"Care to buy one of me papes?" I say this every day to passerby. I'm a newsie. Not one of the male ragamuffin newsies that cause mischief wherever they go. No, I'm a girl newsie, and if you think I'm just a street urchin, you'd do best to think twice about that. I'm a young girl trying to make me living as a newsie in the borough of Queens. Me family is nothin to talk a'bout because me family is all dead. They caught tuberculosis right after we left Brooklyn, and dropped like flies. Sure I miss 'em, and sure I wish they were still alive, but it's no use to wish for what ya know can't come true. If you'se wants ta stay alive, you'se gonna hafta move forward, and neva, eva look back.
Me thinks it's a good life bein a newsie an' all, but sometimes it's hard. If you'se don't gots buddies like me, then you ain't got nobody's to back you'se up if you gets caught by one or both of da Delanceys. Now Osacar may make you tinkle in ya drawers, but Morris will make ya swoon. He's a sweet one that boy, but it's ain't 'parent cause he acts like his brotha, Oscar. 'Nuff bought the Delanceys lets talk 'bout me. Me's formal'ly names's Bridget Annalese Scott, and impropa'ly known as Sketch. Me's called Sketch cause me's likes to draw everywhere. You give me a pencil and somethin to draw, and I'll make you'se a picture. Me buddies all think me drawins is great, and I'se could makes a livin doin it, but I'se don't think so.
Speakin' of these buddies o' mine, lemme tells you'se who's who. There's me friend Butta Fingas, who constantly drops everythin' she holds. Be's it papes, be's it food, be's it drink, be's it anything, she's gonna drop it. Then there's is Twig, who'se as s'kinny as his name sake , great buddy, but kinda controllin'. Smalls is me otha buddy, we go as far back as Brooklyn. She's is called Smalls cause she's is so short , an breakable. Without them me life would be's terrible, and I wouldn't has anybody to cova me back if me was cornered by them Delanceys. I'se lives at the Lodgin house, and I'se loves it. I'se getsa bed, and water for a bath. It'sa charmed life, wouldn't trade me life for the world.