"We've Got Personality!"-A Crutchie Morris Love Story

Part 1

"We thoughts you was gonna be late, Kelly!" Finch teased.

"Well, we're here now, ain't we?" Jack retorted. He and Lizzy walked in. Lizzy was playing with her necklace, a habit she has does whenever she's nervous.

"Oh, who's this?" Race asked.

"Newsies, this is my little sista, Lizzy. It's her first day, so be nice," Jack said.

"Hiya," Lizzy said shyly, giving a smile and wave.

"Wow. Yous guys look alike," Les said. "Except your eyes. She's gots blue-green while you gots brown, Jack."

"Les, be nice," Davey said. He looked over to Lizzy and mouthed Sorry to her. Jack put his arm around Lizzy's shoulders as they went to join the group.

"Liz, this here is Albert, Henry, Finch, Race, Specs, Romeo, Mush, Tommy-Boy, Buttons, Smalls, Elemer, Jojo, Les, and Davey. You'll see lots of them when sellin' papes," Jack said, indicating to each newsie. He looked around for a second then turned his attention back to the group. "By the way, where's Crutchie?" he asked.

"I'm here!" someone replied. A young boy of sixteen came limping inside to join the group.

"Hey, Crutchie!" Jack smiled and waved him over. "Well, he needs no introduction," Jack smirked, turning to his little sister.

"Charles Morris, aka, "Crutchie". Youngest newsie of the Manhattan flank," Lizzy answered, beaming at him. Crutchie was the first person she met at the Lodge because he's Jack's best friend and they played together as little kids.

"Nice to see ya, Lizzy," Crutchie beamed as he hugged her. Lizzy may have been only fourteen, almost fifteen, but she always loved Crutchie as another brother.

"Jack here tells us a lot about his little sis," Albert starts. Lizzy turned to her brother, who held up his hands in defence.

"Is it right you can draw like him?" asked Henry.

"And read?" asked Finch.

"And sing?" asked Davey.

"And play the piana?" asked Les.

"Uh, yeah, it is. But nobody beats my brother at art, yet I beat him at music," Lizzy said, looking at her brother with pride. Jack squeezed her to his side and kissed the top of her head. The newsies just settled into their breakfast, which was a small cup of coffee and a piece of bread, or if they got lucky, cold oatmeal, when a young, red-haired woman came in.

"Good morning, newsies!" she sang.

"Mornin', Miss Pulitzer," Jack said, getting up, wrapping his arm around her waist, and kissed her dark pink lips. She giggled, "Morning, Mr. Kelly."

"Anything new on the papes, Katherine?" Davey asked.

"Well, nothing really except debates in Congress and all that. But, if I'm right, I heard there's a new newsie," she said.

"And here she is. Katherine, this is my sista, Lizzy. Lizzy, this is Katherine Pulitzer, writer for "The Sun" and my...well..." Jack stuttered at the end.

"Your 'goilfreind'?" his sister finished, imitating his voice. Jack's cheeks turned a shade of bright cherry. The guys were all snickering at the young Kelly's cleverness and humor.

"Well,...uh, yeah," he said, shrugging. Katherine giggled at her boyfriend. For and artist, he can be such a dork sometimes, she thought.

"It's nice to meet you, Lizzy. You look like the little girl that Jack is always bragging about to me," she said, smiling at Lizzy and shaking her hand. Katherine leaned towards Jack, whispered something in his ear, then kissed his red cheek.

"Well, those stories ain't gonna write themselves. See you guys later," she said, leaving the newsies. Davey stood up and put his arm around Jack's shoulders, which got his attention.

"We better get going," he said, the two leading the group out to work.