Circulation Wars
Another bad headline, but Jake Alabaster wasn't really surprised. The trolley strike was the only thing happening, interesting or not. But still, "Trolley Strike Drags On For Third Week"? Pulitzer really needed to get a new headline writer.
He was at his usual spot, Broadway and Sixth, when he saw another newsie coming toward him. He would have called out to the boy when he noticed the boys papers. He carried a stack of the New York Journal. "I'se was here first. Get lost," Jake said.
"I'se gots as much a right ta be her as youse do. At least I'se gots a good headline, unlike youse." He held up his paper for Jake to see. "Nude Corpse On Rails Not Connected to Trolley Strike". The enemy newsie continued down the street, hawking his headline.
"Dammit," Jake muttered. He tried to sell his papers, but everyone he saw already had a copy of The Journal. After ten minutes he gave up and counted his papers. Only four left out of thirty. He headed up Broadway toward Seventh, eventually selling his last paper at Broadway and 54th.
Jake headed back down south, stealing two apples on the way; one for then, one for later. He made it to the lodging house and went in, another day mostly done.
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