Headway: by D'Asia Lipsey (fun books to read for adults txt) 📖

First Class

July 17, 1894

Dear Diary,

I so excited! Although…perhaps I should be a little sad too. Today I left the rest of my family in Europe. Only Mama and…my brother came with me. As you see, I did not mention my brother’s name, and I will explain why. I believe our names at this moment are too crude and unrefined to due justice to our new destination: America! I can already see it! I’ll be famous, and have furs, and toys, and-and roast beef everyday! My name will be Julianne—doesn’t it sound wonderful—and my brother’s will be Jamison! Such elegance!

Do not regard me with such a doubtful look! How can our new life in America NOT be perfect! I mean, we have the riches to afford first class; surely that will ensure us the utmost comfort in our new country…

Sincerely,

Julianne XD


July 19, 1894

Dear Diary,

I am so dreadfully sick. Mother had grown quite green, and Eph-…Jamison can barely keep his feet under him. There is no one here to soothe my headaches with calming teas. The sailors glare at me and tell me to get from under their feet. Well…at least I’m not stuck in steerage. Those poor-! Oh…no. Diary, I must leave you. I’m afraid that I’m having the queerest urge to empty my stomach of its breakfast…ta-ta.

Sincerely,

Julianne…e__e*.


July 20, 1894

Dear Diary,

I made a new friend today! Or…at least…I believe I did… Her circumstances wee much poorer than mine. Mother was still feeling sickly, so I snuck away from her and made my way down to steerage. It was terrible! The people wee packed together like animals and it smelled rather like urine.

I noticed a girl about my age who was regarding me with a weird expression in her eyes—almost like anger. Wanting to know why she looked like she did, I grabbed her and pulled her to the upper level with me. She ought to have been happy to leave that stink hole, but instead she snatched her hand away and almost bit me! A sailor saw her and made her go back down below. And I didn’t even get her name! I know, I’ll call her… Janice. See both our names now start with a J! We’ll be best friends forever.

Sincerely,

Julianne! ;P


July 21, 1894

Dear Diary,

I can’t believe it! We’re finally here! Mother had to be supported by Jamison (what weird looks he does give me when I call him that!) and I; she is still a little unsteady! I’m not ashamed to say that I almost bowled her over to get to the front of the inspection line! And it barely took anytime at all! The doctors barely glanced at us before rushing us off the boat! As I stepped onto land, I glanced back and caught sight of Janice! She was in an extremely long line and was glaring balefully at me through narrowed green eyes! I waved and she made a rather rude gesture. Oh well, I guess we're having a little spat; she’ll get over it, whatever it is! And now onward, to my life of fame and fortune!

Sincerely,

Julianne!!!! X)


Steerage

July 17, 1894

Journal:

I didn’t want to do it. I didn’t want to leave behind everything I’ve ever known in Ireland. But my mother swears that it’s not safe at home now; she’s written a letter to my Uncle Peter who made the trip to America two years ago and he’ll pick me up at Ellis Island. So far I don’t’ like this trip; I’m aware of our family’s financial problems, but I really don’t think its fair that I and the other steerage passengers had to stand in line for three hours while a snooty looking blonde girl got right onboard. Then we were all escorted below the ship into a tiny living area where there was barely room to stand with three feet separating us.

On our way, down, I saw that the blonde girl got her own cabin….I have to go. I don’t have enough paper to write too much.

Forever yours,

Maria.


July 19, 1894

Journal:

It’s terrible down here! There are no bathrooms, we aren’t allowed above deck, and seasickness is raging among the passengers. I’ve been on my father’s ship before, so it is not affecting me as badly as some, but I am suffering from another kind of sickness: home sickness. I wish we could have afforded to bring my sister Triane with me. But she was too young and might not have survived the boat ride… I should probably go provide the comfort to some of the other passengers. I’ve met a older boy, around 23, named Trevor. He’s nice, but he seems sicker than everyone else…

Forever yours

Maria.


July 20, 1894

Journal;

I can believe the nerve of that girl! The most blood boiling event occurred today. Remember the blonde girl I told you about? Well for some odd reason she came down to steerage today and turned up her nose at the things she saw! The nerve! Not everyone can afford first class, or even second! She must have felt me glaring daggers into her back, because she turned and looked at me with a confused expression, as if she had practically no idea why I should look at her like that.

Then, get this:

She grabbed

me, pulled

me above deck, where I have absolutely

no business going, and then started to prattle at me as if she were a chicken that had had its had removed and then promptly reattached, and thinking that it had but a few seconds to live, filled the nearest bystander in on its whole boring life!

Just as I had snatched my hand back and was going to give her a piece of my mind, when one of the sailors walked by and ordered me back below! So she got me in trouble for no reason, and not only that, but wasted five minutes of my precious time with he senseless nonsense! I really…really dislike her.

Forever yours,

Maria.


July 21, 1894

Journal:

Well, I’m here. Peter picked me up after I stood for four hours in a line while the doctors checked me and everyone else for disease. And…I don’t believe I saw them wash a tool once. I made it through with no problem, but Trevor was sent back. It was weird; it kind of looked like he had been expecting that… Oh and I saw the little blonde wench again. It’s like she has ESP for whenever I’m glaring at her. She turned, and would you believe it, the little chit waved at me before flouncing off!

I have no idea how someone I’ve never spoken a full sentence to can aggravate me so much. I have to go now; Peter had located our bus tickets after losing them ten minutes ago…they were in his pant pockets.

Forever yours,

Maria


Steerage

July 22, 1894

My name is Trevor, but you probably don’t care. Just in case someone who does care reads this, I’ve been sent back. Apparently I’m too sick and a danger to America. It’s a shame; I was hoping (somewhat futilely) that I would make it through. I made a friend named Maria on the journey here. She reminded me of my little sister who passed away awhile ago.

There’s nothing left for me back in Ireland. No family—all dead—no land—all taken—no nothing. Maybe I won’t even make it back to the opposite shore. Maybe I’ll just disappear from the boat. No one will miss me…


Epilogue:

Julianne and Maria actually met up again in New York. They got to know each other and Maria decided that Julianne wasn’t as annoying as she first thought and Julianne…well. She realized Maria’s name wasn’t Janice.

Trevor never made it back to land; the only who noticed his absence was the little ship rat he had been giving his portions of food to…

Publication Date: 04-01-2011

All Rights Reserved

Dedication:
To you Ms. Ward. Thank you...for....making me do this project...I guess.