The Washroom -- Sinks

[mabel]

Mabel grinned, "Yes, well, you keep track of it, then. Keep it on your head and you should be fine..." She paused. "-or just remember next time you leave it on the coat rack." She said with a wink.

"You off to sell, then? I'd tag along, but I'm afraid you keep better track of your money than I do." Her stomach, above all else, was miffed about her lack of money. She wondered vaguely when her next meal would be. Still, she'd find away to get some money and sell papers again.

Unless all the whispers about striking became more than idle chatter. Mabel shuddered to think.

[Milo]

Milo nodded in confirmation when Mabel asked him if he was going to sell but he was disappointed to hear that she couldn't sell with him. "I don' think ya keep bad track a' ya money" he reassured her "I prolly jus' seel moah papes is all. 'cause people feel sorry for me 'cause I'm little"

[mabel]

"I don' think ya keep bad track a' ya money" he reassured her "I prolly jus' seel moah papes is all. 'cause people feel sorry for me 'cause I'm little"

Mabel broke into a smile, "Well, they ought to be buying from you, anyway. I'm practically grown up... I-" She paused, "I guess I should be looking into other professions, huh?"

"Actually, it's this price hike that's keeping me from selling. I'm afraid I didn't save enough for my papers, but it's not a problem. I'll be back out there tomorrow." She assured the little boy. Truth be told, Mabel had no idea how she was going to get the money, but this boy didn't need to worry himself with her problems.

"But get going," She smiled, placing a hand on his back, "You've got your hat now, so you're golden."

[Milo]

"Okay" said Milo, hesitantly. He was somewhat heartened by the fact that Mabel said that she would be able to sell tomorrow though he couldn't understand how she was going to get the money if she wasn't selling today. He gave her another hug to cheer her up and made his way to the door, pausing at the threshold and turning around, "If ya do look foah anuddah job, don' be a factory worker okay?" he advised stoically "dat job can kill ya, believe me".

[mabel]

Patting the boy on the back as he hugged her, Mabel smiled sadly. It wasn't fair that good kids like him had to rough it each and every day, living off a days work, forever reliant on the few pennies they made. It wasn't right.

"If ya do look foah anuddah job, don' be a factory worker okay? Dat job can kill ya, believe me".

Mabel shook her head, "Me? In a factory? Rest assured, Milo--no factory that wants to stay afloat would let me work. I'd cause a mess in no time," She quipped. Still, Mabel hoped Milo wasn't speaking from experience about factory work.

"Now, go on!" She said cheerfully, stepping towards a mirror to re-tie back her hair.

[Milo]

"Me? In a factory? Rest assured, Milo--no factory that wants to stay afloat would let me work. I'd cause a mess in no time,"

Milo was very relieved by Mabel's insistance that she would never worked in a factory. His father had died in a factory accident and he was always worried that it would happen to other people he knew after they stopped being newsies.

"Now, go on!"

He smiled at Mabel and gave her a small wave before turning around and dashing down the stairs and out the door to start selling before the morning rush was over.

[les]

(( New Day ))

After eating at Tibby's, Les took Stuart to the Lodging House and up the stairs to the washroom. He took a stool and put it in front of the tub, and put the water on. "Sorry, Stuart. It might be a lil cold, but at least yoah clean." He smiled.

As he was waiting for Stuart to climb in the tub, he grabbed some soap, shampoo, and a towel and sat on the stool.

[pupdawkinsseitz]

Stuart took a quick bath, shivering the whole time. It was cold...but it felt better to feel fresh and clean. His face was still a little dirty but Stuart didn't care. He hadn't had a bath in four days so it felt wonderful.

[les]

When he was done bathing, Les wrapped the towel and told Stuart, "Stay right heah, I'm gunna get ya some clothes."

When Les came back, he was holding a pair of longjohns, black boots, white socks, a white shirt, blue suspenders, a gray cabby hat and brown knickers. "Heah, put those on, if ya need some help I'm sittin' right heah." He pointed to the stool and sat down.

[pupdawkinsseitz]

Stuart changed into the new clothes. He was delighted. They fit perfectly. He came over to Les. He looked up at Les smiling a big grin on his face. Les was his new friend, his role model.

[les]

Les laughed at the grin the kid had on his face. Thinking if the kid slept on the streets, just made Les sick. "Do ya have a place ta stay? Or any money?"

[pupdawkinsseitz]

Pup looked up at him, his grin fading. He shook his head meekly, staring down at his shoes.
"I live all the way in Brooklyn. In an alley. I sell papes but nobody buys any. I don't got no money."

[les]

"I live all the way in Brooklyn. In an alley. I sell papes but nobody buys any. I don't got no money."

Les felt really bad for the kid, but decided not to push the matter any further. "Ya can stay at my house. You can sleep in my bed wit' me, and my ma and pa can feed ya dinner, breakfast and lunch." Thinking about his family, he also said, "I have a brother Davey and a sistah Sarah. You'll like them, I know ya will."

[pupdawkinsseitz]

Pup stared up at Les in amazement.
"You mean me...come live with you? Ya mean it really?" Pup looked overjoyed, and tears welled up in his eyes.

[les]

"You mean me...come live with you? Ya mean it really?"

Les chuckled slightly, and wrapped the boy up in a hug, thinking he was going to cry. "Ya, I really mean it. We have extra room, and my ma hates seeing kids not being healthy."