Chapter One
Mush awoke early on that unusually cold morning, he stretched and yawned then sat up and swept back the few stray bits of his dark hair that had fallen forward in the night. As he blinked a few times to wake himself properly he caught a glimpse of the light creeping through the gap in the curtains and casting itself upon the bunks where his friends lay still asleep. He sat back, leaning against the wall behind his pillow, intending to make the most of the silence that proceeded the early morning chaos when the others woke. He reflected on the events of the last few weeks…'the calm after the storm' was how he termed it, the slow return to the daily routine of selling papes. The strike had been an experience, of course, although it was a relief to return to selling the news with his mates he did miss the feeling that he was more than a simple street rat. He had loved the power, the excitement that he got, standing up to the big guys. Even he had been shocked at how much the newsies had stuck together; it had been great really, now he felt that he had a real family that would stick by him whatever. Just as well he supposed, he had no one else...
He was woken from these reflections by Race muttering in his sleep ''come on, you can do it...just a bit further...yes...good...horse...good''
Now that was beyond belief, it was bad enough that Race spent his whole life thinking about some kind of racing (hence his name) without him dreaming about it as well, he couldn't really say that is was that much of a surprise though. Race always made him laugh. He sat up and pulled his sheets around him, it really was cold, great, a whole day of freezing whilst screaming headlines. Maybe he'd try to sell with Jack today, otherwise they'd probably both be alone. Davie had been Jacks selling partner but after the strike he had been offered a job through Denton to write for 'The Sun' in a section about rights, morals and the other stuff that interested David. Les had gone off to school, Sarah had fulfilled her dreams, she'd travelled all the way to England and last they heard she had been employed as a governess for a wealthy family. She's never been properly educated herself but she'd learnt a lot from David. It was the general view of the newsies that Sarah and Davie had taken up these opportunities to escape from the cruelty of newsboy life. The whole Jacobs family had been very involved in the strike and had supported Davie and the others so much. It was probably a lot to do with the sad death of Les, a short time after the strike finished...It had been too much when Les had died. It had been so sad, he had caught pneumonia and had been too weak to fight it. Esther and Mayer had moved to England with Sarah. So that was the news on the Jacobs family. None of them would ever recover from Les' premature death but only Davie had stayed in New York. He was still in touch with the newsies, he came to the lodging house ever few nights to see his old mates. Then there was another tragedy; Jack had been hurt badly when Sarah left, he had left for several days at a time just to be alone. But he'd pulled through it with the help of the newsies, another thing they'd stuck together through.
Well, time to get some work done, the other guys were stirring and it'd make a change to be able to get ready without being trampled by the other rushing guys. He got up and dressed quickly. As he was putting his hat on he heard someone wake behind him. He turned his head and saw Blink jumping down from his bunk.
"Hey, sleep well?" mush whispered,
"Yeah, not bad" shouted Blink. This was greeted with a couple of angry shouts from Race and Jack who were not too happy at being woken, Race jumped out of his bunk and covered the floor then attacked Blink from behind and messed up his hair. Blink lost his balance and fell forward and the two of them fell on the floor in a heap just as Kloppman entered.
"Gerrup you lot, youse got work to do. Papes to sell, come on, come on, carry the banner" he said in his low growl of a voice, numerous groans where the response, the morning ritual of him going to each of the bunks in turn and hassling its occupants into waking up began.
Mush awoke early on that unusually cold morning, he stretched and yawned then sat up and swept back the few stray bits of his dark hair that had fallen forward in the night. As he blinked a few times to wake himself properly he caught a glimpse of the light creeping through the gap in the curtains and casting itself upon the bunks where his friends lay still asleep. He sat back, leaning against the wall behind his pillow, intending to make the most of the silence that proceeded the early morning chaos when the others woke. He reflected on the events of the last few weeks…'the calm after the storm' was how he termed it, the slow return to the daily routine of selling papes. The strike had been an experience, of course, although it was a relief to return to selling the news with his mates he did miss the feeling that he was more than a simple street rat. He had loved the power, the excitement that he got, standing up to the big guys. Even he had been shocked at how much the newsies had stuck together; it had been great really, now he felt that he had a real family that would stick by him whatever. Just as well he supposed, he had no one else...
He was woken from these reflections by Race muttering in his sleep ''come on, you can do it...just a bit further...yes...good...horse...good''
Now that was beyond belief, it was bad enough that Race spent his whole life thinking about some kind of racing (hence his name) without him dreaming about it as well, he couldn't really say that is was that much of a surprise though. Race always made him laugh. He sat up and pulled his sheets around him, it really was cold, great, a whole day of freezing whilst screaming headlines. Maybe he'd try to sell with Jack today, otherwise they'd probably both be alone. Davie had been Jacks selling partner but after the strike he had been offered a job through Denton to write for 'The Sun' in a section about rights, morals and the other stuff that interested David. Les had gone off to school, Sarah had fulfilled her dreams, she'd travelled all the way to England and last they heard she had been employed as a governess for a wealthy family. She's never been properly educated herself but she'd learnt a lot from David. It was the general view of the newsies that Sarah and Davie had taken up these opportunities to escape from the cruelty of newsboy life. The whole Jacobs family had been very involved in the strike and had supported Davie and the others so much. It was probably a lot to do with the sad death of Les, a short time after the strike finished...It had been too much when Les had died. It had been so sad, he had caught pneumonia and had been too weak to fight it. Esther and Mayer had moved to England with Sarah. So that was the news on the Jacobs family. None of them would ever recover from Les' premature death but only Davie had stayed in New York. He was still in touch with the newsies, he came to the lodging house ever few nights to see his old mates. Then there was another tragedy; Jack had been hurt badly when Sarah left, he had left for several days at a time just to be alone. But he'd pulled through it with the help of the newsies, another thing they'd stuck together through.
Well, time to get some work done, the other guys were stirring and it'd make a change to be able to get ready without being trampled by the other rushing guys. He got up and dressed quickly. As he was putting his hat on he heard someone wake behind him. He turned his head and saw Blink jumping down from his bunk.
"Hey, sleep well?" mush whispered,
"Yeah, not bad" shouted Blink. This was greeted with a couple of angry shouts from Race and Jack who were not too happy at being woken, Race jumped out of his bunk and covered the floor then attacked Blink from behind and messed up his hair. Blink lost his balance and fell forward and the two of them fell on the floor in a heap just as Kloppman entered.
"Gerrup you lot, youse got work to do. Papes to sell, come on, come on, carry the banner" he said in his low growl of a voice, numerous groans where the response, the morning ritual of him going to each of the bunks in turn and hassling its occupants into waking up began.
