A/N: M'kay, I wrote this because I thought the few newsgirls needed some
recognition. Anyway, if you want your character to be included in the story
leave a review saying so, (Where they're from, name, age, personality,
looks ect ect) because the girls in this story are made up (Except for
Diamonds, Smudge & Derby [of course!])
Disclaimer: I own the made up newsies, Diamonds & Smudge own themselves, and blah blah blah, you get the point.
`*`*`*`*`
Newsboys are a common sight on the streets of New York; they can be seen in nearly every corner, alley and busy area. The echo of the day's headlines is a familiar sound.
But nobody ever stops to think about the newsgirls. True, they're the minority among the newsies, but has anyone ever thought about what they're like? How do they survive in a business dominated by boys? This is their story.
~*~*~*~
The sun was long gone by the time Diamonds returned to the lodging house. She angrily tossed her cap onto a nearby bunk, not caring who was sleeping there.
Smudge picked up the cap and threw it back at Diamonds. "Watch where ya throwin' stuff would ya." Smudge hissed, annoyed at being woken up.
Diamonds glared back, obviously not in a good mood. Shoving her day's pay into her cap and hanging it on the bedpost, she climbed into her bunk and tried to sleep. But something was bothering her.
She couldn't stop thinking about what Mr.Weisel had said to her that morning when they'd trudged to the distribution center to get their papes.
----
"50 papes, weasel." Diamonds had said, flipping two bits at him.
Weasel curled his lip and said, "Ya sure ya can handle fifty papes, Diamonds?" And handed her only 20 papers.
Diamonds stared at the papes. She'd been collecting her papers from Weasel for years now, why the sudden change?
She leaned into the barred window and stared coolly at him, "I said 50."
"Sorry kid, I ain't givin' no goils 50 papes anymore. It's 20 or none. The boys sell bettah. Now take yer papes and scram." Weasel had replied. The crowd of newsies behind Diamonds pushed and shoved, eager to get their papes.
"Why da sudden change eh, Weasel? Ya can't tell me I can't have 50 papes." She said, "I can sell just as good as da boys, even bettah than some. Y'know bettah than dat."
"Look, goily, There's what, 10 or 12 of ya? And 30 or 40 of da boys. Who do ya think can sell more papes?" Weasel had answered, trying to get rid of her.
Diamonds slammed her fists against the bars, and shoved her face near Weasel's.
"We ain't no weak little goils with bows in our hair and fancy shoes. We're da newsgoils, we can fend for ourselves. There ain't no dis.. discri.. favourism when you're a newsie!" She nearly yelled, who was weasel to tell her that just because she was a girl she couldn't sell as well as the boys.
The other newsies were beginning to stare, wondering what was going on.
Someone yelled, "Move it!"
Diamonds turned back and glared, she had never been so mad in her life. Usually fairly content and easy to please, she was ready to kill weasel. Oscar appeared at the window and sneered.
"Take ya papes and move it, you ain't worth nobody's time. 'Specially ours."
Diamonds grabbed his collar through the bar and stared at him for a minute. Then let him go. Oscar glared and went to the back.
Finally Weasel handed her the other 30 papes and sighed, "Don't expect this ta last long, goily. I ain't wastin' my papes on a bunch o' goils anymore."
Diamonds ignored his remark and went to her usual selling spot near in the Newsies Square, yelling the headlines on the way.
Pie Eater caught up with her halfway there. "What was dat about?" he asked. Everyone knew Pie Eater had a thing for Diamonds; she seemed to be the only one oblivious to it.
She sighed, "Weasel t'inks dat da goils can't sell papes as good as da boys. Beats me, he nevah acted like this before." Fumbling in her pockets for change to give to the man who bought a pape.
She swept her messy brown hair under her cap and continued selling, forgetting Pie Eater.
Pie had turned back to his group of friends, hands in pockets. ----
Diamonds punched her pillow, trying to sleep. Selley and Smudge were having a conversation in their sleep, unbeknownst to themselves and the other sleeping newsies.
Derby fell out of her bunk and landed with a clunk on the floor, still snoring. Prairie and Cake were the few girls who slept silently.
Diamonds sighed and waited for morning.
---- From the demented desk of Derby: Whaddya think? Please R&R! *Pokes a picture of Blink* I don't know why Weasel is all sexist now, but I couldn't think of anything better. Lol.
Disclaimer: I own the made up newsies, Diamonds & Smudge own themselves, and blah blah blah, you get the point.
`*`*`*`*`
Newsboys are a common sight on the streets of New York; they can be seen in nearly every corner, alley and busy area. The echo of the day's headlines is a familiar sound.
But nobody ever stops to think about the newsgirls. True, they're the minority among the newsies, but has anyone ever thought about what they're like? How do they survive in a business dominated by boys? This is their story.
~*~*~*~
The sun was long gone by the time Diamonds returned to the lodging house. She angrily tossed her cap onto a nearby bunk, not caring who was sleeping there.
Smudge picked up the cap and threw it back at Diamonds. "Watch where ya throwin' stuff would ya." Smudge hissed, annoyed at being woken up.
Diamonds glared back, obviously not in a good mood. Shoving her day's pay into her cap and hanging it on the bedpost, she climbed into her bunk and tried to sleep. But something was bothering her.
She couldn't stop thinking about what Mr.Weisel had said to her that morning when they'd trudged to the distribution center to get their papes.
----
"50 papes, weasel." Diamonds had said, flipping two bits at him.
Weasel curled his lip and said, "Ya sure ya can handle fifty papes, Diamonds?" And handed her only 20 papers.
Diamonds stared at the papes. She'd been collecting her papers from Weasel for years now, why the sudden change?
She leaned into the barred window and stared coolly at him, "I said 50."
"Sorry kid, I ain't givin' no goils 50 papes anymore. It's 20 or none. The boys sell bettah. Now take yer papes and scram." Weasel had replied. The crowd of newsies behind Diamonds pushed and shoved, eager to get their papes.
"Why da sudden change eh, Weasel? Ya can't tell me I can't have 50 papes." She said, "I can sell just as good as da boys, even bettah than some. Y'know bettah than dat."
"Look, goily, There's what, 10 or 12 of ya? And 30 or 40 of da boys. Who do ya think can sell more papes?" Weasel had answered, trying to get rid of her.
Diamonds slammed her fists against the bars, and shoved her face near Weasel's.
"We ain't no weak little goils with bows in our hair and fancy shoes. We're da newsgoils, we can fend for ourselves. There ain't no dis.. discri.. favourism when you're a newsie!" She nearly yelled, who was weasel to tell her that just because she was a girl she couldn't sell as well as the boys.
The other newsies were beginning to stare, wondering what was going on.
Someone yelled, "Move it!"
Diamonds turned back and glared, she had never been so mad in her life. Usually fairly content and easy to please, she was ready to kill weasel. Oscar appeared at the window and sneered.
"Take ya papes and move it, you ain't worth nobody's time. 'Specially ours."
Diamonds grabbed his collar through the bar and stared at him for a minute. Then let him go. Oscar glared and went to the back.
Finally Weasel handed her the other 30 papes and sighed, "Don't expect this ta last long, goily. I ain't wastin' my papes on a bunch o' goils anymore."
Diamonds ignored his remark and went to her usual selling spot near in the Newsies Square, yelling the headlines on the way.
Pie Eater caught up with her halfway there. "What was dat about?" he asked. Everyone knew Pie Eater had a thing for Diamonds; she seemed to be the only one oblivious to it.
She sighed, "Weasel t'inks dat da goils can't sell papes as good as da boys. Beats me, he nevah acted like this before." Fumbling in her pockets for change to give to the man who bought a pape.
She swept her messy brown hair under her cap and continued selling, forgetting Pie Eater.
Pie had turned back to his group of friends, hands in pockets. ----
Diamonds punched her pillow, trying to sleep. Selley and Smudge were having a conversation in their sleep, unbeknownst to themselves and the other sleeping newsies.
Derby fell out of her bunk and landed with a clunk on the floor, still snoring. Prairie and Cake were the few girls who slept silently.
Diamonds sighed and waited for morning.
---- From the demented desk of Derby: Whaddya think? Please R&R! *Pokes a picture of Blink* I don't know why Weasel is all sexist now, but I couldn't think of anything better. Lol.
