The World Will Know (Newsies)

5: Carrying The Banner

While Rebecca was off in Brooklyn and Katherine was interviewing Jack, Elizabeth was left alone with the remaining newsies. At least she knew one of them. Crutchie hadn't been assigned a place to go, due to his leg, so he was just going to hang out in the lodging house for a little bit with some of the other newsies who hadn't been given places to visit.

She followed the group of kids back towards the lodging house for a minute until one of them, Finch, noticed she was there. "Hey, you, what's you doin'?" he called back to her, as the rest of the newsies stopped in their place to turn and look.

Elizabeth paused for a second, surprised that she had been noticed so quickly. Then, she shrugged and replied, "Looking for something to do, now that my friend and sister have split off in other directions."

Crutchie, with a smile spreading across his face, hobbled back in her direction. "If ya want, you can come along. Can't promise it'll be fun for ya, but you'll at least have people to talk ta," he offered, gesturing back towards his home.

With a smile of her own, Elizabeth admitted, "I was hoping you'd allow me to do that."

And with that, she was off towards the lodging house with the newsies, this time actually being invited to go. By the time they reached the door, she knew the names of the newsies who were along with them, and they knew her own first name. In the small group, there was Finch, Albert, Elmer, Romeo, and Sniper, and there would be more newsies showing up whenever they got back from their assigned neighborhood.

They entered the lodging house and Elizabeth was stunned at how small and cramped it was. There were beds upon beds lining every wall, with very little space to move between each bunk. It was incredibly dirty, with thin sheets draped down from the top bunks due to them being thrown off in the mornings, and articles of clothing were strewn around strategically for the newsies to dress quickly so they could go and be ready to sell as early as possible. No matter how dirty and uncomfortable it may have seemed, Elizabeth still thought it felt homey, due to the boys acting like so much of a family in this place. Maybe that was what made it not so bad for them to live in.

The newsies shuffled over to their bunks and sat down, instantly starting to talk and joke around as they normally did. In the homey place, Elizabeth wasn't really sure which space to call hers for the brief time she would be hanging out there, until Crutchie flagged her over and invited her to sit on one of the beds beside him. With a smile, she did as she was told, sitting down on the edge of the bed while offering her thanks.

Albert was clearly curious about this girl who was getting herself involved in the strike, and the newsie made that known when he asked, "So, why you's doin' this? Do you gots a job at The Sun like that otha goil do?"

Elizabeth shook her head, smiling at the newsies as she spoke. "Oh, no. Katherine's the only one who actually has a job, though I'd like to have one. Rebecca, my sister, and I were just tagging along for the day when this opportunity presented itself, and she said we could help her out if we wanted to. So, we did," she explained, shrugging at the end.

Elmer tilted his head in curiosity as he heard this, and inquired, "So, what would ya want ta do, den, if ya don't wanna be no reporta?"

A grin spread on Elizabeth's face as she thought about it. "Well, if anything," she began, "I'd want to be that female doctor I was telling you all about at the deli. If I can't, I'll be a nurse, or something else. I just want to help people in any way I can, you know?"

The newsies all nodded in understanding, seeing what she meant. It was clear that she had a good heart. Elizabeth just had that air about her, that aura of goodness and desire to help the lowest common denominator. Maybe that was part of her motivation to help out, more than just being friends with the reporter that was a part of this.