Chapter 1 :
Jennie looked at the tall skyscrapers; she didn't know how she was to ever survive in New York City. She had grown up in a small ranch in Santa Fe and wasn't used to buildings taller than a small pine tree. However she soon found her destination: The Boarding House for the Working Newsies of NYC. As Jennie entered the building, an aged man sat at a desk counting the income from his borders. "Excuse me sir" Jennie began "I came here for a room". "Sure, sure…one minute" the man, Mr. Delenger said, until he took a double take and realized the voice was coming from a girl! He laughed then said "You know miss…this boarding house is for newsies". Jennie began to worry; her father had told her girls worked as newsies too! Maybe he was incorrect…she might be making a fool of herself. Nevertheless, Jennie timidly continued: "Yes I know that Mr. Delenger; I have come to be a newsie". Mr. Delenger still looked at her with an odd expression but nodded and led her upstairs to the bedrooms and washing rooms. "I need to wake up the boys then one of them can show you where you wash up and receive your new clothes". Jennie looked down at her new clothes recently bought at Macy's; what was wrong with them? Delenger, seeming to read her mind, said "To sell newspapers you need to look like tough and like a newsie. A fancy dress like that won't sell you anything"! Jennie nodded then hesitantly opened the door to the bedroom; she hoped her and the other girls and boys would get along. However to her shock, as she stepped into the room, Jennie didn't see one girl! She now fully understood why Mr. Delenger had been laughing! There were barely any girl Newsies to begin with but it seemed none of them stayed here! Mr. Delenger followed her in, laughed at the expression of shock on her face, and then woke the boys up. It was only 5:30 in the morning, but the newsies were to be out on the streets no later than 6:00. The boys soon woke up, grumbling as the sunlight hit their faces, but soon they were up and walking towards the wash room. Everyone strolled by without even saying hello or noticing Jennie, until two boys stopped to see who this new addition to the boarding house was. "Lookey here… a gal has seemed to misunderstand our boarding house to be a beauty parlor". The boy next to the speaker laughed feebly, but seemed to feel bad for the girl. Jennie was timid when she walked into her new surroundings, but now she felt insulted! She was new, and this BOY has the guts to be cruel to her, she was still a girl! "My name is Jennie, and for your information I am in the right place; I am here to start a life as a newsie. The cruel boy began to laugh; even the other, more sympathetic newsie, had to laugh at this statement. Mr. Delenger, hearing the conversation, cut in: "It's true boys! This hears Jennie Roberts and she's come to live here with us for a while". "It's only until I can afford a good place of my own" Jennie added to reassure the boys this was not what she wanted. "Well kid… you ain't gonna get a place of your own for years if you planning to be a newsie. Say, how old are you" This boy was already unbearable! "I'm sixteen, and I intend to get a place of my own by the next year! Besides, my parents can send me money if I need an extra couple of dollars. "I'm sorry for Racetracks crude behavior, he's probably just tired" whispered Mr. Delenger. That must be the mean boy, thought Jennie, and what an odd name. Racetrack, overhearing Delenger's comment, yelled "I ain't tired you lousy bum! I just don't think the newsies is a place for a gal, that's all!" Racetrack stormed out of the room to get ready and slammed the door. The other boy turned to Jennie: "Sorry bout Race…he gets a little overexcited and can take things too far at times. My names Kid Blink by the way, nice to meet you Jennie". Jennie smiled and shook Kid Blink's hand; what an odd name as well she thought. "Well, we ain't have much time to get ready. I'll show you to the washroom; your new clothes will be there and you can get ready in one of the changing rooms". Jennie forced a weak smile then followed Kid Blink out into the hallway. They walked down a long hallway of boarding rooms then took a right into a large room filled with newsies getting ready for a new selling day. There was a long row of mirrors and bathing pails every which way. Jennie continued to follow Kid Blink until he pointed to the clothing and changing areas "See you later Jennie, I gotta go get ready but I'll talk to you later". Kid Blink smiled than left to take his place at the mirrors; Jennie felt extremely uncomfortable. She was surrounded by guys she didn't even know and was forced to stay with them until she raised enough money to buy a small apartment or home! Nonetheless, Jennie grabbed the pile of clothes on the small bench then went into one of the small changing areas and closed the door. She took a deep breath; she could do this! All she would have to do is sell newspapers with them and say goodnight and morning to them; after that she was free to explore the city of New York and truly enjoy herself. Plus, that Kid Blink didn't seem so bad…maybe he would even show her around the city! Her clothes were not fancy, but at least they were comfortable; they consisted of beige button-up shirt with a tan vest and a blue necktie. She also wore tan pants cut just above the ankles to show her black socks and shoes; a brown hat was also to be worn. As she opened the door to finish preparing, she saw that the newsies were about to leave; she knew this was going to be difficult being the only girl. Jennie quickly washed her face and put her hair into a loose bun then ran outside to meet the other boys. Luckily she had gone quickly and they were just running down the stairs to the great outdoors of NYC! All of a sudden, wait…no it couldn't be thought Jennie. Were they singing; and dancing? Jennie put her head into her hands; what had she gotten herself into? Not only was she selling newspapers with no girl companions; they were singing and dancing newsies! She shrugged and watched them dancing around the streets as she went to grab her newspapers. Soon they stopped their little musical moment and ran to grab their newspapers. Jennie had decided to wait for Kid Blink to ask for a good place to sell. Unfortunately, Race found her first. He took of his hat and bowed, clearly sarcastic: "Hello good sir… oh wait! Is that you Jennie? I'm sorry I said sir but in your new outfit makes you look so much like a guy"! Most of the guys laughed at the comment, but some yelled for Race to "Shut up!" or "Be nice!". "Don't worry fellas, I was only joking. So how many papes you gonna buy? I'd start of with two". Another crowd of boys laughed, but this time a boy, looking to be the oldest, stepped down from the platform he was standing on and began to yell at Race. "Listen you bum. This girl could sell ten times more newspapers than you so shut up or I'll soak you"! Jennie smiled and mouthed thanks as the boy walked back to his place; he smiled, tipped what looked like a cowboy hat, then turned to get his newspapers. The newsboys were also pointing at a boy Jennie's age and a smaller boy, perhaps nine or ten; Jennie hoped that they were new as well so she wouldn't feel so alone. Kid Blink was behind her in line as she went up to grab her newspapers. "How many should I get?" Jennie asked. "Well" Kid Blink pondered "I always get seventy-five but as a newcomer I would start with fifty papes". Jennie nodded then kindly asked the man for her papes. The man was small and stout with greasy gray hair; she decided that she didn't like him. "Who's the man selling us the papes" Jennie asked a newsie nearby, Kid Blink had stayed to receive his daily seventy-five papes. "Oh that's Mr. Weasel but we all come him Wise-el; his helpers are real idiots: Oscar and Morose. Hey you're the new gal right?". Jenny nodded hoping this boy wouldn't react like Racetrack did. "Well hi ya my name is Crutchy, you can see why I got my nickname". He pointed to a crutch holding him up on his left side. "My left leg has never worked real proper yah see and I ain't rich enough to afford any doctors looking at it". I nodded understandingly then waited at the entrance gate for the remaining newsies. It seems they were all surrounding their "leader", the boy with cowboy hat, and the new kids; they seemed to be making a deal. From listening to the debate, I found out that the cowboy hat boy was named Jack Kelly and the new boys were David, who was around my age, and Les, who was, as I had predict earlier, nine or ten. Jack and David had decided to become partners because David was new and didn't know the newsies territory and Jack wanted Les with him because he was cute and more people would buy his newspapers. Jennie didn't know the selling streets of NYC so she was going with Kid Blink for the day. As the newsies were heading out for the day, a girl, in a long blue dress walked by. I rolled my eyes as they took of their hats and smiled broadly at her; but I couldn't deny that they were true gentlemen. Kid Blink then began to walk down Broad Street towards his selling spot. "What you need to do" said Blink as he walked, holding a pile of papes, "…is find the spot where there are plenty of customers. However, it gets complicated when a whole bunch of newsies find that area; then you got about twenty newsies trying to sell in the same area at once". Jennie frowned; being a newsies was more difficult then she assumed it would be! Soon they arrived at a small park with people crowded around a boxing area. "This is me and Jack's selling spot" he explained. Blink continued by saying that Jack sold to the crowd surrounding the boxers while he sold to people in other areas of the park and nearby streets. As she looked around, Jennie found Jack, but today he had David and Les with him as well. All of a sudden Blink began to wander off and sell his papes. "Wait, Blink! Where do you want me to sell"? Blink turned around, looking slightly annoyed, and said "Sell in my area today; round the park…later on you can find your own spot, okay". Jennie nodded, feeling rather stupid for asking such an obvious question, then began to search for customers. Immediately she spotted a couple sitting on a bench; she walked over, hoping they would be her first customers. She cleared her throat then said " Pardon me; you like to buy a pape sir"? He smiled then replied: "Why sure little missie". He handed me a brand new, shiny, penny and thanked me as I handed him a paper. All of a sudden, I had an idea; a way to get that lady to buy a pape too! I ran up to the couple once again and stood in front of them: "Would you like to buy a pape too miss? Your husband could look at the baseball standings or stocks while you look at the store items"; I prayed that this would work. "Now see her miss. We just bought a newspaper from you, we don't…" but the lady interrupted him: "Fred dear, the girl is right! I'm always bothering you too look at Macy's new items and you always want to see if the Brooklyn Bridegroom's baseball statistics". The man sighed then handed me a penny; I thanked him and ran off, more confident in my job as a girl newsie. When it was time to head back to the boarding house, I had sold all her papes! That was only 50 less than the newsie record:100! For the first time, Jennie felt like she would be able to handle being a newsie for awhile!