The Last Rose of Summer

06

The newsies made their way to Jacobi's Deli. He began handing out water. "And here we go. A glass of water for you, and one for you, and you. And who's the big spender who ordered the seltzer?"

"Over here!" Albert called.

"That'll be two cents."

"Two cents for a glass of seltzer? Just gimme a water."

"How did I ever see that coming?"

Davey raised his glass and said, "I say we launched our strike in a most auspicious manner."

There was a confused silence before Mush said, "I dunno about that, but we sure scared the bejeebers outta Weasel!"

"Did you see the Delanceys?" Crutchie piped up. "They didn't know which way was up!"

"So what's next?" Jack asked.

"Well, now we have to spread the word. Let the rest of the city's newsies know about the strike," Davey replied.

"You heard the man, let's go out and spread the word!"

"I'll take Harlem," Mush offered.

"I got Midtown," Race said.

"I got the Bronx," Jojo decided.

"I got the Bowery," Buttons piped up.

"Specs, you take Queens. Tommy Boy, you take the East Side. And who wants Brooklyn? C'mon, Brooklyn. Spot Conlon's turf. Hey, Finch; you're tellin' me you're scared of Brooklyn?"

"I ain't scared a' no turf. Just y'know, Spot Conlon makes me a little jittery."

"Fine. Me and Davey'll take Brooklyn."

"Us?" Davey asked as he pointed at Jack.

"Yeah."

"No, I-"

He was interrupted as Katherine and Ellie entered.

"Why is everyone so scared of Brooklyn?" Katherine asked.

"What are you two doin' here?" Jack asked.

"Asking a question. Have you got an answer?"

"Brooklyn is the sixth largest city in the entire world. You got Brooklyn, you got the motherload. Say, as two someones who works for the New York Sun, you're both spendin' an awful lot of time around The World. What's about that, huh?"

"We're following a story," Ellie said. "A ragtag gang of ragamuffins want to take on the kingmakers of New York. Do you think you have a chance?"

"Shouldn't you two be at the ballet?"

Ellie frowned and spoke in a lightly snide tone. "Oh. Is the question too difficult? I'll rephrase." She pretended to think. "Will the richest and most powerful men in New York give the time of day to a gang of kids who haven't got a nickel to their name?"

"Hey, you don't gotta be insultin'. I got a nickel," Crutchie stated in an offended tone.

"So I guess you'd say you're a couple of Davids looking to take on a Goliath."

"We never said that," Davey protested.

"You didn't have to. I did."

"You know, I've read a lot of papes in my day, and I never noted no girl reporters writing hard news," Jack pointed out.

"Wake up to the new century," Katherine shot back. "The game's changing. How about an exclusive interview?"

"Ain't your beat entertainment?"

"Oh, this is entertaining," Ellie said. "So far."

"I'd say we save any exclusive for a real reporter," Davey answered.

"Do you see somebody else giving you the time of day?! Well, all right, so Katherine and I are just busting out of the social pages. If you give us the exclusive, let us run with the story, I promise we'll get you the space."

"Hey, you really think we could be in the papes?" Crutchie asked.

Ellie turned to him and said in a bright tone, "Shut down a paper like The World, you're gonna make the front page."

---

Jack (spoken):

You want a story? Be at the circulation gate tomorrow mornin' and you'll get one. Oh, and bring your came'a! You're gonna wanna snap a picture of this!

Jacobi:

Let's go kids. Play outside. I gotta set up for dinner and I got payin' customers who need the tables.

Finch:

Come on! We got newsies to visit.

Race:

Yeah, you won't be shooin' us off when we get our mugs in the papes!

Newsies (sung):

Yeah! And the world will know! We been keepin' score!

Either they gives us our rights or we gives them a war.

We been down too long and we've paid our dues.

And the things we do today will be tomorrow's news!

And the die is cast.

And the torch is passed.

And a roar will rise on the streets and grow and grow!

And so the world will feel the fire and fin'lly know!