The next morning Kit was waken by Mills before the guys woke up. "The guys like it if wes goils wake up earlier then them."
Kit yawned and nodded. She climbed off the bottom bunk that she had claimed as hers and grabbed her clothes, following Mills into the washroom. Kit quickly pulled on her skirt but stopped when Mills exclaimed, "Youse can't sell wearing that."
"I guess selling naked would bring in more papes, but Ise don't think the cops would approve." Kit spoke wirely with a mischievous grin.
Mills smiled "It just might but youse can't sell in a skirt. No one's gonna buy from youse."
"Well the only other thing I have is those coverall's I was wearing yesterday, but I don't think…"
"Coveralls, those are perfect, I'll go get them." Mills sped out of the washroom and was back quickly with the coveralls. "Here put these on quick Kloppman is gonna wake up those boys any minute and was gots to be downstairs before he does." Mills threw Kit her coveralls and turned swiftly to pull on her pants and shoes. Kit threw a look at Mills' back and pulled on the coveralls that she had been wearing since, well she couldn't remember since when.
"What about my hair?" Kit spoke quietly as she and Mills went through the bunks to head downstairs.
"I'll do it down stairs." Mills replied as they headed down to the lobby. When they reached the lobby Mills turned and looked at Kit's long hair. It wasn't exactly braided any more and would need time to untangle it. " I guess we can just braid it for now, youse got a hat?"
"No but I could find one."
"Han wes just hasta borrow someone's. Come sit over here so Ise can fix it for now."
Both girls sat on the stairs as Mills took out the braids Kit had in and began to finger comb the snarls out. She had just finished tying off the ends of the braids as the guys began to clamor down the stairs. The girls had to move quickly to avoid being trampled. They succeeded, barely.
The walk to the World distribution office was uneventful. The Delancey brothers had been 'detained' the evening before for insulting a cop and weren't even a problem. Swan got Kit's papers again and while Kit didn't like it she let him, vowing to herself that she would get her own papers from now on.
Mills and Kit sold together again. Mills showing Kit some of the 'finer' points of selling that she had not learned in Nebraska. At lunch both girls were ready for a break and headed to Tibby's. When they got there Jack waved them over to the booth where he, Swan, David, Race, and Crutchy and sat down. An older guy was sitting with them.
"Hey guys save any food for us to eat? Denton what are youse doing her? Ise thought youse hung out in Washington City?" Mills greeted Denton with a smile and a hug, as he stood up to let the girls sit down.
"Well I'm here as part of a group looking into places the President might need to visit." Denton leaned in as if telling a secret.
"Like President McKinley would come to a place like this." Kit sat back scoffing at the thought.
"Probably not, but you never know miss." Denton turned to Kit. "I don't believe I have had the pleasure. I am Brian Denton, former hack for the Sun. Now I am the press secretary to Vice President Roosevelt."
"Really?" Kit's eyes lit up as she stuck out her hand. "Ami Oberg of Lincoln, Nebraska. I go by Kit though."
Denton returned her handshake, "Pleased to meet you Miss Oberg." He stood up again, "Well guys it's been a pleasure, but my train leaves in an hour so I must be going. Ladies." He tipped his had to the girls, which sent them into fits of giggles. "Tibby this would cover the bill." He gave him a five piece towards the proprietor and left the restaurant. Kit and Mills recovered enough to order their meals and listen to the guys talk as they ate.
"So Jacky youse hear about how the printing mill guys is talking about unionizing and striking?"
"Ise just don't know, Race. Ise just don't see that happening. Pulitzer and Hearst remember two years ago. They won't let them strike. When we had our strike they still got some money. But if the printing guys was to strike they wouldn't make a penny and probably loose money too." Jack sat back and looked at David. "What do you thing Mouth?"
"Well it would be a way for their demands to be met. But you're right Jack. Pulitzer ain't gonna let them strike."
"Any one want to guess at the odds it will happen?" Race raised his eyebrows suggestively. Those around him threw wadded up napkins at him and told him to "Shuddup".
Jack held up his hands to command the impromptu bombing to end, as he was getting hit also. "The day ain't half over wes got papes to sell." Many of the newsies groaned but they all got up and left a couple taking leftovers to keep for their dinner. And talk of the strike was forgotten for now.
Kit yawned and nodded. She climbed off the bottom bunk that she had claimed as hers and grabbed her clothes, following Mills into the washroom. Kit quickly pulled on her skirt but stopped when Mills exclaimed, "Youse can't sell wearing that."
"I guess selling naked would bring in more papes, but Ise don't think the cops would approve." Kit spoke wirely with a mischievous grin.
Mills smiled "It just might but youse can't sell in a skirt. No one's gonna buy from youse."
"Well the only other thing I have is those coverall's I was wearing yesterday, but I don't think…"
"Coveralls, those are perfect, I'll go get them." Mills sped out of the washroom and was back quickly with the coveralls. "Here put these on quick Kloppman is gonna wake up those boys any minute and was gots to be downstairs before he does." Mills threw Kit her coveralls and turned swiftly to pull on her pants and shoes. Kit threw a look at Mills' back and pulled on the coveralls that she had been wearing since, well she couldn't remember since when.
"What about my hair?" Kit spoke quietly as she and Mills went through the bunks to head downstairs.
"I'll do it down stairs." Mills replied as they headed down to the lobby. When they reached the lobby Mills turned and looked at Kit's long hair. It wasn't exactly braided any more and would need time to untangle it. " I guess we can just braid it for now, youse got a hat?"
"No but I could find one."
"Han wes just hasta borrow someone's. Come sit over here so Ise can fix it for now."
Both girls sat on the stairs as Mills took out the braids Kit had in and began to finger comb the snarls out. She had just finished tying off the ends of the braids as the guys began to clamor down the stairs. The girls had to move quickly to avoid being trampled. They succeeded, barely.
The walk to the World distribution office was uneventful. The Delancey brothers had been 'detained' the evening before for insulting a cop and weren't even a problem. Swan got Kit's papers again and while Kit didn't like it she let him, vowing to herself that she would get her own papers from now on.
Mills and Kit sold together again. Mills showing Kit some of the 'finer' points of selling that she had not learned in Nebraska. At lunch both girls were ready for a break and headed to Tibby's. When they got there Jack waved them over to the booth where he, Swan, David, Race, and Crutchy and sat down. An older guy was sitting with them.
"Hey guys save any food for us to eat? Denton what are youse doing her? Ise thought youse hung out in Washington City?" Mills greeted Denton with a smile and a hug, as he stood up to let the girls sit down.
"Well I'm here as part of a group looking into places the President might need to visit." Denton leaned in as if telling a secret.
"Like President McKinley would come to a place like this." Kit sat back scoffing at the thought.
"Probably not, but you never know miss." Denton turned to Kit. "I don't believe I have had the pleasure. I am Brian Denton, former hack for the Sun. Now I am the press secretary to Vice President Roosevelt."
"Really?" Kit's eyes lit up as she stuck out her hand. "Ami Oberg of Lincoln, Nebraska. I go by Kit though."
Denton returned her handshake, "Pleased to meet you Miss Oberg." He stood up again, "Well guys it's been a pleasure, but my train leaves in an hour so I must be going. Ladies." He tipped his had to the girls, which sent them into fits of giggles. "Tibby this would cover the bill." He gave him a five piece towards the proprietor and left the restaurant. Kit and Mills recovered enough to order their meals and listen to the guys talk as they ate.
"So Jacky youse hear about how the printing mill guys is talking about unionizing and striking?"
"Ise just don't know, Race. Ise just don't see that happening. Pulitzer and Hearst remember two years ago. They won't let them strike. When we had our strike they still got some money. But if the printing guys was to strike they wouldn't make a penny and probably loose money too." Jack sat back and looked at David. "What do you thing Mouth?"
"Well it would be a way for their demands to be met. But you're right Jack. Pulitzer ain't gonna let them strike."
"Any one want to guess at the odds it will happen?" Race raised his eyebrows suggestively. Those around him threw wadded up napkins at him and told him to "Shuddup".
Jack held up his hands to command the impromptu bombing to end, as he was getting hit also. "The day ain't half over wes got papes to sell." Many of the newsies groaned but they all got up and left a couple taking leftovers to keep for their dinner. And talk of the strike was forgotten for now.