From The Journals of Katherine Plumber

July 19th, 1900: Part II

I smiled wide as I ran out into the hall.  I looked at the number on my key and matched it with the numbers beside the office doors. I saw mine and made a funny, giddy giggle as I walked over, sliding my key into the hole and turning it. As I heard the click, I took a deep breath. I quickly flung open the door to my office and stepped in to see Phillip standing beside a desk, smiling wide as he held a folder. I smiled wide, "Are you..?"

"Your assistant, Ms. Pulitzer." He smiled as I walked over, "Congratulations."

I squealed and jumped into his arms, hugging him as he spun me around. He chuckled and put me down, "I couldn't be happier right now."

"You might be once you see your actual office." He chuckled.

"This isn't it?" I asked.

"No. This is my area. Your office is in here." He smiled, taking me through a pair of doors behind his desk.

The walls were deep purple with a pretty pattern. My desk was perfectly in front of two windows that overlooked the square perfectly. I smiled wide wide, taking it all in as I looked at my many, tall bookshelves and the chase in the corner. "You like it?" Phillip asked.

"Like? Like is an understatement. I love it!" I smiled wide.

"Here, your Father asked me to give this to you." He said, handing me the folder from his arms.

I smiled and took it. I don't know what I was expecting. Maybe some super secret article about thieves or something exciting, but then I remembered: I'm an editor, not a spy. So, I shouldn't have been too shocked when I read my next job - first job as junior editor - was to review a show at Medda's. Maybe I was expecting too much of Father, "The social pages." I said softly, a saddened tone coming out.

Phillip peeked over my shoulder and sighed, "Maybe he has a reason."

"Yeah, sure." I sighed as I tossed it down on my desk.

"You're still junior editor." He smirked.

"But, I'm writing for the social pages. Junior editors should get to do exciting things." I said.

"Maybe this will be exciting. It was last year." He said.

I sighed, "Gimme a second to think, okay?"

"Of course, Kath." He said, kissing my cheek in a sisterly way before leaving.

Once he was gone, I sighed and flopped into my chair. I opened my bag and pulled out my Journal, getting ready to rant when I realized something:

Wednesday, July 19th, 1899

Dear Journal,

Jack Kelly. A mysterious, cocky, but gentle and handsome man. My day was an adventure, the first I had for a long time. It started with Darcy. My best friend was back from Italy and he escorted me to work, but the real adventure was when a newsboy stopped us. He was a flirtatious, cocky, no good, skirt chasing, son of a-... gun. Darcy and I ignored him and kept walking, but I couldn't help but think of him. The newsboys have a bad name because people assume they're skirt chasing street rats, so they become that. If people didn't assume such ignorant things, it wouldn't come true. The boy that stopped us was with others. They were all dirty and had worn down shoes and clothes. I couldn't help but to think if I could help them. They were just kids and were labeled by high class society that didn't take the time of day to actually know them.

When I got to work, I sat at my typewriter and the only things I could get out was 'How the New York Laws of Child Labor Affect Everyone'. Before I knew it, it was time to leave and Darcy was waiting for me. He walked me to Irving Hall, where I had to review a show. But, to my surprise, the mysterious newsboy was there. He seemed to have known the Bowery star, Medda Larkin, since she was hugging him backstage. I didn't realize it was him, though, until he walked into my booth. Everything I seemed to say to him, he had a snarky reply. I ignored him until he took my pencil. Whenever I looked over at him his head was down and he was drawing on a newspaper. Just before the show ended, he left, leaving the newspaper and pencil on the seat. When I looked at it, I was in shock. It was me! He was a true artist. I clutched that newspaper to my chest the whole walk home. I couldn't help but to think of him. I don't want to marry now, I don't even want to love now in fear it'll be in the way of my career, but deep down inside, I think I may just love Jack Kelly a little bit. I highly doubt I'll see him again, though!