Racetrack Higgins was the cutest of the Manhattan Newsboys, hands down. I had had a crush on him for ages before he even realized that I was 'that goil dat buys a pape from me ev'ry day.'

I wasn't that gorgeous girl that came from a rich family, but I wasn't just a poor little newsgirl. My family had SOME money, and I was proud of my family. Liking a newsboy wouldn't fit into their plan for me, but somehow, it happened anyway. Race just seemed like the guy for me from the very beginning.

It was February 12, and I was going to get the morning edition of The World from Race. "Good mornin'," he said, "How'd ya like tah buy a pape off me new assistant?" I smiled. "Go on, Hat. She'll buy ya pape."

Race pushed a little girl with blonde braids and big brown eyes towards me and handed her a paper. I got down on one knee so I could look her in the eyes. I smiled at her. "'ello, I'm Alys. What's your name?"

She looked a little scared, but she mumbled back, "Me name's 'attie. Bu' Race calls me 'ats. Buy me pape, ma'am?"

I grinned. She was adorable. "Bu' of course, li'l lady." I reached into my purse and pulled out a penny. "One pape, if you'd please?"

Hattie smiled and handed me the paper. She didn't seem to like taking money, so I handed the penny to Race. Hats ran off to play with Blink, who had called her over to his corner. "You trainin' a new one tahday?"

"A' course I am." Race said, "I can' give up a li'l goil, even if I wan'ed tah. Jack put 'er in my care since I was da one who found 'er."

I looked over at the little girl who looked so happy jumping around Blink while he was selling papers. "Where'd ya find 'er, Race?" I asked, "I wouldn' mind findin' one meself."

Race smiled. "She jus' ran across me path aftah a race. Ya know, I won tree dallahs at dat one. Dat was a good bet."

"Must'a been ya lucky day, huh?" I asked. "It's no' ev'ry day ya find a li'l goil on da streets a' New York."

"Yeah, about dat… Could she stay wid' ya?" I knew it hurt him to ask me that. He hated asking favors. "It's jus'… Jack won' let 'er stay in da bordin' house, or I'd give 'er my bunk."

I looked over at the little girl again. With a good scrubbing, she'd look like a little angel. "I'll see what me mum says. Dat's da best I can do fah ya at da momen'. I'll find ya at Tibby's around dinnah, right?"

Race grinned. "When am I NOT at Tibby's fah dinnah?"

"When ya at a race." I laughed. I turned to leave, when Race called me back.

"Alys… Would ya like tah go tah a pahty wid me," he asked. "It's fah Valentine's Day… I'd undahstand if ya don' wanna go wid me…"

"I'd love tah come wid ya!" I beamed. "Is it a fancy pahty, or jus' a regulah one?"

Race kind of grinned. "I'm not shoah… I'll ask ahround an' I'll get back tah ya."