Katherine's POV
I am not ready for this at all.
I'm sitting in my father's chair trying not to listen to the conversation going on before me.
"But I've read your editorials, Mr. Pulitzer. How can you express so much sympathy for the trolley workers and yet you have none for the newsies." The mayor is sitting in the chair across from me and my father is standing behind me.
"Because the trolley workers are striking for a fair contract. The newsies are striking against me!" My father slams his fist on the table.
"If I may, the newsies are striking against your prices-" I start but my father glares my way.
"I'd spare you this embarrassment if I could, but the burlesque house is a private property." The mayor says.
"He can't order a raid without legal cause." Bunsen points out.
"Mr. Mayor, would the fact that this rally is being organized by escaped convicts be enough to shut it down?"
I jump up from my seat. "Those convicts have names and they are Jack and Esther. Jack and Esther Kelly. And for your information-"
"KATHERINE." I sit back down. My father has the mayor's attention.
"Two escaped convicts?"
"Fugitives from one of your own institutions. Convicted thieves, at large, reeking mischief on our law abiding community." He holds out a newspaper and hands it to a man in all black.
"Mr. Snyder, which ones are they?" The man studies the paper. He points at a certain boy with a huge smile standing next to Crutchie.
"That one there, this one is Jack Kelly." He points to Kicks. "And we won't have to worry about Esther. I have her at The Refuge right now. So we just need to worry about Jack."
"So we can cut her out of the picture. How do you know the boy?" The mayor asks.
"His is not a pleasant story. He was first sentenced to my Refuge for loitering and vagrancy, but his total disregard for authority has made him a frequent visitor. The girl has the same problem. Called me a bastard yesterday."
Bunsen and Seitz gasped. I tried not to laugh.
"You called him a thief and escaped convict." The mayor said.
"After his release, I caught him myself, red handed, trafficking stolen food and clothing. He was last sentenced to six months, but the willful ruffian escaped." Snyder hands the newspaper back to my father.
"And the girl?" The mayor presses.
"She was caught stealing money and for vagrancy. I wasn't sure at first how to deal with this type of theft. So I said to myself, count the coins in her hand and that's the number of years. She had nine nickels. She stayed there for eight years. Now she has a year and two months for escaping."
I'm absolutely appalled. I've heard the rumors floating around about that place. The mayor, on the other hand, seems on board with the idea.
"So you'd be doing the city a service removing this criminal from our streets." My father says.
"If that's the case, we can take him in quietly and-" My father explodes.
"What good would quietly do to me? I want a public example made of him. If the girl was caught in public, the boy will be also." Hannah rushes into the office.
"Mr. Pulitzer- the boy, Jack Kelly, is here." My heart sinks.
"Here?" My dad asks. A wicked grin creeps onto Snyder's face.
ESTÁS LEYENDO
Extra, Extra! (A Newsies fanfiction)
De TodoPLEASE READ THE REWRITE OF THIS IT HAS THE SAME TITLE JUST LABELED REWRITE Esther "Kicks" Kelly is younger sister of Jack Kelly, head of the newsies. He took her in as his sister after they escaped the clutches of Snyder. When she hears about her b...
