Ally's Story: A Newsie's OC

Carrying The Banner

On an early Summer morning in the middle of New York City, in a Newsboys Lodging House, there lay around 50 young newsboys laying in bed, fast asleep.

Amongst these 50 something boys, there lay a single girl. The young girl was around 15 years old. She had lived in the Lodging House since she was an infant. Her biological parents left her on the doorstep a few weeks after she had been born. The owner of the Lodging House, Mr. Kloppman, took her in as if she was one of the many newsboys who lived there. He gave her the name Ally.

Ally, contrary to many beliefs, didn't mind living in the bunkroom with the newsboys. After all, Kloppman gave her a place to stay and a decent amount of food. So, who was she to complain about the bed she was given to sleep in.

To make money to afford to survive, she also sells papes, just like the newsboys. Making her a newsie. Being as sexist as the world was, she had to pretend to be a newsboy on the street. By pinning up her blonde hair underneath a newsboy cap to make her hair appear short, as well as dressing in the same clothes as her roommates, she is able to sell papes just as well as any other newsie.

Of course, the boys knew of her situation, and respected her all the same. They treated her the same as any other newsboy, and for that she was grateful.

Aside from crossdressing and selling papes, she also has a side hustle. That being performing at Irving Hall, alongside Medda. Though she only performs at night and on some weekends. Performing gives her a chance to dress in elegant dresses and embrace her feminine side when she usually couldn't. Sometimes the newsboys would come watch her, and she enjoys when they come every time. She even teaches them the songs so that they can sing along when they do come.

Ally always wakes up earlier than the boys, that way she can get to the bathroom and prepare for the day first without the chaos the boys make every morning. Once she washes, gets dressed, pins up her hair and covers it with a hat, she walks downstairs to greet Kloppman good morning.

"Mornin' Kloppman!" She greets Kloppman, who is sitting at his counter, smoking a cigar.

"Mornin' Ally, how'd ya sleep?" He replies.

"Pretty well, though it is half past 7, so you might want to get the bummers upstairs awake so that they can start getting ready." She chuckles.

"That it is. Come on, you can help me get them all up." Kloppman begins to walk upstairs.

Ally follows the man that is like a father figure for her.

"Boots! Skittery! Skittery! Skittery!" Kloppman taps said boys on the shoulders to wake them up.

Ally laughs at his antics.

"Wha..I didn't do it!" Skittery mumbles as he comes out of a dream.

"What do you mean you didn't do it?" Ally shoves Skittery out of his bed.

"Shut ya trap, Ally!" Skittery yells while Ally giggles.

"Will you get up? When you get up, it's time to get up! Snitch! Get up! Get up! Everybody's sleeping. They sleep their lives away these kids! The presses are rolling! Sell the papers, sell the papers! Come on, come on. You dreaming about selling papers?" Kloppman yells, tapping boys on the shoulders left and right.

"Mmmmmm? What's the matta with you?" Jack, the best newsie in the lodging house, mumbles.

"What's the matter with me?" Kloppman mocks.

"What's the matta with you? Wanna..go..back..to.." Jack buries his head into his pillow.

Kloppman gives Jack a shove and says, "Come on!"