The Runaway Girlsie

New Newsies

A girl and a boy appeared and Romeo went to flirt with the girl. She brushed him off and began flirting a little with Jack. Or so it seemed. It was mostly as though she were trying not to flirt, but kind of was. Luckily, he didn't seem to notice. Perhaps he was being oblivious or there was a reason he wasn't flirting with her. Wait; I know her! But she doesn't see me.

I snuck behind Jack and stole his hat and ran off.

He tackled me to the ground and took it back.

Finch noticed that the headline was bein' put up.

Specs said, "I hope it's real bloody with a nice, clear picture!"

I groaned. "Aw, come on, Specs!"

He grinned and turned to face the headline board.

TROLLEY STRIKE ENTERS 3rd WEEK

The silence was broken with various boys saying things like, "Oh, come on! Really?! Not again!"

"The trolley strike? Again?!" Elmer complained.

"Three weeks of the same snoozer." Race whined.

Finch continued complainin' and a new voice interrupted us. "Make way, step aside."

Race waved his hand in front of his nose. "Oh, dear me, what is that unpleasant aroma? I fear da sewers may have backed up during the night."

"Or could it be..." Crutchie and I added.

"The Delancey brudders!" We all cried.

Voices got heated and Crutchie ended up bein' pushed to da ground.

"That is not nice, Morris!" Jack cried.

I punched Morris in the face as Jack said, "One day, you might find you got a bum gam of your own. How'd you like us pickin' on you, huh? Hey! Maybe we should find out!"

Jack swung the crutch and both the Delancey's fell as he and I ran.

Amidst the commotion, I heard a bell ring.

"Just wait till I get my hands on you two!" Oscar cried.

"You gotta catch us first!" Jack called as he grabbed my hand and ran.

We got in line for our papes as Weasel was yellin' for us to line up.

"Mornin' Weasel, you miss me?" Jack teased.

"The name's Wei-sel," He protested.

"Ain't that what I said?" Jack smirked. "I'll take the usual."

"Hundred papes for the wise guy."

"75 papes, Weasel." I said as I repeated Jack's teasing. After all, almost every newsie called him that.

He sighed, not daring to protest me. "You heard the princess. 75 papes."

I was handed my papes and I went to browse the merchandise.

Race and Crutchie got their papes. I heard Weasel say, "Hey, look at this! A new kid!"

A younger boy appeared from behind the older boy and exclaimed, "I'm new too!"

"Oh, don't worry kid. It rubs right off," Race joked.

The new kid got twenty papes. He made a fool out of himself by thinkin' that Weasel would buy back the papes he didn't sell. Where's he from? Brooklyn?

Albert teased Weasel about gettin' into movin' pictures, as per usual.

The new kid was countin' papes and piped up how he'd only gotten nineteen.

Jack walked over to him and counted his papes to see nineteen. He must've insulted Oscar because Weasel had to hold him back. The new kid got his papes. Jack offered more papes for the new kid and he refused them.

"I'm no charity case! Besides, I don't even know you," he complained.

"His name's Jack. And she's the princess!" The little boy said.

"Yeah, this here is the famous Jack Kelly and Adie Gray! Hey, c'mere! He once escaped jail on the back of Teddy Roosevelt's carriage. Made all the papes!" Crutchie added.

"I was there too!" I piped up.

Jack placed a hand on my shoulder as he asked the boy his age.

Les held up his hands as he said, "I'm ten!... almost."

"Well if anybody asks, you're seven. Younger sells more papes, and if we're gonna be partners..."

"Who said we want to partner?" The new guy asked.

I couldn't believe this guy! Luckily, Crutchie expressed my thoughts. "Sellin' with Jack is the chance of a lifetime! You learn from him, you learn from the best."

"Well if he's the best, then what's he need with me?"

Jack glanced at me with a really expression and turned back to the kid. "Cause you got a little brudder and I don't. With that plus, we can easily sell a thousand papes a week." He turned to the little boy and said, "Look sad, kid."

The little boy made a sad face and Jack grinned. "We're gonna make millions!"

"This is my brother, David. I'm Les," the younger boy replied.

"It's nice to meet you Davey. My two bits come off the top and we split everything else 70-30," Jack decided.

We began walking away and Les exclaimed, "50-50! You wouldn't try and pull a fast one on a little kid."

Jack smiled at me and said, "60-40 and that's my final offer."

"Deal," Les answered.

They spit-shook, which caused Davey to say bluntly, "That's disgusting."

"That's just business," I answered smugly.

--

Jack turned to the newsies and cried, "Get to the streets! The sun is up, the headline stinks, and this kid ain't gettin' any younger!"

Newsies (sung):

We'll all be out there, carrying the banner man to man

We're always out there soakin' every sucker that we can.

Here's the headline: Newsies on a mission!

Kill the competition! Sell the next edition!

We'll be out there carrying the banner!

See us out there carrying the banner!

Always out there carrying the banner

Ah, ah, ah, ah, go!