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Katrina walked and amiably stumbled through
the streets for a couple for hours, just thinking. Thinking about what she was
going to do, her brothers, her sister, her dead parents. She just didn't know
what to do. Then, she saw a Catholic church. Pray, she thought, I can always
pray to God for help and guidance. She left the streets and went into the
church.
It was beautiful, all the stain glass windows and the setting sun played
beautifully on the old wooden pews. Katrina walked silently up towards the
front, then sat in a pew and prayed. Dear God, please, show me what ta do. I
don't know anyt'ing special and I's now on my own. Save Iris, I miss her Lord
and I don't wanna lose her. Save Duncan & Thomas, Lord, dey's out west and
really need ya help, especially Thomas with dat temper of his. Well, God, I need
ya now, so don't leave, everyone else has but ya won't, will ya? Katrina
concluded her prayer and silently left, face downcasted.
As she stepped out side, she saw how dark it had gotten and how long she had
truly been in the beautiful church. She started walking, not knowing were she
was going, or where she was going to stay. She felt the chill of the autumn
night though her clothes and into her bones, as she shivered and pulled her
jacket closer to her body. She ambled her way through the streets for a little
while longer, until she ran into somebody.
"Hey! Watch were ya goin'!" a boy of about 16 or 17 yelled at her.
"Huh, oh, I'm sorry. I didn't see ya." Katrina muttered to the boy and
his friend as she stepped back.
"Nice shiner. Were did ya get it at?" the boy asked as he inspected
her face.
"I'd rat'er not talk 'bout it wit' no strangers," she firmly, yet
gently, replied looking down at the ground. Katrina couldn't help but think, Man
is dis boy noisy or what!?!
"Ah, don't be mad," the second boy replied. "Hey! Ya was at
Tibby's today! I remember! Ya sat in da corner all by yarself."
The second boy turned to the first, "Hey, yar right, Mush. She was der
today." he turned back to Katrina, "So, why was ya all by yarself?"
the first boy asked.
"Is it just me or do some people go poking der big ole noses wheredey don't
belong!?!" Katrina asked out of rage. After all, she didn't know these boys
and they didn't have any right to ask all of the questions they were asking.
"Gee, we's sorry, ain't we Kid," Mush apologized.
"Huh, yea sorry. So, do ya got a name or somet'ing?" Kid asked, alot
nicer this time.
"My name's Katrina Maree McDury." Katrina replied, pulling her-self up
to her full height of 5'5".
"Oh, so ya do act nice. Well now, Miss McDury, what are ya doing
here?" Kid asked, acting all high and mighty.
"Well, if ya must know, and I's pretty sure ya must, I's looking for a
place to live." Katrina replied in a matching tone. This comment brought on
a good lengthy pause as the boys studied Katrina. Then, one of them had an idea.
"Say! Do ya wanna be a newsie? 'cause if ya do, den ya could stay at da
lodging house. After all, Kloppman's allowing goils now," Mush suggested.
"Well, now, der's an idea!!" Kid exclaimed. He then turned to Katrina
to ask if she wanted to join the newsies.
"Me? But I've never done anyt'ing more den washin'." Katrina replied,
stunned at what she had just heard.
"Ah, come on. It's easy, practically nuttin' to it! And if ya can shout
like ya did at me earlier, den youse gonna be great at it!!!" Kid
encouraged, and Mush wasn't far behind.
"Yeah! And me and Kid here could teach ya everyt'ing ya need ta know. Or
Jackie-boy could help ya too. Say, do ya got a nickname?"
"Well, I's just don't know," Katrina started, but upon looking at both
faces she just gave in. "Well, alright. I'll do it. But a nickname, why do
ya wanna know dat?" Katrina couldn't help but ask.
"Well, see, once ya become a newsie, ya get a new name, most o four's are
nicknames. So do ya hve one?" Kid asked.
"Well, I've always been called Katrina," she thoughtfully replied.
Suddenly a light went on upstairs Katrina's brain, "Except, me older
brother used to call me Kitty."
"Well then, Kitty, welcome to the newsie world!" Mush replied with a
smile.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
About 15 minutes later they were all
standing outside a three-story brick building. Above the door was writing
"The Lower Manhattan Newsboys & Girls Lodging House". The boys
quickly whisked Kitty into the house and introduced her to Mr. Kloppman.
"Well, now, let me see here. Ya got any money? If ya don't, den it's fine,
first nights always free, and we can lend ya some money 'till ya make some on
your own." He thoughtfully replied after all the proper introductions were
made.
"Oh, well, I gots me own money, made sure of dat." Came a reassuring
reply form Kitty. With that, she pulled at her money and carefully took care of
everything. After she and Mr. Kloppman were squared away, she went with the Mush
to settle into a bunk.
"Der's only 11 goils settling in here right now, so youse can choose any
bunk you wanna. As long as der's no one else dere," Mush explained to Kitty
as soon as they reached the door.
"Thank you. I think I'll take this bottom one, is that ok?" she asked.
"Sure, don't see anyone else in it," he gently replied with a smile.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
When they came down form the stairs, they
were met by Kid and Jack. Kitty's first impression of Jack was rugged. He had a
cowboy hat, bandanna, and an all around rugged western look about him. She was
introduced to him, and thought that he was nice enough, and that she would
probably get along with him. As she was introduced to others throughout the
night she had the same thought. No one asked about her shiner, but many looked
at it with wonder.
She went to sleep that night knowing that she was going to enjoy her new life
and that everything was going to be all right. She knew that she had just found
a family to replace the one she lost over the years. She was happy, she got
everything she wanted. Well, except for her sister, but there where other
girls...even if it was not the same thing.