Tension filled the air. Opening night at Medda’s and Jack had gotten all of the Manhattan newsies front row seats. The curtains parted and the familiar beauty stepped out of the dark back stage and into the wild applause.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, velcome to the show!" Medda said with her perfect Swedish accent. "Tonight, ve have a surprise for you. Please give a round of applause for Boston’s own…Julian Brant!"

As the applause roared, a rather short woman stepped out into the light. She wore heavy makeup and her light brown hair was pulled up into a bun with ringlets of perfect curls flowing down her back. Her dark blue dress was intricately woven with sequins that dazzled the eye. Racetrack and Kid Blink, two of the newsies, started whooping and whistling as she walked gracefully to the center of the stage.

The music started and the girl never missed a beat. Her voice rang clear and strong throughout the theater, silencing the large crowd. Her expression was perfected by her gestures to the audience and she sang directly to the newsies during several parts of the song. The moment the song ended, the theater went wild. A standing ovation on opening night, just what Medda had expected. As the crowd filed out of the doors, only Jack and the other newsies remained.

"Vell boys, vhat did you think?" Medda asked expectantly.

"Ah Medda," said Race, "it was great!"

"Yeah, jest poifect!" said Mush enthusiastically.

"We all had a great time, didn’t we fellas. But Medda," asked Jack curiosly, "who’s da new goil?"

Medda’s voice lost it’s accent as she told them, "Oh, Julian? That’s my apprentice, so to speak. She’s staying with me all summer to learn about showbiz. Isn’t she just adorable?" she asked, smiling.

"You can say dat again!" said Blink dreamily.

"Well, do you boys want to meet her? She’s just back stage."

"Sure we would!" Crutchy shouted, then blushed.

"Well, come on! She's back this way," said Medda as they climbed the stairs and walked across the brightly lit stage. Medda disappeared into the dressing room and returned seconds later with the girl at her heels.

"Well boys, I'd like you to meet Julian Brant," Medda said as she winked at the girl.

"It's a pleasure, really," Julian said in a polite voice.

The newsies stood there, uncomfortably without words. Racetrack's mouth was hanging open when Jack said, "Well, on behalf of all da newsies of Manhattan, it’s very nice ta meet'cha."

She smiled at him, figuring this was the "Kid" Medda was always mentioning, and took his hand. He kissed it, quite a gentleman she said to herself. He wore a red bandanna tied around his neck and had a belt made of rope, a regular cowboy she thought, smiling still.

After all the introductions had been made, she told them that she must be going, rehearsals and all. There were polite good-byes and several wide-eyed smiles as the newsies left the building. They walked back to the lodging house slowly, savoring the show in their minds.

*********

"Hey Cowboy! Up fer some poker?" asked Race, always ready to try and win money.

"Nah, dats all right, I'se bushed, gonna get some sleep," Jack replied, carefully placing his hat on the bed stand. Actually, his mind was too preoccupied with visions of that girl to think about poker, or sleep for that matter. He kept seeing her face, with those large, gray-blue eyes, accentuated by her heavy eye makeup. She sure looked like a Broadway star. She had an air of importance around her when she walked. Her every hair in place. They had all been surprised at how young she was, almost the same as most of the newsies. Yet, in her full gown with her stage makeup on, she looked much more mature than they had expected. Jack climbed on to his bunk and laid his head down on his pillow. She sure is pretty though, he thought as he dozed off, only to be awakened three seconds later by Race shouting, "HA! I won! Hey Jack, I won!" He was answered by a pillow in the face.

******

"So tell me," Julian asked in a curious voice,"are you really the newsie that started the strike last year?"

"Dats me, well, an' me friends heah,"Jack said as they sat inside at Tibby's.

The door to the restaraunt opened and several more boys piled in, adding to the ones surrounding the table where Jack, Julian, Dave, and Crutchy sat. They all listened eagerly to the conversation. The most prominent of the new group being Spot Conlon, Brooklyn's head newsie.

"Well Jacky-boy, ain't ya gonna intraduce me to ya friend heah?" he said charmingly as he took Julian's gloved hand.

"Spot, dis is Julian Brant. Julian, dis heah is Spot Conlon, head a da Brooklyn newsies. Oh yeah, he was part a da strike too." he offered.

"Jest part? If I recalls right, I bailed you out more'n one time Cowboy," Spot said, trying to impress Julian.

They had been showing Julian around New York City when they decided to get some lunch at Tibby's. I guess Spot's little boidies hoid 'bout Julian bein' in town, Jack said to himself.

"So Miss Brant-" Jack started.

"Julian, please,"she said, smiling at him.

"Of coise, Julian, wheah would ya like ta go next?"

"Actually, I'm sort of curious about your business. Do you think you could show me how you sell your papers?"

"Ya really wanna loin how ta sell papes?" Jack asked incredulously.

"If it's not too much trouble," she said playfully.

"It'd be my, uh, our pleasure to show ya da ropes."

She smiled at him and took his arm as they left Tibby's and walked into the bright sunlight.