Angelina headed down the street working her way through the crowd. It was the San Gennaro feast, and Little Italy smelled like heaven. The smell of cannoli, calzone, and zeppoli, mixed with the smell of fish, fresh from the docks, and every type of pasta imaginable. She had just come from the church, where she had prayed to Saint Anthony, her mother's favorite saint.

After her father and brothers had been killed by the La Mano Nera (The Black Hand- an organized crime gang in Italy), her mother had decided that Italy was no longer a place she could live. She had booked them passage on the first ship to America she could find. To pay for the passage, they sold all their belongings. All they had in the world were the clothes on their backs and Mama's gold cross that Papa had given her when they were married.

When Mama and Angelina first saw the Statue of Liberty, they wept in each others' arms. Unfortunately, it was not the end of their weeping. The official at Ellis Island refused Mama entry to America. Supposedly, she looked sickly. Mama made Angelina go into America, saying to her,

"Mi Bella (my beautiful), you deserve a better life. Remember your Mama when you are an American. Addio (Goodbye)."

She took her chain off her neck and put it around Angelina's, with tears glistening in her eyes.

Angelina had asked St. Anthony for a new start. She had been in America for a year, and finally had learned how to speak English. She was dreaming of the day when she would be one of the richest women in America, and she wasn't looking where she was going. She ran right into a bull, who pushed her out of his way.

"Watch where you're going, you stupid guinea!" The one thing Angelina couldn't stand was the way Italians were treated in this country.

"You do not insult me you ugly brute!" The bull looked at her and laughed.

"You're a fiesty little dago, aren't you, doll? Come here and show me how fiesty you really are." He pulled her into an alley and started pulling at her dress and attempting to put his mouth on hers.

"Get off of me!! Stop it! No!" Angelina was trying to yell, but his tongue was being forced into her mouth.

"Hey, I think the lady asked ya to stop, mista!"

The voice echoed throughout the alleyway. Angelina saw a newsboy at the end of the alley.

"Get out of here, you street rat, before I haul you off to the Refuge!" answered the cop.

"I'm givin ya one more chance," replied the boy.

"Beat it!" was the answer. All of a sudden slingshots went off, it seemed as if they were all launched at once. And they were all aimed at the cop. Angelina backed away from him as he ducked the shots and she began to run. She ran straight into the boy who had yelled at the cop. "Hey, watch it goyl, ya almost ran me ova. Ya all right?" Angelina looked into the face of the boy, smelled the fresh pastries right around the corner, began to slump, and fainted. She hadn't eaten in two days, and that was just an apple. The boy's surprise didn't stop him from catching her as she fell.

"Hey guys, get ova heah and help me with this goyl. I'm gonna take her to Dusk and see whats she can do." Spot Conlon, scrawny little kid that he was, easily picked up Angelina and slung her over his shoulder.

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Spot carried Angelina into the Manhattan Newsie House. "Heya Dusk! Get ova heah. I gots anotha one fer ya!"

"Spot, what's with ya and trying ta save damsels in distress?" Dusk asked as she gestured for him to put Angelina on a nearby bed. Dusk looked her over and saw she wasn't really hurt, just her clothes were a little messed up. Plus, she was kinda scrawny.

"Spot! Go to Tibby's and get this goyl some food."

"Geez, Spot do this, Spot do that. Whens you gonna start takin care a me?" Spot asked.

"You'd better watch it, or I'm REALLY gonna take care of ya!"

"Aight, aight, I's goin, I's goin."

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The gnawing pain in her stomach woke Angelina up. She saw a group of boys across the room, engaged in a heated game of poker. Her movement alerted a girl sitting on the bed across from her, who smiled.

"Heys, kid. Ya hungry?" Dusk asked.

Angelina nodded gratefully as the took the food the girl handed her. "Grazie."

"Do ya speak English?"

"Yes, but I do not speak the way you… ya… do."

"Dat's just our street rat lack of correct pronunciation. Don't worry bout it. You'll be speakin awful in no time! Hey, Spot, get your arse over heah!"

Spot came over and looked at the girl sitting on the bed. "How ya doin, kid?"

"Thank you sir-" Angelina began.

"Whoa! No sirs, and no thank yas needed. Dey call me Spot Conlon, and my pleasure to keep ya away from one more stinkin bull. What da dey call you, kid?"

"Angelina."

Jack Kelly walked over. "Anudder one? Geez, it's gettin crowded rounds heah. Oh well. So kid, need a job?"

Angelina looked up in surprise. Who were these people, that they would save her, feed her, and offer her a job? No one had ever been so nice to her in America.

Jack saw the look of confusion on her face. "Hey kid, don't worry about it. Somewhere along da way, somebody helped us out. We's just passin on da fava."

Angelina still could not believe what this boy was telling her. "You would let me? Me live here? And have work?"

"Yep."

"Oh thank you!" Angelina practically yelled.

"Foist things foist," said Kloppman. "Sign ya name in da book. Foist night's free."

As Angelina was signing, Race, who had walked over to the discussion, with Itey and Blink right behind him, asked, "Hey, do ya got money to buy yo papes wit tomorra?"

"Oh no, I have no money," said Angelina dejectedly.

"Well have ya got somethin to sell? Maybe one of us could help ya find a buyer," said Blink.

Angelina started to shake her head no, but then she remembered the gold cross around her neck. She didn't think she could ever part with it, but maybe it was what she needed to make a new start. She started to undo the clasp on the chain, tears glistening in her eyes.

"Wait a sec," said Itey. "Where did ya get that?"

"My mother. Before we parted at Ellis Island. They sent her home."

"Then ya can't ever get rid of it. I had to sell my papa's watch, and not a day goes by that I wish I didn't. I'll lend ya the money. In return, you gots to tell me about life back home. I miss Italy."

"Oh, I couldn't-"

"Sure ya can," said Skittery, coming up behind him. "I'll lend ya the money too, if it gets him ta shut up about Italy this, Italy that. All ya guineas-"

"Exscusi?" Angelina practically yelled. "You call me what?"

"Guineas."

Angelina walked right up to him and punched him square in the face. Skittery fell to the floor. "You do not insult me. You do not call me guinea, wop, dago, or any other names. I do not need your money. All you Americans are the same. I will leave now."

"Whoa, hold on goyl. It's late. Ya need a place, at least for the night," said Spot.

"I will not stay with people such as you. You also think I am stupid foreigner."

The newsies all started talking at once, defending themselves. Itey yelled, "Shut up a sec, will ya?" He pulled Angelina to the side and explained to her what the Newsies were, how much they looked out for those they considered their own, and how they were not all as stupid as Skittery, in using street talk that offended others, even if they didn't mean it. By the time he was done, Angelina had decided to stay.

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"She's got a firey temper, don't she?" Skittery mentioned to Jack as they were sitting around, watching Angelina and Itey converse in rapid Italian. "Well maybe if ya weren't such a ------- she wouldn't a gotten so mad. She surprised me though. I had her all figured out as one a dose quiet types. She ain't."

Skittery felt bad, so when Itey went to use the necessity, he went over to Angelina. "Hey, I's sorry if I made ya mad. I didn't mean ta, it's kinda, ya heah sometin so much on da street, ya use it witout even meanin ta."

"S'okay, but dontcha eva go doin dat again!"

"Whoa, where did dat come from?"

"Where did what come from?"

"Dat accent. You's speakin like a newsie! Well ya gots ta have a newsie name then. Hmm…. whadya think we could call ya?"

"My name's Angelina."

"Yeah, I knows that. Ya think me parents actually called me Skittery? We's got ta make a name up fer ya."

"Hmmm…" thought Angelina. "New start, new name." Something that would remind her of home, but be different. Something part her, but part of the new American her."

"Hey, Angelface, it's bedtime, ya know?" Spot called to Angelina.

Dusk's yell could be heard throughout the building. "Dere you go with the names again Conlon! Do I hafta explain it ta ya again? Do ya wanna sleep here tonight or do ya want me ta kick ya sorry arse back ta Brooklyn?"

"Aw, come on, Dusk! Angelina… Angelface… it's ALMOST da same!"

"Not quite, mista. Keep tryin."

"Angel! That's it! We's gonna call ya Angel," said Skittery.

"Angel…" thought Angelina. "Perfect." Or should she think, "Poifect." She was an American now, and she thought of her Mama with all her heart.

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Angel awoke to the sound of Kloppman's voice. "Hey, kid, get up! Is't time ta get up!"

She saw Dusk, and the other girl newsies, walking around the room. She struggled out of bed, still half asleep. As she followed the girls to the washroom, they passed the boys' bunkroom. She noticed all the guys were asleep.

"Hey, why da dey get ta sleep?"

Irish answered her, "Well, da guys and goyls can't get changed together, so we's gots ta go foist."

"Why da we gotta wake up foist? From now on, I ain't."

Jack, who by some strange reason happened to get up early that day, laughed at Angel's assertion. "Well if ya wanna be that way, you'll hafta clear it wit da boys."

Angel waited for the rest of the guys to get up, and talked to them while they washed up. Race, with a gleam in his eye, said it was all right if she washed up with the boys, but she had to sleep in the boys' room. After all, it wasn't fair to make Kloppman walk all the way up to the girls' bunkroom twice. The other guys agreed heartily. Angel hesitated, but agreed. She liked her sleep.

Angel followed Jack, Race, Blink, and the rest of the newsies out of the Lodging House and towards the New York World Building. As she was walking, Skittery came up behind her.

"Hey kid, ya neva got dat money, did ya?" he asked.

"Nope, I still gots no money."

"Tell ya what, you help me sell taday and since I figure you'll be a betta sella dan me, we'll split da profits."

"What would make me a betta sella dan ya? You's got all da 'sperience."

"Well, ya've got the pretty looks. People would be more willin to buy from such a pretty little lady den an ugly street rat like me."

Angelina blushed the color of a cherry red tomato.

Itey came over to talk to Angel when Skittery went off for "one secon' to run a minute race wit Bumlets."

"So, picolla ragazza (little girl) what's dis wit you and dat Skittery?"

Angel grinned at him. "É bello, nessuno?" (He is cute, no?)

Itey gave her a LOOK. "See here, Angel, I don't wantcha messin around wit any of dese guys!"

Angel laughed. "Oh, so you's mi fratello? (my brother?) I don't think so, Itey, I'm used to my independence by now."

"Well, little sorella (sister), I's decides that you's too inexperience' 'round here. So you's just gonna hafta deal wit it."

Angelina smiled to herself. She remembered her big brothers Dominic and Antonio back home in Italy, who looked after their little sister. They taught her how to fight (so she could protect herself in case they ever weren't around), they spoiled her with pretty ribbons (all girls need pretty ribbons), and did her chores for her (After all, she needed to spend time on other things, like her lessons). She missed them so much, but especially she missed Constantino. He was like her best friend, only a few years older than she. She couldn't believe that he was really dead; she harbored a secret hope deep down in her heart that he was really alive somewhere, even though she knew it was crazy. Then she snapped back to the present.

"OK, then. I'll listen ta your advice, but don't go thinkin you's can tell me what ta do!"

"You just watch whatcha do an' I's won't hafta do nothin'."

Angel went to go buy her papes, with Skittery and Itey right in line behind her. As she walked up to the window, she ran straight into Morris Delancy. As she walked away, she heard grumbling about "dose damn goil newsies.." She stepped forward to challenge him, but Itey pulled her back.

"Lookie here, kiddo, you need to chill and not always be ready to pick a fight!" Itey said.

"'Kay, but I ain't gonna get pushed around neither!" Angel said.

"Just be careful."