job, looked for a newsboy, and a paper. The paper was a good source for everything. Entertainment, news and job listings. She quickly found one, Susan was right, every corner you saw one.
"Extra, Extra! Ghost seen haunting Train Wreck Site!" The boy hollered.
"Excuse me, sir? How much is one?" Marguerite asked the boy.
The boy took off his cap, and said "One penny, miss."
Marguerite searched through her purse, but all she had was a nickel. She didn't want the boy to think she pitied him. She sighed and guessed that it would be alright. "Here you go," she said as she gave him the nickel.
The boy didn't seem to be surprised or offended, it must happen all the time in the big city. He took the coin, shoved it in his pocket, and then pulled out some more coins. He picked up four pennies and handed them to Marguerite. "Thank you, miss."
Marguerite took the coins, "Thank you, sir. Could you tell me where there is a place to sit near here?"
"Yes, miss. If you go up the block and turn right, Central Park should be right there." The boy told her, still with his hat off.
"Thank you." Marguerite gave him another penny, for information of course. Marguerite walked down the block and turned right, which was harder said than done, the street was jammed with people and shops. There were carts everywhere selling everything. From hats to hotdogs. Marguerite was amazed. She finally made it up to the end. And the boy was right, Central Park was right there, and it was huge. It seemed to go for miles. Marguerite found an unoccupied bench and sat down. She turned the paper to the job listing section. She glanced over it; most of the jobs listed were for men. Housekeepers were needed, but she didn't have enough experience at that. Marguerite continued to look; there must be something she thought. At the bottom left hand corner, was an interesting one.
Maid Needed
Pay is limited, must be able to work long hours.
Housing and food provided. Work is in Lodging House.
Here was the job for Marguerite. She knew how to clean, and they were looking for inexperienced people. That is why they labeled it "maid needed". And she was desperate; who cares about pay when lodging and food would be provided. She is on her own; all she needed was a little amount of money. She checked who to see, it was a lodging house on Duane Street. Maybe a newsie would know where that was. She got up; she was going to locate a newsie. She walked out of the park. And to her surprise, there were no newsies on the corner. She walked back to where that other newsie had been. Fortunately he was there, but about to leave, it seems like he had finished selling his papers.
"Wait, sir!" Marguerite screamed. Marguerite ran up to the newsboy, who kept walking away. She ran right into him, knocking him over.
"Hey! Look where you're going!" The boy yelled as he push Marguerite off of him.
"I'm sorry, sir." Marguerite apologized trying to help up the boy. "I was just wondering if you knew where Duane Street is?"
The boy quickly pulled off his hat. "I'm sorry madam, Duane Street you say. Yes, madam, um, I do know where that is, it's...um.why don't I show you?" The boy stuttered.
Marguerite paused; she really didn't want to trust this boy. She knows better than to follow some stranger around a strange city. "Why don't you draw a map? I'll buy the paper!"
"Do you have something to write with?" The boy asked. That got Marguerite; she was just not going to get out of this one. The boy felt safe, that's especially why she didn't want to go. She had no choice. She had to go. The boy seemed to realize Marguerite's dilemma, "Why don't we go someplace full of people, like a restaurant, and I'll give you some directions from there?"
Marguerite liked that idea, she was starved anyway, and someone was bound to have a writing utensil at the restaurant. "That will be fine."
"OK, my name is Jason." He said and turned around and started walking, Marguerite guessed he wanted her to follow him. So, she started walking too. They walked in silence to this restaurant called "Tibby's". It seemed to be bustling with people; maybe this is a safe place. The two walk in the place, and as soon as Jason walks in he is bombarded with questions.
"Hey, who's the girl?"
"Where did you pick that one up from?"
"Hey, does she have a friend?"
Jason turned to Marguerite and shook his head. He pointed to an empty table and made a gesture for Marguerite to sit. She did. Jason went off leaving Marguerite alone. She got scared; she didn't know what to do. So, she waited, this was a public restaurant, so that meant there are witnesses. She took this chance to look around. The place was booming. There were newsie-type people everywhere. There were a couple of other people but they looked uncomfortable, and wanted to get out of there as soon as possible. The newsies were being obnoxious; they weren't sitting still and eating properly. They were inhaling their food, talking with their mouths full, yelling. The noise was awful. Marguerite could not believe Susan would actually want to live with these people. Marguerite sat there thinking about what happened to Susan, if she got back to the newsies.
"OK, ma'am, I have a pen." Jason said, causing Marguerite to rapidly come out of her thoughts.
"Oh, ok. Could you draw the map on my paper please?" Marguerite held out her paper, that she bought earlier.
"Yes, ma'am. You're going out of this restaurant, turn right, go down to the corner, and take another right. Go down this street until you see 4th Ave. and then take a left, until you see a sign for Duane Street, take a left onto that. That's how you get to Duane Street. Or follow the newsboys; they are going that way too." Jason said as he drew the map on the newspaper. He really hoped this girl was going to answer the ad for the maid needed at the lodging house. He thought she was nice, and by the look of her could use a real reality shock, someone to make her not so scared in new situations.
"Excuse me, sir. Do you mean to say it's the Newsboy's Lodging House, on Duane Street?" Marguerite could not believe this, every since her meeting with Susan her life was getting pretty full with these newsboys. She needed to think: was this job worth working with newsboys? She did know before hand it was lodging house work, it said so in the ad. She did need the work and food and lodging was provided, it was a good deal. Marguerite should take the job; it would be good for her. What other work would she find?
"Yes ma'am." Jason was now getting worried, he did really want her to be the maid, and all the other applicants were old and mean looking. He didn't know why but, he hoped that she was the maid so he could see her again.
"So you will be going there?" Marguerite asked. There was no need to go now, if her guide was going there anyways. He kept his promise and brought her to a safe place, maybe he was alright.
"Yes, ma-"
"-Marguerite."
"Yes, Marguerite I will be heading there after I eat." Jason said as he smiled looks like this girl was coming out of her shell after all.
"Oh, good you're awake. I need to ask a few questions." A nurse, who had just come in, rambled on. "Your name?"
"Marguerite Hampshire."
"Relatives?"
"None."
"None? Well then, who will pay for your hospital bills?" The nurse said impatiently, she couldn't just let every street rat stay in this hospital.
"I will, I guess."
"Employment status?"
"Employed, I will be working at a milliner shop in Chautauqua. Madam Justine's shop on Main Street." Marguerite informed the nurse.
"Madam Justine's, you say. Well, your luck is running out on you Miss Hampshire, her shop burnt down yesterday afternoon, almost the same time as the train accident you were in. Also, I'm afraid you can only stay one more day here, then you must go. Money and all." The nurse left, leaving the bewildered girl, laying there thinking.
-Now, what. I have no job, very little money and no place to go. I'm hopeless. Hold yourself together Marguerite, you could always go find a new job, even though this one took me 2 months to find. Maybe someone needs a governess, or another milliner job. Someone would certainly need an intern, or slave. I can find work.-
The next morning, Marguerite woke up, gathered her things, she wasn't a hundred percent well, but she could walk. She needed a job. They had sent the train casualties to New York City because it had the most updated care facilities.
Marguerite, needing a way to find a job, looked for a newsboy, and a paper. The paper was a good source for everything. Entertainment, news and job listings. She quickly found one, Susan was right, every corner you saw one.
"Extra, Extra! Ghost seen haunting Train Wreck Site!" The boy hollered.
"Excuse me, sir? How much is one?" Marguerite asked the boy.
The boy took off his cap, and said "One penny, miss."
Marguerite searched through her purse, but all she had was a nickel. She didn't want the boy to think she pitied him. She sighed and guessed that it would be alright. "Here you go," she said as she gave him the nickel.
The boy didn't seem to be surprised or offended, it must happen all the time in the big city. He took the coin, shoved it in his pocket, and then pulled out some more coins. He picked up four pennies and handed them to Marguerite. "Thank you, miss."
Marguerite took the coins, "Thank you, sir. Could you tell me where there is a place to sit near here?"
"Yes, miss. If you go up the block and turn right, Central Park should be right there." The boy told her, still with his hat off.
"Thank you." Marguerite gave him another penny, for information of course. Marguerite walked down the block and turned right, which was harder said than done, the street was jammed with people and shops. There were carts everywhere selling everything. From hats to hotdogs. Marguerite was amazed. She finally made it up to the end. And the boy was right, Central Park was right there, and it was huge. It seemed to go for miles. Marguerite found an unoccupied bench and sat down. She turned the paper to the job listing section. She glanced over it; most of the jobs listed were for men. Housekeepers were needed, but she didn't have enough experience at that. Marguerite continued to look; there must be something she thought. At the bottom left hand corner, was an interesting one.
Maid Needed
Pay is limited, must be able to work long hours.
Housing and food provided. Work is in Lodging House.
Here was the job for Marguerite. She knew how to clean, and they were looking for inexperienced people. That is why they labeled it "maid needed". And she was desperate; who cares about pay when lodging and food would be provided. She is on her own; all she needed was a little amount of money. She checked who to see, it was a lodging house on Duane Street. Maybe a newsie would know where that was. She got up; she was going to locate a newsie. She walked out of the park. And to her surprise, there were no newsies on the corner. She walked back to where that other newsie had been. Fortunately he was there, but about to leave, it seems like he had finished selling his papers.
"Wait, sir!" Marguerite screamed. Marguerite ran up to the newsboy, who kept walking away. She ran right into him, knocking him over.
"Hey! Look where you're going!" The boy yelled as he push Marguerite off of him.
"I'm sorry, sir." Marguerite apologized trying to help up the boy. "I was just wondering if you knew where Duane Street is?"
The boy quickly pulled off his hat. "I'm sorry madam, Duane Street you say. Yes, madam, um, I do know where that is, it's...um.why don't I show you?" The boy stuttered.
Marguerite paused; she really didn't want to trust this boy. She knows better than to follow some stranger around a strange city. "Why don't you draw a map? I'll buy the paper!"
"Do you have something to write with?" The boy asked. That got Marguerite; she was just not going to get out of this one. The boy felt safe, that's especially why she didn't want to go. She had no choice. She had to go. The boy seemed to realize Marguerite's dilemma, "Why don't we go someplace full of people, like a restaurant, and I'll give you some directions from there?"
Marguerite liked that idea, she was starved anyway, and someone was bound to have a writing utensil at the restaurant. "That will be fine."
"OK, my name is Jason." He said and turned around and started walking, Marguerite guessed he wanted her to follow him. So, she started walking too. They walked in silence to this restaurant called "Tibby's". It seemed to be bustling with people; maybe this is a safe place. The two walk in the place, and as soon as Jason walks in he is bombarded with questions.
"Hey, who's the girl?"
"Where did you pick that one up from?"
"Hey, does she have a friend?"
Jason turned to Marguerite and shook his head. He pointed to an empty table and made a gesture for Marguerite to sit. She did. Jason went off leaving Marguerite alone. She got scared; she didn't know what to do. So, she waited, this was a public restaurant, so that meant there are witnesses. She took this chance to look around. The place was booming. There were newsie-type people everywhere. There were a couple of other people but they looked uncomfortable, and wanted to get out of there as soon as possible. The newsies were being obnoxious; they weren't sitting still and eating properly. They were inhaling their food, talking with their mouths full, yelling. The noise was awful. Marguerite could not believe Susan would actually want to live with these people. Marguerite sat there thinking about what happened to Susan, if she got back to the newsies.
"OK, ma'am, I have a pen." Jason said, causing Marguerite to rapidly come out of her thoughts.
"Oh, ok. Could you draw the map on my paper please?" Marguerite held out her paper, that she bought earlier.
"Yes, ma'am. You're going out of this restaurant, turn right, go down to the corner, and take another right. Go down this street until you see 4th Ave. and then take a left, until you see a sign for Duane Street, take a left onto that. That's how you get to Duane Street. Or follow the newsboys; they are going that way too." Jason said as he drew the map on the newspaper. He really hoped this girl was going to answer the ad for the maid needed at the lodging house. He thought she was nice, and by the look of her could use a real reality shock, someone to make her not so scared in new situations.
"Excuse me, sir. Do you mean to say it's the Newsboy's Lodging House, on Duane Street?" Marguerite could not believe this, every since her meeting with Susan her life was getting pretty full with these newsboys. She needed to think: was this job worth working with newsboys? She did know before hand it was lodging house work, it said so in the ad. She did need the work and food and lodging was provided, it was a good deal. Marguerite should take the job; it would be good for her. What other work would she find?
"Yes ma'am." Jason was now getting worried, he did really want her to be the maid, and all the other applicants were old and mean looking. He didn't know why but, he hoped that she was the maid so he could see her again.
"So you will be going there?" Marguerite asked. There was no need to go now, if her guide was going there anyways. He kept his promise and brought her to a safe place, maybe he was alright.
"Yes, ma-"
"-Marguerite."
"Yes, Marguerite I will be heading there after I eat." Jason said as he smiled looks like this girl was coming out of her shell after all.
