Chapter 3
“Would you like to stay the night with me? It would probably be best for the kittens to get used to you but be in their own home at the same time.” Martha asked.
“Sure,” said Lilyanne. She thought that that arrangement would probably be best for the kittens too, but she thought that Martha had asked her for another reason, a reason she couldn’t think of. And then that name! Martha was a name that was familiar with Lilyanne but she couldn’t think of it. Martha… Martha… now what was it? Lilyanne strained her brain to come up with the answer, but it just couldn’t.
“Come with me, I’ll show you to your room,” Martha said.
“Thank you very much for letting me stay the night, I just came off a train from Louisiana and I don’t really have a place to stay the night. My parents died when I was four and I went to a boy’s orphanage. Just about four days ago they kicked me out. And your name! Martha. I’ve heard it in my childhood before. I’m sure it wasn’t you. The last name was different. And she was from Louisiana. We’re in Wisconsin. Now how could I possibly meet someone from Louisiana in Wisconsin? I don’t think it’s possible,” Lilyanne reminded herself of the main character from her favorite book, Pollyanna.
“Yes, meeting someone you know in a different state without planning to do happen very often, does it?” Martha said. Lilyanne then noticed that Martha Everhart had a slight southern accent. It’s probably just my imagination, Lilyanne told herself, and if it’s not, and she is from the south, she’s probably from a different state. “I’ll ask her,” Lilyanne thought.
“So, where were you born?” Lilyanne asked Martha cautiously. The question must have caught Martha by surprise, for she stopped walking and looked Lilyanne straight in the eye. For a moment Lilyanne thought she had said something wrong, but when Martha smiled she knew it was okay.
“I was born the great southern state of… well, the state of Louisiana,” she said to Lilyanne. Then Lilyanne remembered. She remembered of a very long time ago when her parents where still alive. The time that she was thinking of was her first funeral. It was her Uncle Karl’s. He had died in an accident. Lilyanne didn’t even know what really happened to him. She remembered her parents describing it as a serious accident. And Martha Reedy was his wife. When he died she went to her maiden name. Was this woman her aunt? No, there’s other Marthas from Louisiana. Lots of other Marthas.
“Do you have a husband?” Lilyanne questioned her.
“Oh no, he died in an accident about six or seven years ago,” she said to Lilyanne without pause.
“I’m very sorry. What was his name?” Lilyanne didn’t think it would do any harm in just asking his name.
“His name,” Martha pausing and looking back at Lilyanne, “ was Karl Reedy.” Lilyanne’s eyes grew wide. She ran and hugged her Aunt Martha. Her aunt smiled down at her.
“ It’s nice to finally meet you again, Lily,” she said, calling her by her nickname and letting her southern accent out. Lilyanne was so happy she had found someone who knew her she couldn’t speak. She just stood there hugging her aunt and her aunt hugging her back. They finally let go of each other and both were beaming like mad.
“I’m always wondering where you went, and when you said your name, I knew it had to be you. But I didn’t want to just run up and hug you saying you were my niece, so I let you find out on your own,” Aunt Martha said to Lilyanne. Lilyanne just stood there smiling, speechless from her discovery.
Showing posts with label The Pennier. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Pennier. Show all posts
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
The Pennier- Chapter 2
Chapter 2
Lilyanne decided she was going to buy a kitten for Benny.
“Can you tell me where Cherry Street is?” she asked.
“Go down the street, turn on the first street on the right, keep going and you’ll see a large oak. Next street you come to is Cherry.” Benny said.
“Thank you very much” Lilyanne thanked him and started on her way. She found the house in no time. She knocked on number 67’s door. A middle-aged woman answered.
“Hello,” She said as she opened the door. When she saw Lilyanne standing there, she stopped short. The woman stared quizzically at Lilyanne. Lilyanne remember that she hadn’t had a shower or a change of clothes in 2 weeks. The woman was about to shut the door on her because she knew of all the homeless people going around and begging for money from the richer people when Lilyanne said,
“Wait! I’ve come to inquire about the newspaper article you put in for kittens,” she said. The woman began to laugh.
“Like you really have twenty-nine cents to spare,” she said while laughing. She kept on laughing until Lilyanne said,
“Oh, I’ve got four dollars to spend,” The woman looked at her quizzically again.
“How could a pennier like you have four dollars to spend?” she asked Lilyanne. This time it was Lilyanne’s turn to look confused.
“What’s a pennier?” she asked the woman.
“A pennier is a term used by the Wisconsin people in the Great Misfortune to refer the less fortune human beings in our area,” she said in a matter-of-fact way.
“Well, I’ve still got twenty-nine cents to spend on one of your kittens,” Lilyanne told her in the same matter-of fact way. The woman finally stepped back so that Lilyanne could step inside the house, though she did so very reluctantly. Inside, the house was beautifully decorated. The woman led Lilyanne to a room with no carpeting, and then shut the door. When Lilyanne looked at her questionably, the woman said,
“I don’t want the kitten darlings to get out and ruin the carpeting and furniture,” she told Lilyanne. Lilyanne then saw a basket in the corner. In it were tiny little kittens.
“Oh, aren’t they adorable?” Lilyanne said, running over and picking one up.
“You must not touch them with your dirty hands!” the woman exclaimed.
“Well, they are for sale,” Lilyanne said. The woman didn’t say anything, but it was clear she was disturbed that Lilyanne was touching them.
“Well, I think these two are the ones for me,” Lilyanne finally said, handing the lady a one dollar bill.
“Oh, you’re not planning on buying two kittens,” the lady said while reaching over and taking the one dollar bill gratefully.
“Of course, I'm giving one to a friend and keeping one for myself,” Lilyanne said.
“Okay, well, I’ll go get your change,” the woman said, then left the room looking over her shoulder to make sure that Lilyanne was not eyeing other things around the room, hoping to steal them. The woman returned, gave Lilyanne her change and escorted her to the front door.
“Oh, by the way, do you know of any motels around here I could stay the night?” Lilyanne asked as she was going out the front door. The woman looked surprised but answered Lilyanne’s question.
“There is a place called the Hilltop Motel on Green Street,” she said. As Lilyanne started to go out the front door with her kittens, the woman stopped her.
“Wait, who you are anyway?” she said.
“Me? Oh, I haven’t introduced myself, I am Lilyanne Hildy,” Lilyanne told the woman.
“Where were you born? You sound so southern,” the woman said.
“I was born in the state of Louisiana,” Lilyanne said.
“Oh…Well, I haven’t introduced myself either! I am Martha Everhart, pleased to make your acquaintance,” Martha said cheerfully. Lilyanne wondered why Martha had all of the sudden been especially nice to her.
Lilyanne decided she was going to buy a kitten for Benny.
“Can you tell me where Cherry Street is?” she asked.
“Go down the street, turn on the first street on the right, keep going and you’ll see a large oak. Next street you come to is Cherry.” Benny said.
“Thank you very much” Lilyanne thanked him and started on her way. She found the house in no time. She knocked on number 67’s door. A middle-aged woman answered.
“Hello,” She said as she opened the door. When she saw Lilyanne standing there, she stopped short. The woman stared quizzically at Lilyanne. Lilyanne remember that she hadn’t had a shower or a change of clothes in 2 weeks. The woman was about to shut the door on her because she knew of all the homeless people going around and begging for money from the richer people when Lilyanne said,
“Wait! I’ve come to inquire about the newspaper article you put in for kittens,” she said. The woman began to laugh.
“Like you really have twenty-nine cents to spare,” she said while laughing. She kept on laughing until Lilyanne said,
“Oh, I’ve got four dollars to spend,” The woman looked at her quizzically again.
“How could a pennier like you have four dollars to spend?” she asked Lilyanne. This time it was Lilyanne’s turn to look confused.
“What’s a pennier?” she asked the woman.
“A pennier is a term used by the Wisconsin people in the Great Misfortune to refer the less fortune human beings in our area,” she said in a matter-of-fact way.
“Well, I’ve still got twenty-nine cents to spend on one of your kittens,” Lilyanne told her in the same matter-of fact way. The woman finally stepped back so that Lilyanne could step inside the house, though she did so very reluctantly. Inside, the house was beautifully decorated. The woman led Lilyanne to a room with no carpeting, and then shut the door. When Lilyanne looked at her questionably, the woman said,
“I don’t want the kitten darlings to get out and ruin the carpeting and furniture,” she told Lilyanne. Lilyanne then saw a basket in the corner. In it were tiny little kittens.
“Oh, aren’t they adorable?” Lilyanne said, running over and picking one up.
“You must not touch them with your dirty hands!” the woman exclaimed.
“Well, they are for sale,” Lilyanne said. The woman didn’t say anything, but it was clear she was disturbed that Lilyanne was touching them.
“Well, I think these two are the ones for me,” Lilyanne finally said, handing the lady a one dollar bill.
“Oh, you’re not planning on buying two kittens,” the lady said while reaching over and taking the one dollar bill gratefully.
“Of course, I'm giving one to a friend and keeping one for myself,” Lilyanne said.
“Okay, well, I’ll go get your change,” the woman said, then left the room looking over her shoulder to make sure that Lilyanne was not eyeing other things around the room, hoping to steal them. The woman returned, gave Lilyanne her change and escorted her to the front door.
“Oh, by the way, do you know of any motels around here I could stay the night?” Lilyanne asked as she was going out the front door. The woman looked surprised but answered Lilyanne’s question.
“There is a place called the Hilltop Motel on Green Street,” she said. As Lilyanne started to go out the front door with her kittens, the woman stopped her.
“Wait, who you are anyway?” she said.
“Me? Oh, I haven’t introduced myself, I am Lilyanne Hildy,” Lilyanne told the woman.
“Where were you born? You sound so southern,” the woman said.
“I was born in the state of Louisiana,” Lilyanne said.
“Oh…Well, I haven’t introduced myself either! I am Martha Everhart, pleased to make your acquaintance,” Martha said cheerfully. Lilyanne wondered why Martha had all of the sudden been especially nice to her.
Saturday, January 16, 2010
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.
“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.
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