The Pennier- Chapter 1

Here is the first chapter of a story I wrote called "The Pennier".

Chapter One

“Lilyanne, I know you know that because of the Great Misfortune, times are tough. That’s why I’m giving you five dollars to live on until you can make money yourself. I’m sorry I have to leave here, but since you’re not a boy and I can hardly afford to feed the other orphans, I’ll have to. Someday I’ll see your name in newspapers, because you will turn out to be a great woman…,” Miss Carrier said.
“Goodbye,” Lilyanne told her.
“Goodbye.” Then Miss Carrier turned and left. Lilyanne watched Miss Carrier walk away and then thought back on her days. In 1909, she was four, her parents died. She got sent to a boy’s orphanage, because it was the closest place around. Miss Carrier, the owner only took her in because when she got to be older she’d be a great help. But now that she was older all her time was spent with the horses in the barn. She used to be a little kid ten, a ten when Miss Carrier told that it was time to go into the woods, she took up ten minutes saying goodbye each horse in the barn. But now she was an adult ten. She must learn the ways of the world - after all, she was all alone in the Great Misfortune. Lilyanne looked about her home state. Louisiana. The state where her great grandfather was born, where her great grandmother was born, where her grandmother was born, where her grandfather was born, where her mother was born, where her father was born and where she was born. Louisiana. She walked through the dark woods to the train station. There, the station master asked,
“Where do you seek to go?” Lilyanne was sad. This will probably be the last time she ever hears someone talk in a southern accent other than herself. With a great sigh Lilyanne said,
“The farthest place this train will take me.” She wanted to get as far away from Louisiana as she could. He handed her a ticket and asked for one dollar. Lilyanne handed him the fresh five dollar bill Miss Carrier had given her. He was amazed. Because of the Great Misfortune, five dollar bills were very rare. He gave her back her change and she went to the train. Lilyanne had never been on a train, and this was not a very happy first time. Most are going to visit relatives on trains, but Lilyanne was practically unvisiting relatives. Lilyanne was on the train for many days. When she was about to get off the train at her stop, a voice behind her said,
“What’s your name?” It was not a southern accent. It was northern. Lilyanne didn’t even know what state she was in, but she didn’t care. She looked back to where the voice had come from. An older man was behind her. She guessed that he was in his mid-sixties.
“Lilyanne,” Lilyanne told him.
“My name’s Benny,” he said. Benny! Benny was her father’s name. Lilyanne knew one thing. If this old man became friends with her, she was NOT going to call him Benny. She would merely call him her friend. Benny interrupted her thoughts.
“Would you like to come to my home?” he said.
“Sure” Lilyanne said. She wanted to see what a home looked like. She didn’t remember her old house.

When they got there, Lilyanne didn’t think the place looked right. It was made out of old junk. Then Lilyanne remembered that it was the Great Misfortune. Homes didn’t look right. Benny was probably not very rich. They went inside. Benny showed Lilyanne a picture of a kitten. He had ripped it out of a newspaper he had found in the trash. He said that he had always wanted a kitten for company, but he never could buy one. He had enough money, but why waste it on a kitten?
“My birthday’s tomorrow, and that’s what I want,” He told her. Then Lilyanne had an idea.