Super excited to share this story. This was written as my teams submission for the semi-finales of the Newsie Pape Selling Competition. This is the first part, Huntressdaughter has written the second and Connierose has written the ending.
I would like to say quickly how lucky I am to have them as team mates. They have been so encouraging and supportive and I am honored to have gotten to got through this competition with them. Thank you guys.
I really wanted to avoid Mabel ending up like most female newsies in storied, including ones I have written. I found several articles on line about girls and what was aspected of them in the late 1800s and it was quite a lot. But now on to the story
Word count: 3955
Mabel sat in front of the small piece of glass that served as her mirror, scrupulously going over her appearance. She examined her hair pulled on top of her head, her skin that thankful didn't require much powder because she didn't have any to spare, and the blue dress that Medda had given her.
This should do just fine.
She stood up from her stool, grabbed her bag and cap, and walked across the hall from her little room to the big bunk room where the guys slept. Crutchy was asleep on his normal bunk.
"Crutchy. Crutchy wake up." She shook him awake as gently as she could.
"Five more minutes." He sighed as he turned away from her.
"Come one Crutchy. I need you to wake up for me."
"Alright." He turned over and managed a small smile. Leave it to Crutchy to be chipper this early in the morning. She could see him examining her appearance through sleep covered eyes.
"Another one?"
"I gotta keep going to them Crutchy, until one sticks. I need you to cover for me again. So if the guys ask where I am, you say…"
"You went on morning walk."
"Thanks Crutchy, you don't know how much this means to me." She leaned over to kiss his forehead.
"No problem. You look real pretty, Killer." He smiled.
"See you later Crutch." And as carefully she could so she didn't wake anyone, she exited and made her way down the dawn lit streets of Manhattan towards the office of the New York Sun. She hoped this audition would go well, as they were looking for three girls instead of just one.
By the time she made it there to the Sun's office there were at least twenty other girls already in line hope to be the new Gibson Girl model, and most of them, sadly, looked a lot like Mabel. She took her place in line and began filling out the application she was handed while trying to ignore the whispers from the other girls. Most of them she recognized from other auditions, and she knew they recognized her, as while they almost always were wearing something different, Mabel always wore the same dress that she had saved up for almost a year to buy.
Over half an hour had passed before Mabel was at the front of line and ushered into the small room. The same types of people were always there, two of the editors of the newspaper and the artist. It was easy to tell that one of the editor clearly did not wish to be there. She sat in the chair provide for and answered every question she was asked with perfect sweetness, but still dishonesty?
How old was she? Seventeen, she was really fifteen.
What do her parents do? Her father worked in a law office and her mother stayed at home. Again not true.
Had she ever held a working position before? A blush and a polite no, the answer they were looking for.
She sat patiently as they examined her face, her hair, and her figure all the while feeling like she was nothing more than a painting they were thinking of purchasing. Her mind never slowed down, nervously praying that this one would stick. She was fifteen and there was only so much longer she could be a newsie.
"Thank you for your time Miss Evans. The list will be up shortly ." One of the editors told her.
"Thank you for your consideration sir." She said with a small smile as she exited the room.
It was another half hour before one of the editors came out to rattle out what no doubt every girl here had heard a thousand times. You could see every girl in the room sit up straighter. Mabel silently prayed once again that she would be chosen
"We would like to thank you for coming out here today. All of you ladies are absolutely beautiful, but there were three girls who exemplified what we were looking for in a Gibson Girl. Amelia Thomas, Caroline Sample, and Gretta Williams. Congratulations and please come see us inside."
And with that, another chance at getting herself out of this life was gone, so it was time to focus on the life she had. The clock read a quarter past seven and the distribution center would open in fifteenth minutes. She rushed back to the lodging house as quick as she could, bumping into several people in a very un Gibson-like fashion.
Well, I am not one yet so I guess it doesn't matter.
She was thankful Klopman made all the guys leave half hour before the center opened so by the time she made it there everyone had left and she could change with out fear of being caught. None of the guys other than Crutchy and Smiley knew about the Auditions and she planned to keep it that way. Crutchy she had told from the beginning because she need a confidant, and Smiley had seen her running down the street in her dress one Sunday from where his family lived. So she had the two of them to cover for her if need be.
Once she was changed into her pants, her button down, and her vest, had tucked her dress under her mattress, and tied her hair up under her hat, she exited the building and made her way towards the distribution center. By the time she got the there, the distribution center had been opened and she prayed Crutchy had been able to get her papers.
All the guys were crowded in front of the gates, examining the headlines and sharing ideas for improvements before they split up to start selling.
"Speak of the Killer," She heard Jack called, slapping a boy Mabel had never seen before on the back. "Dave, I liked you to meet the prettiest newsie in all of Manhattan."
"I don't know Jack, I think we all know Mush is prettier than me." She smiled, befor walking away from the larger group to over where Crutchy was to collect her papers.
"Crutchy, were you able to get the extra pages?"
"I got'em Mabel." She turned around to see Willie, one of their youngest newsies, holding out a stack of papers, that if he was struggling to hold he wasn't showing it. "I told Crutchy I would hold your papers for you." She took the papers from the smiling boy and ruffled his hair.
Of all of the others, even though she had known some of them the longest, Willie was one of the ones she was closest to. He was so confident and she knew that he and his sister watched out for their younger siblings, and as such Willie has never had an older sibling to watch out for him. That's why she and Silas had become the boys older siblings. The two of them were practically her brothers by now.
"Thanks Captain. And would you mind telling me who the new kids are?" He smiled even bigger.
"The new guy next to Cowboy is David. Cowboy tried to do a spit shake and Davey didn't even know what he was doing. The kid next to him is his brother Les."
"Thanks for the information. Well, I better get to selling these papers. Nice to meet you Davey, welcome to the newsies." She walked over and held out her hand, and he just stared at her hand for a moment. "I didn't spit in my hand if that's what you're worried about." He looked down and shook her hand.
"Sorry, I didn't think girls were newsies." There was awkward since for a moment before Jack, in true Jack fashion, took it upon himself to break the silence.
"Normally, they aren't. Our Killer here is an exception."
"Why they call you Killer?" The little boy, Les, asked her excitedly. Jack decided to jump in again so she didn't have to.
"We call her Killer cause she tried to beat me over the head with a rock when I found her in alley way." She wished he wouldn't tell that story, she hated that story. It was a low point in her life.
"Well, I better get going. These papes won't sell themselves. You coming Crutchy. I gotta nice new selling spot for you." He walked over toward her and the two bid the rest goodbye before heading off.
"So how did it go?" Crutchy made sure the rest of them were out of earshot before he asked. She sighed.
"How it usually goes."
"So not good, huh?"
"Nah, but I'd didn't expect it to. All those other girls had nicer dresses and most of them looked just like me. It was a long shot." She looked down at her feet.
"Well, if it was up to me I would chose you in a heartbeat, Killer." He offered her his normal Crutchy smile that sadly didn't seem to make her feel much better.
"Thanks, Crutch. I guess I just gotta wait for the next one." She stopped the two of them on a street corner. "This is that spot I found for you. That building over there hosts ladies society meetings, so there are bound to be a bunch of sympathetic ladies coming in out."
"This is great Killer. Why don't you use this spot for yourself." She just smiled sheepishly.
"I said they would be sympathetic towards you, but not so sympathetic towards a girl in boy's clothing. I'm better off at the races and the boxing rings where people are too busy to notice me."
"You sure that's where you wanna be selling. Lot a bad folks hang around there. I don't think that's where your brother would want you to be selling. I also don't think he would want you working yourself to death trying to become a Gibson Girl." Mabel just gave an exasperated sigh.
"Who knows what he's thinking, but if me working this hard means there is a little money for the two of us when he gets out, then the ends justify the means. We are all each other's got."
"Now that ain't true. You got the newsies." Crutchy smiled at her and she would feel bad if she didn't return it
"Yeah, I always have you guys. Good luck selling Crutchy." She gave him a quick hug before she left to head to her spot. Truth was, she didn't know how much longer she would have the newsies. She truly loved them and wanted to stay close to them, but she didn't know how they would feel if she left.
Mabel spent all day mulling over this, and it most definitely messed up her selling. The headlines weren't that good and neither were her improved one. She walked away having sold forty papers. Which meant if she wanted to save 20 cents away like she always did and pay the 10 cents for the lodging house she was only going to have 10 cents for dinner, which wouldn't buy her much. She picked up an apple and piece a bread on her way back to the lodge as she had decided to turn in early due to her early morning.
When she made it back to the lodge, only a few of the newsies where back yet, and they were mostly the younger newsies. They were all running around and fighting with wooden swords. Skittery was sitting on his bed, apparently having drawn the short straw to watch the younger ones that night.
"You can go out Skitt," she taking a seat on one of the bunks, " I'll watch 'em." Mabel didn't think she had ever seen Skittery look more relieved.
"Thanks Killer."
"No problem. I like watching them." One thing that never ceased to make Mabel smile was the younger newsies and how they still managed to seem so carefree and sure of everything. So she spent the rest of her night sitting with the younger newsies as they told her all about how many papers they had sold and the interesting things they saw. As the hours wore late, Mabel got so tired she fell asleep on one of the bunks in the bunk room.
That's the state the other guys found her in way they got back. None of them had the heart to wake her, so Silas carried her across the hallway to her room before heading back home for the night.
The next morning Mabel woke up not to the first streams of sunlight through her window as she normally did but instead to the clattering of the boys getting ready in the other room.
She jumped up from the bed and poked her head out the door, trying to catch someone's attention. She saw Race headed towards the stairs for the roof, no doubt planning to smoke his morning cigar.
"Heya Race." She called out. He turned to her with his signature smirk.
"Well if it ain't sleeping beauty. Normally you're up before the crack of dawn."
"Yeah, I know, I slept in Race. Look, could you bring a bucket full of water and a rag so
I can wash up?"
"Sure thing Killer, though a little dirt might help you selling a little." Luckily Race turned away before he could see her grimace.
Twenty minutes later Mabel was ready and headed with all of the other to the distribution center. She saw as Willie caught up with them and she came over to join the younger newsies.
"Morning Capt'n." She ruffled the boy's hair. "You sell all your papers yesterday? I saw that you bought more than normal."
"I sold all of them! I told Jack and he said he bets I could sell more than fifty soon." She loved the big smile that spread across his face. "How did you do?"
"Not very well, I was a little distracted." She looked down at her feet as they were walking.
"I think I know what you need." He said very matter a factly.
"And what is that?"
"A dress! And to wear your hair down. If people saw how pretty you are there is no way they wouldn't buy a pape from you." Mabel blushed and the boys words.
"Sadly, Captain there aren't too many people willing to buy a pape from a girl newsie."
"I would." He replied firmly to her.
"Well thank you. Speaking of girls, how is your sister." Mabel had only meet Willie's older sister once, but she cared for her just as much as she cared for Willie. The two of them reminded her of how she and Thomas used to be when they were younger.
"She's good. I think she wants to be a girl newsie likes you. She doesn't like being cooped up all day."
The two of them had fallen behind the others, so by the time they arrived at the distribution center, all of the guys looked angry. Mabel grabbed Willie and jogged up to where Silas was standing away from the others.
"Smiley what's going on, why is everyone so upset?" He sighed and raked his hands through his hair.
"They upped the price." He sounded so resigned. "60 cents for hundred papes." Mabel gawked. It was already hard enough to make a living as a newsies as it is. So many of the others barely managed to keep themselves feed and in the lodging house. Even a small increase in price would make it so much harder.
"Why would they do that? Don't they already make enough money as it is?" Willie asked the two of them.
"They do, but some people just don't care about anyone else." She told him. She saw all the other newsies crowding around Jack as they were kicked out and locked behind the circulation gate.
"One things for sure, if we don't sell papes, nobody sells papes." Jack told all of them.
"You mean a strike." Davey asked. Mabel laughed, there was no way they could strike. She had seen the beaten trolls workers and she shuddered at the thought of the newsies in a similar state. It seemed her sentiments were echoed by the others.
"So we organize. Get the world out to all the other newsies in New York. We gotta to show Pulitzer and Hearst they don't own this city and they don't own us."
"So what do we do Jack?" Racetrack called.
"You guys gotta be ambassadors" Jack said, as well as butchered the pronunciation. Jack gave almost all the newsies a different section of New York to go and convince to join the strike. Mabel stood in the back watching. Suddenly every single newsies was eager to join the strike. She watched as Crutchy went around for collections and as Willie talked excitedly with the other younger newsies. It seemed to her the only other person who felt unsure about this was Silas.
"Killer, Smiley, I need you two to stay here. See if Weasel or the Delancys try to pull something. If they do send a runner to Brooklyn. Me, Davey, and Boots are gonna try to get Spot in on it." Jack said almost breathlessly. She could see the determined gleam in his eye.
Mabel didn't know Spot Conlon well. She had only met him twice, and neither time she would call a success. The idea of asking him for help didn't sit well with her.
"Jack," she whispered low so no one else would her, "are you sure about this. You saw what happened to the trolley workers. What if that happens to us? It will just make things worse."
"We gotta fight back Mabel. We can't let them keep walking all over us. Think about your brother. Hardhead Evans would be marching up to Pulitzer himself. I gotta go, can I count on you to be the lookout here."
"Sure, Jack. I got it." She managed a small smile. Jack grinned.
"I knew I could count on you Killer." And then he was gone.
Mabel made her way over to distribution sqaure and climbed up to sit at the feet of the Horace Greeley statue.
"He shouldn't 'a done that," Mabel looked up to see that Silas had come to and stand next to her. "Using your brother like that."
"The worse thing is he is right. Thomas would be all for the strike. Am I crazy or does anyone else see that this might not be a good idea."
"You're not the only one Killer." He said. She scooted closer to him so that none of the others would over here.
"I mean it's horrible what Pulitzer is doing, but is a strike really the best idea? I mean, what if it doesn't go well. I gotta think about having something for me and my brother, and right now being a newsies is all I got." She saw Silas not meeting her gaze and quickly realized what she said.
"Which is nothing compared to what you have to worry about. Right now all I have to worry about is me cause who knows when Thomas is gonna get out of the refuge. You've got your whole family to worry about. What are you gonna do."
"I don't know, Mabel." He sounded as agitated as she ever thought he would sound.
"Have you ever thought about what you might do after the Newsies."
"Sure I have, same as you," he managed a small smile, "except my thoughts don't involve me becoming a Gibson Girl." Mabel scoffed.
"Believe me, when I used to think of how my life would end up, Gibson Girl was not part of it."
"Then what was it?"
"I wanted to be a teacher. I loved school. And I look at all these kids that have to grow up too soon like we did, and I want to make that less of the reality. What about you?" She asked hoping he would open up.
"I wanted to be writer, kind of for the same reason as you, do some good in the world. And seeing as right now neither of us can do that, this strike may be the little bit of good in the world we can do." And the two spent the rest of the time in silence.
That silence which Mabel used to mull things over, including what Silas had said. She had always wanted to do something good. When she was growing, her life hadn't been perfect, but it has been good. She had her mother and father and brother, and had gotten to spend the majority of a child being a child. And she wanted that for others. And maybe this strike was a way for her to do that. All these kids breaking their backs under people like Pulitzer. That's what needed to be stopped, and that's what they were fighting for now, what she had always wanted to fight for.
It was awhile before the other newsies slowly started coming back, and all caring the same message. None of the other Boroughs were doing anything till Spot Conlon said aye or nae. So all the boys were waiting anxiously for when Jack and David came back. That's why they were all meet with disappointment when they came to bring the news that Spot wasn't doing nothing, not yet.
"Maybe this ain't the best idea Jack. Without Spot Conlon we got nothing." Mush said and a bunch of the others agreed.
"Look at you all," Mabel cried hopping off her perch, "just a few hours ago you were all so sure, and now at the first sign of things not going well you are starting to doubt. We have the chance to do something good here guys. I'm not wasting it." And she took a spot next to Jack and David.
"She got it right. We have the chance to do something big, and we gotta seize it. Who cares if Spot ain't willing to join yet. It's time to show him that he's gotta join, or its his loss." Mabel watched as Jack and David spoke to the newsies, and through their words every doubt in their minds was eliminated.
When the circulation bell rang, and the newsies ran towards the gate. The stood in front as some of the others tried to leave the distribution center with their papes. One by one each newsie who came forward through their papes on the ground. Until one of them didn't. And everything descended into chaos, with people shoving each other and the newsies tearing up the distribution center. Mabel saw Willie to her left and made it a point to pull him with her to the edge of the distribution center.
Mabel couldn't help but smile as everyone took part in what could in that moment be considered their first victory. Until she heard the whistle.
"Willie, go."
"But…"
"GO." She saw him dart out if the distribution center as Race shouted that the police where there. As all of the newsies started scrambling, Mabel rushed back into help pull the the younger ones out of the way. In doing so she was one of the last people still inside the gates when Race grabbed her to pull her out with him.
"Crutchy, come on." She heard race shout. She turned around to see Crutchy limping toward them, before the Delancys cornered him. Mabel tried to run after him but Race stopped her.
"Come one Killer, we can't let you get sent to the refuge too." When she turned back around Crutchy was gone and their victory had become a defeat.