New York City-July 1899

“Bailee? William is in the parlor! Please come downstairs!”  Called Mrs. Potter. 

“I’m coming!”

Bailee Potter was 20 years old. For the past year in a half she had been seeing William Bennett and she was pretty set on him. She liked him a lot and hoped that they would be married. At least that was what half her brain said. The other half would flash back to the fall of 1895. Joey. Her friend-her closest friend-even closer than some of the girls she grew up with. She missed him, she really did. But they had lost touch. 

“Bailee stop it!!! Joey is the past. The past is behind you. William is your future. You like him. Your parents like him. So BE CONTENT!” She said to herself.

But in the back of her brain she had been thinking for a long time-what could have happened if Joey and her had stayed in touch? 

Joey Edwards was in line for papers with his newsie buddies. As he paid for his 100 papers, he looked at the headline for the day. But as he thought up selling strategies with the headline given, he heard a voice that snapped him back to reality. 

“Hey kid-the 100 papes aren't 50 cents. They’re 60. Now give me the money or I'll call the constable to settle things.”

Joey sucked in a hard breath. He didn’t have 10 cents. So he ended up just taking 90. 

“Just great.” Joey muttered under his breath as he walked away, “I won’t get any supper tonight.”  

The July day was rather hot. Joey was sweating as he stood on the street yelling 

“Get your papers-New York World, Get ya papes here! 2 for a penny!”  

But then he saw a familiar face-was that the girl he had been looking for-all these years?! He had never forgotten Bailee Edwards. She was so pretty and so sweet. Most of all he liked how a billionaire who lived on 5th avenue would help out an average, lowly, newsie like him. But she did and he liked her all the more for it. Now that she was on Joey’s mind he started a game he made up a few years ago-Potter Scouting. He would ignore every single customer and beeline for every younger lady dressed nicely he saw. Maybe one day he thought, one day I'll find my true love. 

Bailee sat in the parlor and was staring out the window while the maid handed her a cup of tea. She stirred it, and took a dainty sip. As she set her cup on the side table, she saw William tell her parents something-and they left the room. Bailee had no clue what was up but then she knew. William walked over to Bailee and started talking to her. Bailee was so nervous and shocked and just plain surprised that she missed half of William’s words.  “...Now Bailee, I’ve just graduated from Harvard and I’m ready to start my career. But what any good businessman in the grand city of New York really needs is…” Bailee was so lost and she could not comprehend what was coming next. But then she really could. William was on one knee staring up at her “...And Bailee I have grown to love you this past year. So will you do me the utmost honor of becoming my wife?” And as he said that he opened a velvet lined box with a giant diamond ring. 

“I...I…Well…” Bailee had no words.

 “So is that a YES?” Asked William, he was obviously quite nervous and just wanted to get this over with. 

“Uhhh...I need some air. Excuse me.” Said Bailee and she rushed out of the room. 

Outside, she saw the city around her and just wanted to disappear. She loved William, she really did. But what was this invisible thing inside her tugging her in the other direction?  Towards Joey. Her good friend. 

“Bailee Beatrice Anne Potter-you are 20 years old. If you do not find a husband soon you will end up an old maid. Now imagine the thought of that! Nobody wants that to happen! You will only be in bloom for a short time and in that time you should find a husband! Now walk back in there and tell William yes. Joey is the past. This is not the past. Step into the future!!!” 

Bailee marched back into the house and walked into the parlor. William was still waiting in the parlor-as if frozen, on one knee. 

“William, I am sorry for being so abrupt earlier. I love you and if you are waiting for a response, yes, I will marry you.”  

William leapt to his feet, a look of pure bliss on his face. 

“Oh Bailee, you have made me the happiest man alive! Let’s go tell your parents!” 

William took Bailee by the arm and marched her out of the room to tell her parents the happy news. But as Bailee left the parlor, she felt like she was leaving a piece of her heart behind. 

Joey heard the clock strike 9 and it still hadn’t gotten cooler yet. He felt disgustingly sweaty and his hands had ink on them from all the papers. He knew it was time to turn in so he started back to the Newsies Lodging House. As he walked, he fell into step with 2 other newsies and they started discussing the price raise in 100 papers. 

“I was so bummed.” Said Joey to the other newsies “I thought I could have enough to actually eat dinner tonight but then the Delancy’s were like ‘“Mister its

 60 cents!’ And I just paid for 90 papes.”

“Yeah that isn’t right at all.” Said Davy.

“Ya know,” said Jack, the other newsie Joey walked home with, “I’ve been thinking. What if we did something about this? We all know that raising the price of papes isn’t right. So we should protest it-so people see that we don’t like what these big shots are doing to us and that we want change. It’s not okay of them to raise the paper price without telling us. We should go on STRIKE!” 

“Yeah!!!!” Said Joey and Davy.

“Let’s go tell the others the news! This is going to be a strike for the ages!!!”

As Joey joined the other newsies streaming into the Newsies Lodging House a memory popped into his head. He and Bailee were selling papers, there was a huge crowd around him, he was making money so fast, he had trouble keeping up with the demand-he made more money that day then he made in the past 3. Bailee even did a cute little jingle and dance to bring in more sales. She was such a good saleswomen. He could really use her help. If only...Joey’s mind was trailing off again. He wondered if she was still single, if she would ever marry him. But why would some rich girl living on the Millionaire's Row ever consider him? Joey went to bed with a heavy heart and a head that was full of if onlys and what ifs. 

The next day Bailee worked with her mother for most of the day planning her wedding. She was getting really bored until she saw her fiancé walk through the door of the study. 

“Hello Bailee, Mrs. Potter.”

“Oh, why hello William!” Said Mrs. Potter, “In the midst of a flurry of wedding plans eh?” 

“Actually,” started William, “That was just what I wanted to come and talk to you about. It is the turn of the century and we are going into modern times. That’s why I have decided to marry you sooner than we anticipated-in fact at the end of the month. Then we will move from New York City to Chicago at the beginning of August. New York has become too crowded and I would like to find a better place with better business opportunities. So Bailee, would you consider marrying me early? Like the end of this month?”
“My, William, this is quite a shock.” Said Mrs. Potter, “A girl's wedding is the most important day of her life, Bailee should have a perfect wedding-and that needs planning.”

“Mother, if I may please have a chance to share my thoughts with you, I don’t care when I am wed. All I care about is that I am married. So I am okay with the end of the month.” and as soon as Bailee said this she instantly regretted it. 

Joey woke up very optimistic that morning. He had a flashback from 1895-as soon as he got his papers, he would sprint to 5th Avenue. He had a feeling Bailee would be there. So he got ready, chugged a cup of watered down coffee and sprinted to be first in line for the papers. But when he got there he remembered-today’s the first day of the strike. He waited with the other newsies at the gates, and as the wagons pulled up full of papers, he heard someone scream;

“ONE…TWO…THREE-PUSH!!!”

And all the newsies pushed the wagons of papers over into the street. Someone had climbed up to the headline board and written STRIKE! in giant letters. Joey was pushed into a crowd of newsies throwing the papers all over, so he started doing the same. He saw reporters interviewing the boy Jack he talked with about the strike the night before. His friend Davy was looking on quite proudly. Joey was glad this was happening-he knew it would not be easy, but change was going to come for the newsies. 

“Mother, come! Look what has happened!”

Bailee was reading the newspaper and she saw the headline screaming; NEW YORK WORLD NEWSBOY STRIKE BEGINS. She looked at a picture in the paper with a newsie in it, and in the background, she picked out a familiar face. 

“Oh my goodness-JOEY!” she whispered, “I have to find him!”

“Bailee! Please come! We have to go to the dressmakers to try on a wedding dress!”

“Mother, do I have to? I have to make an urgent call.” 

“Not now. You agreed to marry William at the end of the month. This is one of the consequences for your choice. Now come on, we will be late for the appointment.”

As Bailee was dragged out of the room, she felt that this marriage to William was really one of money, not as much of love. She felt dragged into the marriage. And she had kind of lost her feelings for him especially now that they were to be married sooner than they ever expected. 

“STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE!”

Joey didn’t expect how much he would have liked striking with all his Newsie buddies as much as he did now. They had taken the newspaper, some old paint and scrap wood and written STRIKE! on it in big letters. They were marching around the World Building shouting, yelling and clutching their signs. It seemed like total chaos, but at the same time it was very under control. Joey was having a wonderful time screaming at the top of his lungs. 

Eventually, Bailee finished with the dressmakers and started heading home with her mother. It was a nice day and as Bailee strolled along the sidewalk she was happy. Even though she wasn’t 100 percent sure she wanted to marry William, her dress was lovely, and she felt like a princess. She continued to walk down the sidewalk and then a lightbulb went off in her head-she is kind of near the New York World Building!!! 

“Mother, now may I make the call I was attempting to make this morning? It is really important-I need to speak to a friend about my wedding.”

“If it is wedding related, go right ahead.” 

Bailee started off for the New York World relieved. She didn’t really tell a lie, she did want to tell Joey about her upcoming wedding. As Bailee approached the New York World building she heard the newsies shouting “STRIKE!, STRIKE!, STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE! STRIKE!” She had a strong feeling that Joey was here. 

“JOEY!!!! JOEY!!!!! JOEY EDWARDS!!! IT'S BAILEE!!!!!!!!!! WHERE ARE YOU!!!!”

Her voice could barely be heard above the shouting. She had no idea where he would be. And then she saw him. Not him, but she recognized his handwriting. She immediately started to follow the sign. 

“JOEY EDWARDS!!!! IT’S MEEEEEEEE!!!!! BAILEE!!!!” 

Joey was following the crowd of newsies to the lodging house to plan. But then he heard someone screaming his name so he spun around to see who it was. His thoughts on who was either his mother, the constable, the Delancys, or...could it be? Bailee? No, he thought, why would it be her? There are so many people in New York, why would it be her? He turned straight around and…IT WAS BAILEE!!!!! Joey dropped his sign and ran over to her. 

“BAILEE!”

“JOEY!” 

“How did you find me?”

“I read the paper about the strike and you were in the picture! I then had a strong feeling that you were here-and I was right! Oh it is so good to see you!” 

“I still cannot believe it. All these years I have been looking for you. And we found each other!” 

Bailee had never felt this happy-she felt something stir in her that she couldn’t identify. She had never felt so happy around William-Joey had some way about him that made her feel like she was flying. 

“Joey, there’s something I want to tell you. I am engaged and am to be married at the end of the month. I would be honored if you could come to the wedding.”

“I don’t think I can. We are awfully busy with the strike and I don’t want to miss anything important. Maybe we can celebrate together another time.” Joey said. And he left to go follow the newsies. He was so sad. Ever since he and Bailee had stayed friends, he wanted to become more than just a friend. He desperately wanted to win Bailee’s heart but it was already too late-she was taken. His heart felt like a popped balloon. He had hoped for this for years and now it had been taken from him. Joey dragged his feet back to the Newsies Lodging House. He just wanted to go to bed. 

Bailee set off down the street. She was so upset. Why was Joey being so mean? She was heartbroken that one of her closest friends wasn’t coming to her wedding. More importantly, she now knew that she did not want to marry William. The way she had felt with Joey she knew that was not how she felt when she was with William. William was just trying to marry her so he could move out to Chicago and start a new life-married. Most of all, she was so sad her parents were on board for her to marry William. Her parents wanted her to marry for money. She on the other hand wanted to marry for love. Now she was so scared she would never see Joey again. 

“Bailee Beatrice Anne Potter-you must not marry William!” She said and as she said that, she heard a familiar voice-

“Why hello Bailee!”

It was Peter. She thought that she would never see him again, but oh was she wrong. 

“Hello there Peter, how are you?”

“Fine, thank you. Bailee, I have a question; I was following you while you were walking and I heard you discussing marriage? Is it true, are you engaged? If you are-is it to that wonderful boy Joey? I hope so, and do you mind if I come to the wedding? My family and I would enjoy that.”

“Uhhhhh...No Peter, I am not engaged to Joey. I am engaged to a businessman named William Bennet. We are getting married at the end of the month and are moving to Chicago later on.”

“Doesn’t sound like you are too excited.” 

 “No Peter, I am not really interested in him. I just saw Joey for the first time in a while and I really  do love him, but my family is all preoccupied with the wedding-what do I do? I want to marry a man that I am not engaged to.” 

“Go and talk to your parents and the fiancée. They may be mad but if you say the right thing, it will work out.”

“Peter, thank you. You helped me sort my feelings out.” And with that, off Bailee went to talk with her parents. But the thing she was most worried about was Joey. What if that was the last time she would ever see him? 

Joey was halfheartedly listening to the planning of the strike. They had just gotten reinforcements from Brooklyn and the other boroughs that morning, and they were ready to make a final stand. They were going to make a headline that said “NEWSIES STOP THE WORLD” and print it and that banner they would totally carry. Joey remembered only a few short days ago when the strike was the most important thing in his life. But now he realized what it really was-Bailee. He needed to apologize to her. He felt like he really should have taken her news better than he did. But why would that matter after she got married? Joey felt like a piece of himself had been stolen from him. 

Bailee knew that afternoon William was going to be at their house for tea. She knew that was going to be the perfect time to break her news. As William came in she got nervous. What if her parents wouldn’t let her break off her engagement? The wedding preparations were not too far gone for her to break the news about no wedding. And just as she was thinking about it, William walked through the door. 

“Hello Bailee.”

“Hello.” Said Bailee and she led him into the parlor for tea.

“So William,” started Bailee. “I wanted to talk to you about the wedding. You know when your heart knows something-you really don’t know until you really know right?” 

“Why yes, Bailee, I know that, when I asked for your hand, I felt that same feeling.”

“Now about that,” said Bailee, “I want you to know that I want to break off our engagement. Now I know this is very sudden, and I did not know this until now. Yesterday, I didn’t truly know my heart. So don’t take this the wrong way. This is NOT your fault. You are a wonderful person and I hope your future wife loves you for who you are because you are a great man. Thank you for asking for my engagement, but I don’t want to marry you.” 

And as she said this she took her ring off and left the room. She knew exactly where she was going. But as she reached the door, 

“Young Lady! Where do you think you are going!”yelled her father,

“Your mother and I are outraged by your behavior. Up to bed NOW!” 

Bailee went, knowing that it was the price of admission for marrying Joey.  

The next day as Joey grabbed the papes that the newsies made, he thought that he was the saddest one in the group. They had won the strike, but Joey wasn’t at all happy. He was glad about them lowering the price of the paper but felt kind of upset that Bailee wasn’t here to find out the news. The reason why she went to find him was because she heard about the strike and she cared about how they were doing. A true gem of a girl. Needle in a haystack. That was what Bailee was to Joey. And he was too selfish to let such a great girl go-it was all his fault. 

“Bailee, breakfast!”

As Bailee ate her eggs and toast, she saw her father’s paper and as soon as she saw the headline she stuffed her toast into her mouth and left the table. She ran for the door, and began sprinting through the city, not bothering to stop for anyone. There was one thing on her mind and she needed to find him as soon as possible. She wanted to tell him what happened. She reached the building and saw the headline on the board and the price-it was lowered! She saw newsies rejoicing, hugging, high fiving, crying, laughing, and she saw...JOEY! 

“Joey! I have something to tell you!”

“Bailee! I do too!” 

“Joey, I felt bad for how our time ended so abruptly yesterday, and I regretted how I told you about how I was getting married at the end of the month and…”

“WAIT...Bailee...you said you were getting married?”

“Why, yes I did. I am not engaged.”

“What??? How??? When??? Why????” 

“I didn’t feel William was the right fit for me. He wanted to marry me for his money and to feel complete. I wanted to marry for love.” 

“So…who are you seeing now?”

“I am currently seeing a nice guy named Joey Edwards, and I hope we can continue to stay together.”

“Oh my goodness-Bailee that’s me!!!! You chose me over someone else-someone you and your parents liked?”

“Yes I did Joey. I love you.” 

“I love you too.”

    As Joey said this, he kissed her for the first time. Then they started home, excited about the future ahead. 

EPILOGUE-1 YEAR LATER

July, 1900

Church bells were ringing, everyone was streaming into the pretty decorated chapel. They sat down, and then saw Joey take his place in the front. The procession came in and then they stood for the bride. As Bailee walked down the aisle she felt the happiest she had ever felt in her life. She looked up at the man she was about to vow to, and felt as happy as she has ever felt in her life. She was so relieved to be married to Joey-someone she truly loved. Not someone she married for money but someone she married for love. Joey was someone she loved with her whole heart. She was getting emotional as her parents kissed her and she stepped up to Joey. Joey was so struck with how beautiful Bailee was he could barely speak. 

“Bailee, you look beautiful. I am so glad we found each other.”

“Me too, Joey, me too.” 

Then the happy couple turned towards the preacher, a step towards their marriage, and towards a wonderful future together. 

                        THE END.