Newsies Page #2

- Here.

Thanks. Another 50

for my friend here.

- I don't want another 50.

- Sure you do.

- Every newsie wants more papes.

- I don't.

I don't want your papes.

I don't take charity from anybody,

I don't even know you, I don't care to.

So, here are your papes.

- Cowboy, they call him Cowboy.

- Yeah.

That and a lot of other things,

including Jack Kelly, which is

what my mudder called me.

- What do they call you, kid?

- Les.

And this is my brother, David.

He's older.

- Oh, no kiddin'. How old are you, Les?

- Near ten.

Near ten, that's no good.

If anyone asks, say you're seven.

Younger sells more papes, Les.

- If we're gonna be partners,

we want to be the best...

- Wait, wait!

Who said anything

about partners?

Well, you owe me

two bits, right?

So, I'll consider that an investment.

We sell together, we split...

70/30, plus

you get the benefit...

- of observing me, no charge.

- Ah-ha!

Ah-ha!

You're gettin' the chance

of a lifetime here, Davey.

- You learn from Jack,

you learn from the best.

- The best.

- If he's the best,

then how come he needs me?

- Oooh!

Listen, I don't

need you, pal.

But I ain't got a cute, little brother

like Les to front for me.

With this kid's puss

and my God-given talent,

we could move

a thousand papes a week.

- So, what do you say, Les?

You wanna sell papes for me?

- Yeah!

- So it's a deal?

- Wait, hold it!

It's gotta be

at least 50/50.

- 60/40 or I forget the whole thing.

- That's fair.

- A golden opportunity.

- That's fair, David.

What do you say?

It's very fair.

- What's the matter?

- That's disgusting.

The name of the game

is volume, Dave.

You only took 20 papes.

Why?

- Bad headline.

- That's the first thing you gotta learn.

- Headlines don't sell papes.

Newsies sell papes.

- Newsies, right!

We hold this town together.

Without newsies, nobody knows nuttin'.

- That's right. Hey, fellas.

- Look at that angel.

- What a heaven!

- Whoa!

"Baby Born

With Three Heads!"

Get your papes here!

"Trolley Strike Drags On...

For Third Week."

And this so-called headline

drags on for infinity.

The news is slow, Mr. Pulitzer.

The trolley strike's

all we got.

That's all Mr. William

Randolph Hearst has too.

But look how he covers the strike.

Look, look, look!

We'll get a new

headline writer, sir.

We'll steal Hearst's man.

Offer him double.

That's how he stole him from us.

It's not the headlines, Chief.

These circulation wars

are cutting into our profits...

because you spend as much

as you make trying to beat Hearst.

Then we need to make

more profits.

You do not penny pinch

when you're in a war, Seitz.

Victory means everything.

When I created "The World"...

What is that

deafening noise?

Just the newsies, sir.

I'll go have them quieted.

Never mind the newsies.

Where was I?

- Creating "The World," Chief.

- Mmm.

There's lots of money down there

in those streets, gentlemen.

I wanna know how I

can get more of it...

by tonight.

Extra! Extra!

"Trolley strike drags on!"

Extra, extra!

"Ellis Island in flames!"

- Big conflagration!

- Hey, what?

- Where's that story?

- Thank you, sir. Page nine.

Thousands flee in panic!

Thank you.

Much obliged to you.

"Trash Fire Next To Immigration

Building Terrifies Sea Gulls"?

Terrified flight

from inferno!

Thousands of lives

at stake! Thank you.

- Up here! Up here!

- At the top!

Extra! Extra!

Thank you, sir.

Extra! Extra!

You start in the back like I told ya?

Okay, show me again.

Buy me last pape, mister?

- It's heartbreakin', go get 'em.

- My father taught us not to lie.

Mine told me not to starve,

so we both got an education.

You're just makin' up things,

all these headlines.

I don't do nuttin' the guys

who write it don't do.

It ain't lyin'.

It's improvin' the truth a little.

Right hook.

Hey, come on.

- Look at that!

- Let's go. Strike him.

Come on!

The guy gave me

a quarter!

- Quick, give me

some more of those papes.

- Wait, hold it.

You smell like beer.

That's how I made the quarter.

The guy bet me I wouldn't drink some.

Hey, no drinkin' on the job.

It's bad for business.

What if somebody

called a cop on you?

Is he a friend of yours?

Beat it!

It's the Bulls!

All this

for one sip of beer?

Come on, Les. Come on!

Stop, you! Stop, I say!

Hurry up, c'mon.

C'mon, hurry up.

- Up this way!

- I got you. C'mon, let's go.

Sleeper!

Okay, jump.

Hurry up.

- He's right behind us.

- Move!

Whoa!

- Where's he at?

- Over here.

Get down.

Sullivan!

Wait 'til I get you

back to the refuge!

I'm not running

any further.

- I want some answers.

- Shh.

Who is he, why was he chasing you

and what is this refuge?

Refuge is this jail

for kids.

The guy chasing me is Snyder.

He's the warden.

- You were in jail? Why?

- Yeah.

I was starvin'

so I stole some food.

- Right, food.

- Yeah, food.

- He called you Sullivan.

- Yeah, my name's Jack Kelly.

You think I'm lyin'?

- You have a way of improving the truth.

- Yeah?

- Why was he chasin' ya?

- 'Cause I escaped.

Oh boy, how?

This big shot gave me

a ride out in his carriage.

I bet it was

the mayor, right?

No, Teddy Roosevelt.

You ever heard of him?

What is going on there?

Out, out, out, out!

You wouldn't kick me out

without a kiss good-bye,

would you, Medda?

Oh, Kelly!

Where you been, kid?

Oh, I miss seeing you

up in the balcony.

Hangin' on

your every word.

- So, Medda, this is David and Les.

- Hello.

- And this is the greatest star

of the vaudeville stage today,

- No.

Miss Medda Larkson,

the Swedish meadowlark.

- "Velcome," gentlemen.

- Medda also owns the joint.

Well, what have we here?

Oh, aren't you

the cutest fellow that ever was.

Oh yes, you are.

Oh, are you

all right?

Buy me last pape, lady?

Oh, you are good.

Oh, yeah,

this kid is really good.

Speaking as one professional to another,

I'd say you've got a great future.

Is it all right if we

stay here for a while?

Just 'til the problem

outside goes away.

Oh, sure, stay

as long as you like.

Toby, give my guests

whatever they want.

Lads, whatever you'd like.

Gumdrops, gumdrops.

Licorice whips.

Miss Medda Larkson.

# My lovey dovey baby #

# I boo-hoo-hoo for you #

# I used to be

your tootsie-wootsie #

# Then you said

toodle-ee-doo #

# I miss the hanky-panky #

# Each nighty night 'til three #

# Come back

my lovey dovey baby #

# And coochie coo with me ##

- So you liked that?

- Oh, I loved that.

It was great.

She is beautiful.

- How do you know her?

- She's a friend of my father's.

Come on, Les.

You wanna shine my shoes?

It's gettin' late.

My parents are gonna be worried.

- What about yours?

- They're out west

looking for a place to live.

Like this.

That's Santa Fe, New Mexico.

As soon as they find the right ranch,

they're gonna send for me.

- Then you'll be a real cowboy.

- Yep.

Come on, fellas!

Wait up!

Jack, why don't we go back

to my place and divvy up?

You can meet my folks.

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