Post by Anthony Higgins on Jan 31, 2008 14:25:24 GMT -5
Full Name: Anthony Joseph Higgins
Newsie name: "Racetrack" Higgins
Name origin: He spends most of his time at the Sheepshead Bay Racetrack, betting on the races.
Age: 16
Gender: Male
Birthplace: Manhattan, New York
Currently Living: Newsboy Lodging House in Manhattan
History: Anthony's father, Joseph Higgins, was living as a successful clergyman in Manhattan when he met Simona Giusti, a young Italian woman just come over from Bologna. Simona was beautiful, and her father, who had made the trip with her, didn't hesitate to marry her off to an American in hopes she could live a better life, although initially Simona rejected the union, insisting she was not in love with Joseph. But eventually, Joseph married Simona and taught her the language, the two becoming close during the course of their relationship. It didn't take long for them to truly fall in love, and soon they raised enough money to bring Simona's mother, Giulia Danzetti, to America. Giulia was taught English and lived with her daughter and son-in-law in a small apartment in Manhattan.
After the birth of their first son, Thomas, the family ran into financial trouble, and to make matters worse, Joseph's trusted friend betrayed them all and stole everything of value from their home. Anthony was their second son, and was born into a life of poverty and hardship. One day, Joseph, Simona and Thomas vanished. They went into Long Island and never came back home. No one could find out what happened to them, and Anthony was barely a year old when it happened. His grandmother, "Nonna Giulia", raised him and taught him Italian until he was nine years old, when she passed away.
With no one to take care of him, Anthony took to the streets and found the Lodging House on his own accord. When told he had to be a newsie to live there, he quickly became one. He learned how to sell by watching the older boys, and soon expressed a natural aptitude. He's lived at the Lodging House for six years, and at age twelve he was introduced by an older newsie named Johnny to card games, gambling and horse race bets. He loved the thrill of chance right away.
Hair Color: Dark brown
Hair Style: Reasonably well-kept; short.
Eye Color: Brown
Skin Color: Beige
Height: 5' 3"
Weight: About 120 lbs.
Clothing Style: Racetrack would rather look decent. He wears his normal trousers, shirt, shoes and vest with a cabbie hat. He carries a pocket watch on a chain.
Items owned: Racetrack doesn't have too much. He has an old pocket watch he found in the street one day, an old Sheepshead Races race card, a stolen harmonica, an old deck of cards he found outside a pub, and a green-glass brooch that belonged to his grandmother. He's not the most sentimental of boys, but the brooch wasn't something he could toss away.
Troubles: Racetrack doesn't know when to keep his mouth shut. Although his smart-mouth comments are sometimes appreciated and funny, they can get annoying, not to mention get Race in a lot of trouble if he happens to mouth off to the wrong person. He is also very opinionated, whether he voices the opinions aloud or not.
Fears: Racetrack hates when he's threatened in any way. He's not afraid of much (at least he pretends not to be), but he would rather things stay exactly how they are, not being too big on change. He also doesn't like going outside Manhattan very much.
Siblings: Thomas Higgins, 19 (Missing)
Parents: Joseph Higgins and Simona Higgins (Both Missing)
Newsie name: "Racetrack" Higgins
Name origin: He spends most of his time at the Sheepshead Bay Racetrack, betting on the races.
Age: 16
Gender: Male
Birthplace: Manhattan, New York
Currently Living: Newsboy Lodging House in Manhattan
History: Anthony's father, Joseph Higgins, was living as a successful clergyman in Manhattan when he met Simona Giusti, a young Italian woman just come over from Bologna. Simona was beautiful, and her father, who had made the trip with her, didn't hesitate to marry her off to an American in hopes she could live a better life, although initially Simona rejected the union, insisting she was not in love with Joseph. But eventually, Joseph married Simona and taught her the language, the two becoming close during the course of their relationship. It didn't take long for them to truly fall in love, and soon they raised enough money to bring Simona's mother, Giulia Danzetti, to America. Giulia was taught English and lived with her daughter and son-in-law in a small apartment in Manhattan.
After the birth of their first son, Thomas, the family ran into financial trouble, and to make matters worse, Joseph's trusted friend betrayed them all and stole everything of value from their home. Anthony was their second son, and was born into a life of poverty and hardship. One day, Joseph, Simona and Thomas vanished. They went into Long Island and never came back home. No one could find out what happened to them, and Anthony was barely a year old when it happened. His grandmother, "Nonna Giulia", raised him and taught him Italian until he was nine years old, when she passed away.
With no one to take care of him, Anthony took to the streets and found the Lodging House on his own accord. When told he had to be a newsie to live there, he quickly became one. He learned how to sell by watching the older boys, and soon expressed a natural aptitude. He's lived at the Lodging House for six years, and at age twelve he was introduced by an older newsie named Johnny to card games, gambling and horse race bets. He loved the thrill of chance right away.
Hair Color: Dark brown
Hair Style: Reasonably well-kept; short.
Eye Color: Brown
Skin Color: Beige
Height: 5' 3"
Weight: About 120 lbs.
Clothing Style: Racetrack would rather look decent. He wears his normal trousers, shirt, shoes and vest with a cabbie hat. He carries a pocket watch on a chain.
Items owned: Racetrack doesn't have too much. He has an old pocket watch he found in the street one day, an old Sheepshead Races race card, a stolen harmonica, an old deck of cards he found outside a pub, and a green-glass brooch that belonged to his grandmother. He's not the most sentimental of boys, but the brooch wasn't something he could toss away.
Troubles: Racetrack doesn't know when to keep his mouth shut. Although his smart-mouth comments are sometimes appreciated and funny, they can get annoying, not to mention get Race in a lot of trouble if he happens to mouth off to the wrong person. He is also very opinionated, whether he voices the opinions aloud or not.
Fears: Racetrack hates when he's threatened in any way. He's not afraid of much (at least he pretends not to be), but he would rather things stay exactly how they are, not being too big on change. He also doesn't like going outside Manhattan very much.
Siblings: Thomas Higgins, 19 (Missing)
Parents: Joseph Higgins and Simona Higgins (Both Missing)