News of the World: Chapter 1 Summary & Analysis

Standing at his lectern, Captain Kidd begins to read aloud a newspaper article about the 15th Amendment (a recent Constitutional provision giving African Americans the right to vote). Captain Kidd has fought three wars in his life and hopes never to see another. In between conflicts, he’s worked as a printer. But his business collapsed with the recent fall of the Confederacy, so he makes a living “drifting from one town to another” in North Texas and reading the news to the local people.

When Captain Kidd announces the news of the amendment, people in the crowd mutter in displeasure. He reprimands them, saying he doesn’t want to hear any “vaporings or girlish shrieks.” He changes the subject to less controversial news, reporting a failed polar expedition. The Captain’s clean, elderly appearance command respect; even though he has no assistant to collect money, audience members at the readings rarely try to evade payment. Still, he always carries his gun.

The crowd tonight is mostly white, but at the back of the room he can make out Britt Johnson, an African American freighter he knows. Britt makes a small sign, and the Captain nods to show he will meet with him afterwards. He closes the reading with a long, boring article about science that will make people happy to leave quietly. The Captain used to enjoy readings and the emotions they inspire, but lately he’s “impatient of trouble and other people’s emotions.” As he leaves the pulpit, he notices a pale-haired man sitting with two Caddos (a Native American tribe).

After the reading, Britt Johnson takes Captain Kidd to his wagon, where a young white girl, dressed in Native American attire, is sitting in perfect composure despite the cold air. Regarding the child, the Captain remarks that she looks “artificial as well as malign.” Britt says that her name is Johanna Leonberger; she was captured during a Kiowa raid four years ago and has just been rescued by the U.S. military, who have charged Britt with bringing her home. She’s already tried to escape twice.

Captain Kidd asks about Johanna’s parents, and Britt Johnson says that they, along with her little sister, were killed in the initial raid. Her remaining relatives, an aunt and uncle, have sent 50 dollars to pay for her transport home. The Captain remembers that Britt had once rescued his own wife and two children from captivity, a feat no one can truly understand. Still, he seems reluctant to take on responsibility for the young girl. He tells Captain Kidd that the trip is too far away from his freight routes; anyway, he doesn’t want to be caught caring for a white girl in South Texas, where racism is even more prevalent than here.

Captain Kidd understands the wisdom of Britt’s caution. After all, he’d once been married to a San Antonio woman and he understands their mores. He suggests that Britt Johnson hand off Johanna to another family or the army, but Britt says these options have already failed. Captain Kidd muses that it might be better for Johanna to stay with the Kiowa, but Britt shakes his head. The Kiowa have realized that possessing white captives incurs repercussions from the increasingly powerful military, and they themselves traded her for blankets and silver. At the parting, Johanna’s Kiowa mother cut her arms in despair and cried for hours.

Britt Johnson continues that Johanna remembers nothing of her life before the Kiowa raid; she doesn’t speak English, but his own son speaks Kiowa and has talked with her. Britt remarks that his son has changed much since captivity. After only a year of captivity, he had assimilated to the Kiowa way of life and was reluctant to come home at first. Now, he’s skittish and sometimes acts out.

Seeing that Captain Kidd is persuaded, Britt Johnson takes out a 50-dollar gold piece and gives it to him. He warns her to be careful with Johanna, and the young girl slides down in the wagon and pulls her blanket over her head, as if tired of being watched.