The Beginning
Man, that sure was a great show," said Mush, as he, Race, Jack, and Spot walked back to the Lodging House right after one of Medda's amazing concerts at Irving hall.
"Ya' sure are right 'bout dat!"replied Race, "Youse is staten da obvious!"
"If you bums walked as much as you talked...did ya hear dat?"said Jack, pausing for a moment.
"What?", the others replied.
Just then, out of the darkness, a girl screamed.
"That!" Jack said, but the other 3 boys were already running.
The scream came from a dark and damp alley, where 4 men, 3 about in their 40's and 1 who was about 20, were advancing on a young girl. She was screaming and yelling for the men to leave.
"Hey, I tink dat the goil want ya ta leave her alone!" yelled a couragous Spot.
The men disregarded the warning, and the boys leaped into action. Mush immediatly took the man that was closest to the girl. Jack, being as big as he was, not only took the closest man he could get to, but also a littler man next to him. Race was already rollin around on the ground with the fourth man, punching and kicking like mad. Spot, annoyed that all of the opponents were taken, went to see if the girl was alright.
"C'mon, I gotta get ya outta here,"Spot urged.
As soon as he bent down to help the girl up, she threw a right punch right at his face.
"Woa, and I thought that I wouldn't get any action tonight!"
But as he was making this sarcastic remark, the girl, who had obviously been hurt pretty badly, tried and failed to get up, causing her to fall down, hit her head on a nearby step, and knock herself out.
"Great, now she's uncoinsous!" Spot remarked.
"Beat it scum!"Yelled Jack as the last of the men scurried off. "Wha'd ya do now Spot?"
"All I tried ta do was help her up, den she hit me, it hurt too!" Spot explained.
"Stop being a baby and help us wid her!" ordered Race as he and Mush were liftin the girl up. __________________________________________________
"Jeese, she looks almost dead," commented a spooked Mush after he and the rest of the guys had brought the beaten girl back to the lodging house. "I wonder who she is."
"well, deres nottin much we can do fer her," yawned Jack. "I'm goin ta bed."
The rest of the boys, convinced that she was fine, agreed. __________________________________________________ "Jack! Hey Jack" yelled Mush, "Come look at the goil!"
Jack, Spot and Race, the only ones knowing why Mush was talking about a girl, came running.
"My god," Race breathed.
"Now, was she like dat when we's brought her here last night?" Said Spot confused.
The girl, who was still asleep, had one bad black eye, and another that was not so bad, a cut lip, and evidence of a bloody nose. She had bruises and cuts all over her body. Besides all of her injuries, she had beautiful healthy, shiney brown hair.
"Wow! dose guys hurt her wose dan we tought!" exclaimed Jack.
The girl stirred, all of the guys stiffened. The girl's eyes slowly opened. They were brown like her hair and looked thiughtful but confused. She blinked. Then realizing that she was in a bed, in a strange place, with 4 strange boys crowded around her, she freaked out.
"Let me go!!" The girl yelled. "Josh! Josh! Let me go!!"
"Calm down,"soothed Race, "we ain't gonna hurt ya!"
The girl struggled a little less, but eyed the boys suspiciously. She realized that all of the guys were very cute.
"Let me explain," Jack said, "My names Jack. This is Race, Mush, and Spot. We are newsies. Last night we heard ya screaming, and found youse with four odder men surronding ya. We made the men leave."
"We saved ya is what he means!" said Spot proudly.
"Shut up!" said Race.
"Deres one ting, actually, one of many things I'd like ta know," said Jack, "First of all whats your name?"
"My name is Jennifer Elizebeth Jordan," The girl replied.
"Ok, den who is Josh?" said Mush nervously, (he hoped that she wasn't already someone's girl).
"He's my brother. One of them anyway. I have six of them you know." said Jenny playfully.
"They're a, not all here are they?" asked Spot, also nervous, (he could handle one angry brother, mabey two, but not six!)
"No!" laughed Jenny. "Only Josh is in New York with me."
"Where is your brother?" asked Jack.
"he's living in a small apartment, only room for one normally. Right off of 23rd and Sidestreet. Apartment number 33. "
"Ok, hey Specs, Boots, go down to 23rd and Sidestreet, number 33. Ask for Josh. Bring back down here, tell it's urgent."
"Tell him that the jaybird has been caught and her wings have been clipped, but the keepers are gentle," said Jenny.
All of the guys then turned to her, and Race raised his eyebrow.
"Don't ask," said Jenny.
After Specs and Boots left, the talk turned back to Jenny.
"So, where did ya come from?"
"Who were those guys?"
"Why were they beating you up?"
"Ok, ok, don't ask anymore questions, I'll start from the beginning." said Jenny. She took a deep breath and began, "I come from a little town called Crippled Creek, just outside of N.Y. I lived with my brothers, Jacob, now 30, Simon, 25, Andrew, 21, Brian, 20, Josh, 17, and little Johnny, now just 10. I am 15, almost 16, and am a qualified school teacher, but I'm a little rusty on my facts. My brothers, Jacob, and Simon, are both going to be married, but their girlfriends don't quite know that yet. Andrew is very worried about mother and father, and stays home helping around the house with them. Brian is independent, but allows mother to send him off to school. He says it's an adventour and likes the challenge. Johnny hates school because I taught him, but he liked playing tricks on me. I also lived with my mother and my father. Well, father got sick, and had to miss work for a few weeks. We were running VERY low on money, and then he broke his leg and it got infected. It's been horrible. All of the money we've been making has to be used to buy medicine for my father or else he could die. Josh and I decided that we needed to do something about it. We thought that if we came to New York, we could find a good, well paying job. All that was for me except for my family back at Cripple Creek was a rude, inconsiderate boy who wanted to marry me and my position as school teacher. Mother, after a lot of begging, allowed us to come here. My brother got a job in a factory. I'm a secretary, or, atleast I was."
"Whadya mean?" Asked Mush.
"Well, I bet I don't have the job anymore, good thing actually. Well, ya see, ya know those men who beat me up, well, one of them was my boss and another was his son. The two others I didn't know. My bosses son has been hitting on me for the past week, and, well, yesterday I punched him and told him off when he tried to kiss me."
"Hey, you hurt when ya puch!" cried Spot.
"I should!" said Jenny. "When I was 9, my brothers taught me how to fight properly, in case one of them wasn't around when I needed them."
Just then, in rushed a tall, handsome, dark-haired boy with hazel eyes who immediatly ran to Jenny's side.
"Jen, are you alright?" he panted. "when you didn't come home last night from the shop, I was really worried."
Jenny hugged the boy. "Josh, I'm fine."
"Who did this to ya?"
"James and Mr. Torall."
"I knew you shouldn't have taken that job. Now, who are these guys?" Josh asked defensivly, noticing Jack, Spot, Race, and Mush.
"Josh, this is Race, Mush, Spot, and Jack. They saved me from those men. Guys, this is one of my brothers, Josh."
The guys greeted each other, and Josh seemed to like the guys.
"So, you can't even manage to make a couple of girly-friends?" Josh jokingly said to Jenny.
"I was raised with you and five other boys, I probably permanently smell so bad that no girl can get within a mile of me!" Teased Jenny.
"Ok Jen, we've got to be serious now, you've gotta find another job. Mom and Dad have gotta pay the medical bills."
"Hey," piped up Jack, "Do ya wanna be a newsie?"
"Well..."
"C'mon!" said Mush (very enthusiastcally), "it's great."
"It's too far away from where I'm staying," said Jenny.
"You could stay here if it's alright with the rest of the boys," suggested Race.
"Ok, what do you think Josh?" asked Jenny.
"Well," Josh studied the room, the guys, and his sister very carefully, "it's fine with me."
"Great, you'll start tommorow." Jack said, "You gotta put your name in for a bed with Kloppman."
"Great," Jenny smiled. ___________________________________________________ "Is selling newspapers always that easy?" asked Jenny as she flung herself into a booth with Mush and Race at lunch at Tibby's.
"What?!" Mush and Race exclaimed. "How many did ya sell?"
"90, I think." Jenny yawned as she ordered pork sandwitch.
Race and Mush just starred at her. __________________________________________________
"We've gotta think of a newsie name for ya!" said Race all of a sudden.
All of the newsies were sittin round the fire in the lounge at the lodging house. A few guys were playing cards, but most were just relaxing.
"Well, I don't really know what it should be." Jenny replied.
"What do ya like ta do?" asked Specs.
"Um, sing, act, fight, um, wrestle, dance, read, teach..." Jenny trailed off.
"Interesting combonation," Race commented.
"How 'bout girly?" suggested Spot who was playing poker with Dutchy and Boots.
"I'll pretend I didn't hear that," replied Jenny, a little annoyed.
"What about Puntchy?"
"Harmony?"
"Jaybird?"
"Teach?"
"Melody?"
"I know!" said Jack dramatically, "Brownie."
"What?" cried some guys in the corner, "Brownie?"
"It's a good idea!" defended Jack. "She's got such brown hair and such brown eyes..."
"I like it," confirmed Jenny. "But I also like Jaybird, or even Jay (J)"
"It's settled then," concluded Race. "From here on out, Jenny will be reffered to as Brownie. And sometimes Jay or Jaybird." ___________________________________________________ The next day, Brownie had just finished sellin her papes, when Jack aproached her at the front steps of the lodging house.
"Hey Jack, how's it go'in?" asked Jenny.
"Great," Jack replied. "Hey, some of da guys wanted ta know if youse wanted to come to Medda's tommorow night. We always go on Fridays, and wese was wonderin..."
"I dunno, ya sure it's allright wid 'em?" asked Jenny cautiously.
"Yea, dey asked me ta ask you," Jack quikly responded.
"Well, i don't really know what ta wear, seeing as I've never met Medda, and I've never been ta one of her concerts before. All I have are my plain dresses, nothing fancy."
"Just, well, mabey you should ask her yourself," Jack suggested.
"I think I will do just that." ____________________________________________ "Um, excuse me, where could I find Ms. Larkson?" Jenny timidly asked a man standing right inside the Irving Hall.
"I'm Medda," a woman replied.
She was very beautiful. She was wearing a green dress the color of the grass that looked like it was made of the finest silk. She had Pretty red hair, and a melodic, sweeet voice.
"Hello, my name is Bro...I mean Jennifer Elizebeth Jordan, I'm a friend of Jack Kelly's..."started Jenny.
"Well why didn't you say that in the first place?" Medda said. "Come in, come in."
"Thank you," Jenny continued. "Well, the guys asked me if I'd come tommorow night to your show with them, but, well, I didn't, didn't know what to wear."
She smiled sheepesly. Medda smiled.
"That's alright honey! Actually, while your here, you might as well borrow one of my dresses." Medda offered. (She figured that Jenny would have her own dresses, but very humble ones. She thought that she deserved a nice dress. Also, she thought the guys would like it.)
"Oh, your too kind, but I couldn't, I get something on it." Jenny said.
"Then I'll get something out of it. It'll be fine. Now come on, I think I have one that's perfect for you." Medda said excitedly.
Medda took Jenny into her dressing room and shut the door. She brought Jenny over to her closet and opened the door.
"Oh, my," Jenny breathed. "They're so beautiful."
There was an abundance of dresses hanging infront of Jenny. There was blue ones and green ones, pink, purple, yellow, lavendar, red, and even a couple of white ones. Jenny just starred.
"Here, try this one," Medda said as she held out a mostly blue dress.
"It's beautiful," Jenny said. "Blue is my favorite color."
Jenny put on the dress. It had a darker, but not dark blue ripple skirt, and a sky blue bodice. The sleaves were white, and were not as puffy, (Jenny didn't like puffy sleaves) with little blue designs on them. The bodice was not only sky blue, but it also had a slightly darker color blue swirled in with it. Jenny fell in love with the dress.
"And I have shoes and jewelry and make-up..." Medda began.
"Make-up! that's ok, I really don't enjoy putting on make-up." Jenny said.
"Well, why don't you come here tommorrow an hour and a half before the show. I help you get ready, and you can see the type of make-up I wear and decide then, " Meddda offered.
"That sound great!" replied Jenny __________________________________________________ "Why is youse leaven so early?" Asked a curious Race as Jenny was tieing her shoes, about to leave.
"Curiosity killed the cat, but if you must know, it takes about that long for goils ta get ready." explained Jenny.
"What?!" said Race, surprised.
"Well, it does," said Jenny as she walked out of the door.
Jenny walked to Medda's, thinking about how fun this was going to be. Last time she dressed up REAL fancy, was when there was a Christmas party at a rich girls house that only she and her brother Josh were invited to. She was thourghly bored however, and didn't enjoy herself at all. She hoped that she would hace a better time tonight than that Christmas.
She arrived at Irving Hall and entered through the door that lead backstage. Medda was waiting for her.
"Fantastic!" Medda exclaimed. "You're here. Now we can begin."
Medda went to work. First, Medda helped Jenny put on the enormous pettycoat. It by itself was beautiful, an Jenny felt like a fairy princess in it. Then, Medda started on Jenny's hair.
"It's short," Jenny said exasperatly. "I don't think you'll be able to do anything with it."
"Nonsense!" Medda replied. "I can never be beat!"
The task of doing Jenny's hair began. Medda first brushed Jenny's hair out so that it shone in the light. Then, Medda twisted most of her hair up into an elegant bun at the top of her head. It looked like a birds nest flipped upsidown on top of Jenny's head, only the nest was a bunch of loops. Medda then pulled some of the hair from the sides of the bun down, and curled them like spirals of ribbon. To top everything off, she weaved light blue ribbon inside of the bun. Jenny looked in the mirror, and was taken aback.
"Oh, oh my," Jenny said in awe. "I, I never knew could do so much with my short hair. It's beautiful, thak you Medda."
Medda smiled. "Your welcome sweetie, now about the make-up..."
"I still don't know," said Jenny, unsure of herself.
"Ok then, no make-up," Medda confirmed.
Jenny liked it that way. Medda then helped jenny into the rest if the dress, then found some shoes for her to wear. jenny has her own bracelet and necklace to wear that she salvaged when her mother was selling things for money. After they were done beautifing themselves, Jenny watched Medda practicing for that night.
"Wow," Jenny thought. "She sure is a great singer. That's also a great song."
Subconsciously Jenny started humming the tune. Then, she was quietly singing, and the next thing she knew, she was full out singing along to the music, oblivious to the fact that Medda had stopped singing.
"You have a marvelous voice," commented Medda.
"Oh," said Jenny, starteled by the fact that Medda was there, "I didn't think anyone was listening..."
"My opening act sent me a message that they couldn't make it, I was going to do without," Medda said," but I heard you sing and I thought that maybe you could be my opening act."
"Oh, well, I'm not nearly good enough."
"Nonsense," Medda insisted, "do you know any other songs?"
"Yes I do, should I sing one for you?" Jenny asked.
"If you would" Medda replied.
So Jenny began. She sang a little tune that she'd known for years, one that her mother sang to her and her brothers. It was a sweet, yet lively song, and appealed to many people. When she was done singing, Medda went up to Jenny, put her hand on her sholder, and said,
"I think you're more than good enough for some newsies. In fact, I have an idea, "Medda continued. "Do you think that anyone in the audience will recognize you on stage?"
Jenny looked in the mirror. "My brother will for sure, if he doesn't recognize my face, he'll recognize my voice. Many times my brothers would almost tackle me to get me to stop singing, why?"
"Well," Medda said slyly. "I was thinking that you could not say who you are at first, and see if the guys figure out that's it's you up on stage."
"That would be fun," Jenny replied. "Also, I want to know how'd they react when I wasn't around"
"But how could we make it so that you brother wouldn't know?" Medda asked.
"I have an idea." jenny said. _________________________________________
"Where's Brownie?" Race asked.
"She said she would meet us at the table before the show started," Jack said.
"Well, where is she then?" inquired Spot.
"I'm sure she'll be here," assured Josh. "She's probably helping Medda start the show."
The curtain opened and the lights dimmed. Out from the darkness stepped Brownie, only the guys didn't recognize her. Josh looked hard at her, and realized that it was his sister just when Medda poked her head out and began to talk.
"Hello newsies, I'm not quite ready yet, so starting out todays performence, is a good friend of mine who'd like to say a few words before she begins."
"Thanks Medda," Brownie said. "Hello newsies. Before I start I wan't to thank everyone who brought me here today, and for that one guy out there who knows who I am," here Brownie starred at Josh, "I'd like for you to let the few others find out for themselves. Thanks."
The music began. The song started out slow and melodic. Perfect for Brownie's voice range. The song was about finding her perfect true love, and how great he'd be, until she marry's him and find's out it's a nightmare to be marryed. That's when it speeds up and becomes funny. She was a hit. The guys were hooping and hollaring for her, and she was beaming. When the song ended, all of the guys stood up, and Josh stood up on his chair and started yelling. Jack eyed Josh, then the mysterous girl onstage, than Josh again.
"Is dat your goil?" jack asked suspiciously.
"Yes and no," Josh replied.
"What..."Jack started, but Medda interupted him.
"Bravo, Bravo!" medda cried. "Isn't she wonderful? Her first time on stage and at the last moment too! Bravo Bravo!"
Brownie took a final bow.
"Thank you Brownie, you can return to your seat now, next..." Medda started.
"What? Did she say...Brownie?!" Mush cried.
"Yup, that's my sister!" Josh replied with pride.
"But.." Jack started.
"What?" Spot studdered.
Then, Brownie came over to the table and sat down between Josh and Jack. She looked flustered. Josh leaned over and kissed her onthe forehead and hugged her tight.
"You were great Jen!" Josh said. "I only wish Ma and Pa and Jacob and Simon and Johnny and everyone else could have seen you up there."
"Oh yeah right!" Brownie groaned. "That would have been a mess! Mother would have scolded me about this dress, Jacob, Simon, and Andrew would have been ontop of every guy they could get their hands on, beating them up, and Johnny would have been trying to help them. The way everyone was whistleing at me, they would have been livid!"
All of the newsies around the table looked embarressed. Jenny smiled. After the performence by Medda, where she sang 3 more songs, Race, Jack, and Mush went up to Medda and whispered something in her ear.
"Well, it's up to her, but it's a great idea, and you have my permition." Medda said to the boys.
"Well everyone, since Medda's done early, we wanted to know if anyone else, besides us, wanted an enchor from the talented Brownie?" Jack announced.
The crowd cheered. Brownie however, froze. She looked up and starred daggers at Jack, but couldn't help but smile. Spot and Josh both pulled her up out of her seat, and she reluctanly walked up onto the stage.
"Ok, but on one condition," Brownie said. "You and Medda both have to sing with me!"
"I'm game if Medda is," Jack replied.
"Why not?" Medda said.
So Jenny went over to the band, found the music to the song, gave Medda and Jack their parts, (it had many different parts, but mostly one), and motioned to the conductor to begin. Jack struggled a bit, but Medda and Brownie helped him along, and Brownie, with the main character's part, carried the tune beautifully.
After the trio was finished, everyone left to go back to the lodging house. Since it was so late, Spot descided just to stay the night at jacks lodging house. When everyone arrived, they were all so tired, they descided to go to bed. Right before the lights went out, Race, Jack, and Mush came over to Brownie's bunk, where she was getting in bed.
"We just wanted to tell 'ya again," Race started.
"How great you were tonight!" Mush finished.
"And that youse has a beautiful voice." Jack continued.
Brownie blushed.
"Thanks guys," she said. ____________________________________________
Man, that sure was a great show," said Mush, as he, Race, Jack, and Spot walked back to the Lodging House right after one of Medda's amazing concerts at Irving hall.
"Ya' sure are right 'bout dat!"replied Race, "Youse is staten da obvious!"
"If you bums walked as much as you talked...did ya hear dat?"said Jack, pausing for a moment.
"What?", the others replied.
Just then, out of the darkness, a girl screamed.
"That!" Jack said, but the other 3 boys were already running.
The scream came from a dark and damp alley, where 4 men, 3 about in their 40's and 1 who was about 20, were advancing on a young girl. She was screaming and yelling for the men to leave.
"Hey, I tink dat the goil want ya ta leave her alone!" yelled a couragous Spot.
The men disregarded the warning, and the boys leaped into action. Mush immediatly took the man that was closest to the girl. Jack, being as big as he was, not only took the closest man he could get to, but also a littler man next to him. Race was already rollin around on the ground with the fourth man, punching and kicking like mad. Spot, annoyed that all of the opponents were taken, went to see if the girl was alright.
"C'mon, I gotta get ya outta here,"Spot urged.
As soon as he bent down to help the girl up, she threw a right punch right at his face.
"Woa, and I thought that I wouldn't get any action tonight!"
But as he was making this sarcastic remark, the girl, who had obviously been hurt pretty badly, tried and failed to get up, causing her to fall down, hit her head on a nearby step, and knock herself out.
"Great, now she's uncoinsous!" Spot remarked.
"Beat it scum!"Yelled Jack as the last of the men scurried off. "Wha'd ya do now Spot?"
"All I tried ta do was help her up, den she hit me, it hurt too!" Spot explained.
"Stop being a baby and help us wid her!" ordered Race as he and Mush were liftin the girl up. __________________________________________________
"Jeese, she looks almost dead," commented a spooked Mush after he and the rest of the guys had brought the beaten girl back to the lodging house. "I wonder who she is."
"well, deres nottin much we can do fer her," yawned Jack. "I'm goin ta bed."
The rest of the boys, convinced that she was fine, agreed. __________________________________________________ "Jack! Hey Jack" yelled Mush, "Come look at the goil!"
Jack, Spot and Race, the only ones knowing why Mush was talking about a girl, came running.
"My god," Race breathed.
"Now, was she like dat when we's brought her here last night?" Said Spot confused.
The girl, who was still asleep, had one bad black eye, and another that was not so bad, a cut lip, and evidence of a bloody nose. She had bruises and cuts all over her body. Besides all of her injuries, she had beautiful healthy, shiney brown hair.
"Wow! dose guys hurt her wose dan we tought!" exclaimed Jack.
The girl stirred, all of the guys stiffened. The girl's eyes slowly opened. They were brown like her hair and looked thiughtful but confused. She blinked. Then realizing that she was in a bed, in a strange place, with 4 strange boys crowded around her, she freaked out.
"Let me go!!" The girl yelled. "Josh! Josh! Let me go!!"
"Calm down,"soothed Race, "we ain't gonna hurt ya!"
The girl struggled a little less, but eyed the boys suspiciously. She realized that all of the guys were very cute.
"Let me explain," Jack said, "My names Jack. This is Race, Mush, and Spot. We are newsies. Last night we heard ya screaming, and found youse with four odder men surronding ya. We made the men leave."
"We saved ya is what he means!" said Spot proudly.
"Shut up!" said Race.
"Deres one ting, actually, one of many things I'd like ta know," said Jack, "First of all whats your name?"
"My name is Jennifer Elizebeth Jordan," The girl replied.
"Ok, den who is Josh?" said Mush nervously, (he hoped that she wasn't already someone's girl).
"He's my brother. One of them anyway. I have six of them you know." said Jenny playfully.
"They're a, not all here are they?" asked Spot, also nervous, (he could handle one angry brother, mabey two, but not six!)
"No!" laughed Jenny. "Only Josh is in New York with me."
"Where is your brother?" asked Jack.
"he's living in a small apartment, only room for one normally. Right off of 23rd and Sidestreet. Apartment number 33. "
"Ok, hey Specs, Boots, go down to 23rd and Sidestreet, number 33. Ask for Josh. Bring back down here, tell it's urgent."
"Tell him that the jaybird has been caught and her wings have been clipped, but the keepers are gentle," said Jenny.
All of the guys then turned to her, and Race raised his eyebrow.
"Don't ask," said Jenny.
After Specs and Boots left, the talk turned back to Jenny.
"So, where did ya come from?"
"Who were those guys?"
"Why were they beating you up?"
"Ok, ok, don't ask anymore questions, I'll start from the beginning." said Jenny. She took a deep breath and began, "I come from a little town called Crippled Creek, just outside of N.Y. I lived with my brothers, Jacob, now 30, Simon, 25, Andrew, 21, Brian, 20, Josh, 17, and little Johnny, now just 10. I am 15, almost 16, and am a qualified school teacher, but I'm a little rusty on my facts. My brothers, Jacob, and Simon, are both going to be married, but their girlfriends don't quite know that yet. Andrew is very worried about mother and father, and stays home helping around the house with them. Brian is independent, but allows mother to send him off to school. He says it's an adventour and likes the challenge. Johnny hates school because I taught him, but he liked playing tricks on me. I also lived with my mother and my father. Well, father got sick, and had to miss work for a few weeks. We were running VERY low on money, and then he broke his leg and it got infected. It's been horrible. All of the money we've been making has to be used to buy medicine for my father or else he could die. Josh and I decided that we needed to do something about it. We thought that if we came to New York, we could find a good, well paying job. All that was for me except for my family back at Cripple Creek was a rude, inconsiderate boy who wanted to marry me and my position as school teacher. Mother, after a lot of begging, allowed us to come here. My brother got a job in a factory. I'm a secretary, or, atleast I was."
"Whadya mean?" Asked Mush.
"Well, I bet I don't have the job anymore, good thing actually. Well, ya see, ya know those men who beat me up, well, one of them was my boss and another was his son. The two others I didn't know. My bosses son has been hitting on me for the past week, and, well, yesterday I punched him and told him off when he tried to kiss me."
"Hey, you hurt when ya puch!" cried Spot.
"I should!" said Jenny. "When I was 9, my brothers taught me how to fight properly, in case one of them wasn't around when I needed them."
Just then, in rushed a tall, handsome, dark-haired boy with hazel eyes who immediatly ran to Jenny's side.
"Jen, are you alright?" he panted. "when you didn't come home last night from the shop, I was really worried."
Jenny hugged the boy. "Josh, I'm fine."
"Who did this to ya?"
"James and Mr. Torall."
"I knew you shouldn't have taken that job. Now, who are these guys?" Josh asked defensivly, noticing Jack, Spot, Race, and Mush.
"Josh, this is Race, Mush, Spot, and Jack. They saved me from those men. Guys, this is one of my brothers, Josh."
The guys greeted each other, and Josh seemed to like the guys.
"So, you can't even manage to make a couple of girly-friends?" Josh jokingly said to Jenny.
"I was raised with you and five other boys, I probably permanently smell so bad that no girl can get within a mile of me!" Teased Jenny.
"Ok Jen, we've got to be serious now, you've gotta find another job. Mom and Dad have gotta pay the medical bills."
"Hey," piped up Jack, "Do ya wanna be a newsie?"
"Well..."
"C'mon!" said Mush (very enthusiastcally), "it's great."
"It's too far away from where I'm staying," said Jenny.
"You could stay here if it's alright with the rest of the boys," suggested Race.
"Ok, what do you think Josh?" asked Jenny.
"Well," Josh studied the room, the guys, and his sister very carefully, "it's fine with me."
"Great, you'll start tommorow." Jack said, "You gotta put your name in for a bed with Kloppman."
"Great," Jenny smiled. ___________________________________________________ "Is selling newspapers always that easy?" asked Jenny as she flung herself into a booth with Mush and Race at lunch at Tibby's.
"What?!" Mush and Race exclaimed. "How many did ya sell?"
"90, I think." Jenny yawned as she ordered pork sandwitch.
Race and Mush just starred at her. __________________________________________________
"We've gotta think of a newsie name for ya!" said Race all of a sudden.
All of the newsies were sittin round the fire in the lounge at the lodging house. A few guys were playing cards, but most were just relaxing.
"Well, I don't really know what it should be." Jenny replied.
"What do ya like ta do?" asked Specs.
"Um, sing, act, fight, um, wrestle, dance, read, teach..." Jenny trailed off.
"Interesting combonation," Race commented.
"How 'bout girly?" suggested Spot who was playing poker with Dutchy and Boots.
"I'll pretend I didn't hear that," replied Jenny, a little annoyed.
"What about Puntchy?"
"Harmony?"
"Jaybird?"
"Teach?"
"Melody?"
"I know!" said Jack dramatically, "Brownie."
"What?" cried some guys in the corner, "Brownie?"
"It's a good idea!" defended Jack. "She's got such brown hair and such brown eyes..."
"I like it," confirmed Jenny. "But I also like Jaybird, or even Jay (J)"
"It's settled then," concluded Race. "From here on out, Jenny will be reffered to as Brownie. And sometimes Jay or Jaybird." ___________________________________________________ The next day, Brownie had just finished sellin her papes, when Jack aproached her at the front steps of the lodging house.
"Hey Jack, how's it go'in?" asked Jenny.
"Great," Jack replied. "Hey, some of da guys wanted ta know if youse wanted to come to Medda's tommorow night. We always go on Fridays, and wese was wonderin..."
"I dunno, ya sure it's allright wid 'em?" asked Jenny cautiously.
"Yea, dey asked me ta ask you," Jack quikly responded.
"Well, i don't really know what ta wear, seeing as I've never met Medda, and I've never been ta one of her concerts before. All I have are my plain dresses, nothing fancy."
"Just, well, mabey you should ask her yourself," Jack suggested.
"I think I will do just that." ____________________________________________ "Um, excuse me, where could I find Ms. Larkson?" Jenny timidly asked a man standing right inside the Irving Hall.
"I'm Medda," a woman replied.
She was very beautiful. She was wearing a green dress the color of the grass that looked like it was made of the finest silk. She had Pretty red hair, and a melodic, sweeet voice.
"Hello, my name is Bro...I mean Jennifer Elizebeth Jordan, I'm a friend of Jack Kelly's..."started Jenny.
"Well why didn't you say that in the first place?" Medda said. "Come in, come in."
"Thank you," Jenny continued. "Well, the guys asked me if I'd come tommorow night to your show with them, but, well, I didn't, didn't know what to wear."
She smiled sheepesly. Medda smiled.
"That's alright honey! Actually, while your here, you might as well borrow one of my dresses." Medda offered. (She figured that Jenny would have her own dresses, but very humble ones. She thought that she deserved a nice dress. Also, she thought the guys would like it.)
"Oh, your too kind, but I couldn't, I get something on it." Jenny said.
"Then I'll get something out of it. It'll be fine. Now come on, I think I have one that's perfect for you." Medda said excitedly.
Medda took Jenny into her dressing room and shut the door. She brought Jenny over to her closet and opened the door.
"Oh, my," Jenny breathed. "They're so beautiful."
There was an abundance of dresses hanging infront of Jenny. There was blue ones and green ones, pink, purple, yellow, lavendar, red, and even a couple of white ones. Jenny just starred.
"Here, try this one," Medda said as she held out a mostly blue dress.
"It's beautiful," Jenny said. "Blue is my favorite color."
Jenny put on the dress. It had a darker, but not dark blue ripple skirt, and a sky blue bodice. The sleaves were white, and were not as puffy, (Jenny didn't like puffy sleaves) with little blue designs on them. The bodice was not only sky blue, but it also had a slightly darker color blue swirled in with it. Jenny fell in love with the dress.
"And I have shoes and jewelry and make-up..." Medda began.
"Make-up! that's ok, I really don't enjoy putting on make-up." Jenny said.
"Well, why don't you come here tommorrow an hour and a half before the show. I help you get ready, and you can see the type of make-up I wear and decide then, " Meddda offered.
"That sound great!" replied Jenny __________________________________________________ "Why is youse leaven so early?" Asked a curious Race as Jenny was tieing her shoes, about to leave.
"Curiosity killed the cat, but if you must know, it takes about that long for goils ta get ready." explained Jenny.
"What?!" said Race, surprised.
"Well, it does," said Jenny as she walked out of the door.
Jenny walked to Medda's, thinking about how fun this was going to be. Last time she dressed up REAL fancy, was when there was a Christmas party at a rich girls house that only she and her brother Josh were invited to. She was thourghly bored however, and didn't enjoy herself at all. She hoped that she would hace a better time tonight than that Christmas.
She arrived at Irving Hall and entered through the door that lead backstage. Medda was waiting for her.
"Fantastic!" Medda exclaimed. "You're here. Now we can begin."
Medda went to work. First, Medda helped Jenny put on the enormous pettycoat. It by itself was beautiful, an Jenny felt like a fairy princess in it. Then, Medda started on Jenny's hair.
"It's short," Jenny said exasperatly. "I don't think you'll be able to do anything with it."
"Nonsense!" Medda replied. "I can never be beat!"
The task of doing Jenny's hair began. Medda first brushed Jenny's hair out so that it shone in the light. Then, Medda twisted most of her hair up into an elegant bun at the top of her head. It looked like a birds nest flipped upsidown on top of Jenny's head, only the nest was a bunch of loops. Medda then pulled some of the hair from the sides of the bun down, and curled them like spirals of ribbon. To top everything off, she weaved light blue ribbon inside of the bun. Jenny looked in the mirror, and was taken aback.
"Oh, oh my," Jenny said in awe. "I, I never knew could do so much with my short hair. It's beautiful, thak you Medda."
Medda smiled. "Your welcome sweetie, now about the make-up..."
"I still don't know," said Jenny, unsure of herself.
"Ok then, no make-up," Medda confirmed.
Jenny liked it that way. Medda then helped jenny into the rest if the dress, then found some shoes for her to wear. jenny has her own bracelet and necklace to wear that she salvaged when her mother was selling things for money. After they were done beautifing themselves, Jenny watched Medda practicing for that night.
"Wow," Jenny thought. "She sure is a great singer. That's also a great song."
Subconsciously Jenny started humming the tune. Then, she was quietly singing, and the next thing she knew, she was full out singing along to the music, oblivious to the fact that Medda had stopped singing.
"You have a marvelous voice," commented Medda.
"Oh," said Jenny, starteled by the fact that Medda was there, "I didn't think anyone was listening..."
"My opening act sent me a message that they couldn't make it, I was going to do without," Medda said," but I heard you sing and I thought that maybe you could be my opening act."
"Oh, well, I'm not nearly good enough."
"Nonsense," Medda insisted, "do you know any other songs?"
"Yes I do, should I sing one for you?" Jenny asked.
"If you would" Medda replied.
So Jenny began. She sang a little tune that she'd known for years, one that her mother sang to her and her brothers. It was a sweet, yet lively song, and appealed to many people. When she was done singing, Medda went up to Jenny, put her hand on her sholder, and said,
"I think you're more than good enough for some newsies. In fact, I have an idea, "Medda continued. "Do you think that anyone in the audience will recognize you on stage?"
Jenny looked in the mirror. "My brother will for sure, if he doesn't recognize my face, he'll recognize my voice. Many times my brothers would almost tackle me to get me to stop singing, why?"
"Well," Medda said slyly. "I was thinking that you could not say who you are at first, and see if the guys figure out that's it's you up on stage."
"That would be fun," Jenny replied. "Also, I want to know how'd they react when I wasn't around"
"But how could we make it so that you brother wouldn't know?" Medda asked.
"I have an idea." jenny said. _________________________________________
"Where's Brownie?" Race asked.
"She said she would meet us at the table before the show started," Jack said.
"Well, where is she then?" inquired Spot.
"I'm sure she'll be here," assured Josh. "She's probably helping Medda start the show."
The curtain opened and the lights dimmed. Out from the darkness stepped Brownie, only the guys didn't recognize her. Josh looked hard at her, and realized that it was his sister just when Medda poked her head out and began to talk.
"Hello newsies, I'm not quite ready yet, so starting out todays performence, is a good friend of mine who'd like to say a few words before she begins."
"Thanks Medda," Brownie said. "Hello newsies. Before I start I wan't to thank everyone who brought me here today, and for that one guy out there who knows who I am," here Brownie starred at Josh, "I'd like for you to let the few others find out for themselves. Thanks."
The music began. The song started out slow and melodic. Perfect for Brownie's voice range. The song was about finding her perfect true love, and how great he'd be, until she marry's him and find's out it's a nightmare to be marryed. That's when it speeds up and becomes funny. She was a hit. The guys were hooping and hollaring for her, and she was beaming. When the song ended, all of the guys stood up, and Josh stood up on his chair and started yelling. Jack eyed Josh, then the mysterous girl onstage, than Josh again.
"Is dat your goil?" jack asked suspiciously.
"Yes and no," Josh replied.
"What..."Jack started, but Medda interupted him.
"Bravo, Bravo!" medda cried. "Isn't she wonderful? Her first time on stage and at the last moment too! Bravo Bravo!"
Brownie took a final bow.
"Thank you Brownie, you can return to your seat now, next..." Medda started.
"What? Did she say...Brownie?!" Mush cried.
"Yup, that's my sister!" Josh replied with pride.
"But.." Jack started.
"What?" Spot studdered.
Then, Brownie came over to the table and sat down between Josh and Jack. She looked flustered. Josh leaned over and kissed her onthe forehead and hugged her tight.
"You were great Jen!" Josh said. "I only wish Ma and Pa and Jacob and Simon and Johnny and everyone else could have seen you up there."
"Oh yeah right!" Brownie groaned. "That would have been a mess! Mother would have scolded me about this dress, Jacob, Simon, and Andrew would have been ontop of every guy they could get their hands on, beating them up, and Johnny would have been trying to help them. The way everyone was whistleing at me, they would have been livid!"
All of the newsies around the table looked embarressed. Jenny smiled. After the performence by Medda, where she sang 3 more songs, Race, Jack, and Mush went up to Medda and whispered something in her ear.
"Well, it's up to her, but it's a great idea, and you have my permition." Medda said to the boys.
"Well everyone, since Medda's done early, we wanted to know if anyone else, besides us, wanted an enchor from the talented Brownie?" Jack announced.
The crowd cheered. Brownie however, froze. She looked up and starred daggers at Jack, but couldn't help but smile. Spot and Josh both pulled her up out of her seat, and she reluctanly walked up onto the stage.
"Ok, but on one condition," Brownie said. "You and Medda both have to sing with me!"
"I'm game if Medda is," Jack replied.
"Why not?" Medda said.
So Jenny went over to the band, found the music to the song, gave Medda and Jack their parts, (it had many different parts, but mostly one), and motioned to the conductor to begin. Jack struggled a bit, but Medda and Brownie helped him along, and Brownie, with the main character's part, carried the tune beautifully.
After the trio was finished, everyone left to go back to the lodging house. Since it was so late, Spot descided just to stay the night at jacks lodging house. When everyone arrived, they were all so tired, they descided to go to bed. Right before the lights went out, Race, Jack, and Mush came over to Brownie's bunk, where she was getting in bed.
"We just wanted to tell 'ya again," Race started.
"How great you were tonight!" Mush finished.
"And that youse has a beautiful voice." Jack continued.
Brownie blushed.
"Thanks guys," she said. ____________________________________________