BROWNIE'S SONG
Air: "Fly, Little Birds."[17]
Come, Christmas dreams, from Fairyland!
Come, at the beckoning of my wand.
'Tis Christmas Eve, so bring with you
Bright holly-berries and mistletoe, too.
I. Now first we have, all full of glee,
A youth well known to you and me.
His fondest hopes have now become
Reality—he's found a plum!
Tableau: Jack Horner.
II. Dear Santa Claus we've always known,
But Mrs. Santa, full of fun,
Helps her good husband every year,
Or else he'd never get done, I fear.
Tableau: Mrs. Santa Claus.
III. When Santa Claus was young and gay,
And full of fun, like boys to-day,
He learned that youth's the key to joy,
And so, you see, he's still a boy.
Tableau: When Santa Claus was young.
IV. This little lad, with happy smile,
Of toys and candies has a pile.
Good Santa filled his stocking, so—
A Merry Christmas he has, I know.
Tableau: "Merry Christmas."
V. But there are children not far away,
Who scarce know the meaning of Christmas Day.
O share with these, ye whose plenteous store
Can fill a dozen homes or more.
Tableau: "No Christmas."
VI. The Christmas Waits, in times of old,
Sang carols sweet, though the night was cold,
And wandered thus, from door to door,
Till morning dawned, in days of yore.
Tableau: The Christmas Waits. [The curtain does not rise until the verse is ended, then shows empty stage. The Waits begin their carol behind the scenes, marching single file till the first couple is opposite the opening, when they turn, join hands, and enter two by two. The march of the Waits may be as simple or as elaborate as desired, or as the size of the stage permits. Or they may walk to the footlights, and stand there during a part of their song. The smallest couple should, of course, lead. The stage, darkened for the earlier tableaux, should be made bright for this march. At the end of the march, the Waits pass out as they entered, and the back curtain is dropped.][18]
[The Brownie comes forward and stands by
Ted, tapping him with the wand.
Brownie. Merry Christmas, Ted! It has come at last! [Rushes away and vanishes in chimney.]
Ted [sits up, stretches, yawns, rubs his eyes, and looks around]. Why! I do believe I've slept here all night! [Sits on table.] And, my! maybe you think I haven't been dreaming! Guess I'll go see what time it is. [Goes to door, turns, and sees stockings.] Jiminy Christmas, just look at those stockings! [Exit.]
[Enter Nurse with duster. Sees stockings.
Nurse. Well, well! did I ever! Santa Claus has been pretty good to them this year.
Marjorie [without, calling]. Maggie! Maggie! Mamma says we may have our stockings right off now. Please bring them to us, quick!
Nurse. That I will, Miss Margie, fast as ever I can! [Lifts them down.] Crammed full, I declare! and heavy!—heavy as that good-for-nothing Bridget's cake!
[Exit Nurse. Enter Brownie, cautiously
following her to door.
Brownie [peeping out]. I've got to see the end of this experiment! [Flies back to chimney and hides.]
[Enter Nurse.
Nurse [dusting]. Old Santa Claus is mighty good to these children. Fills up stockings like those, and then comes himself and brings a tree on top of all that. They must be pets of his.
[Enter Ted dejectedly, sits down, and drops
his head on his arms.
Nurse. Dear, dear! whatever is the matter, Master Ted?
Ted [darkly]. Oh, go downstairs, Maggie, and you'll see!
Nurse. Mercy on us! what's happened? [Shakes him.]
Ted. Oh, dear, oh, dear! the children don't like their stockings!
Nurse. What's that you say?
Ted [very despairingly]. Oh, go away! Go downstairs, and you'll see.
Nurse [in tragic tones]. Such a thing never happened in this blessed house before! [Rushes out.]
Ted [sitting up]. Oh, dear, what shall I do about it? It's just dreadful, and it's all my fault. [Brownie pokes his head out.] They don't want my things, either, or I'd be glad to give them all I got. [Puts his head down again. Enter Kitty, Marjorie, and Robin, disconsolately. Girls sit by fire, Robin at table.]
Robin. Well, Kitty, do you think Santa Claus couldn't read our letters?
Kitty. I don't know what to think!
Marjorie. Well, how could he make such dreadful mistakes?
Robin [rubbing his eyes]. Didn't bring one single thing I asked for—didn't bring a thing but books and puzzles!
Kitty [elbows on knees and chin in hands]. Brought me a box of fishing tackle—and I just hate to fish!
Marjorie [putting handkerchief to eyes]. He gave me big rubber boots—and I don't like to wade in the brook—I'm afraid of snakes!
[Ted, in the depths of woe, slips to the floor
and rests his head on his chair.
Robin. Don't see why Ted feels so badly—Santa Claus gave him everything he asked for!
Kitty. Yes, and Rosy's stocking was all right. I'm glad she got what she wanted—bless her little heart!
Marjorie [suddenly]. Oh, Kitty, what shall we do when Santa Clans comes and asks us how we liked them?
Kitty. I don't care—I can't thank him for those horrid old fish-hooks!
Robin [with decision]. I'm just going to tell him he can take his puzzles and give them to some other boy!
[Enter Father and Mother, sharing the
general gloom.
Father [in a puzzled tone]. It's the most singular thing!
Mother. I never heard of Santa Claus making a mistake before.
Father. Two empty cigar boxes in my stocking!
Ted [aside, dismally]. Those were for Robin and me to make lanterns of!
Father. I'm sure I don't know who wants those!
Mother. And a roll of the muslin I make sails of for the boys' boats, in my stocking! With some old rags!
Ted [aside again]. Kite-tails!
Father. Well, Santa Claus has certainly lost his mind!
Mother. Well, he'll be here very soon, and perhaps we shall find out what these queer presents mean. [Looks at her watch.] Come, children, you must get your faces washed, and look as bright as you can for him.
Father. Perhaps, after all, it's just some joke of his.
[Exeunt all but Ted.
Ted [jumping up]. I know! I'll see Santa Claus first, and beg him to take back these things—— [Runs to fireplace, calling softly.] Oh, Santa Claus! Santa Claus! do hurry! [Sleigh bells in distance.] Oh, Santa Claus!
Santa Claus [up chimney]. Who's that I hear calling me?
Ted. It's me—me—me! Ted Bird! Oh, please hurry!
Santa Claus. Yes, yes! But this chimney's such a tight squeeze! [Loud jingling.]
Ted. Oh, please be quiet! Please don't make such a noise!
[Enter Santa Claus, through fireplace, bowing
low to Ted.
Santa Claus. Not make a noise? I'd just like to know who has a better right to make a noise than I?
Ted. Oh, yes, I know, but I must speak to you before the others come in! [Pulls up a chair, stands on it, and puts his arm across Santa Claus' shoulders.]
Santa Claus. What's all this secrecy about?
Ted. It's just this, Santa Claus. The Brownie let me help him last night, and I told him such nice things to put in the stockings, and now nobody likes them, and everything's in a terrible muddle!
Santa Claus. Oho! So you've been finding out that it isn't so easy, after all, to give people what they want, have you?
Ted. But, Santa Claus, I truly thought they would like it, and now it's just dreadful! What shall I do? If you'll only give them what they do want, you can take back all my things! I wish you would! Don't you think you could, just for this once? [Rose runs in.]
Rose. Oh, Santa Claus! Santa Claus! [Exit, calling.] Come, Papa, come, Mamma, here's Santa Claus! Robin! Marjorie! Kitty! [Enter all. The older children hang back, Rose runs to Santa Claus and stands by him.]
Father [shaking hands with Santa Claus]. How do you do, sir, how do you do?
Mother. We're very glad to see you again, Santa Claus. [Motions others to come, Nurse also urging them in pantomime.]
Santa Claus [patting Rose's head, and looking at other children]. I hear there are some children here who weren't pleased with what I brought them. How's this? [Children turn away, and hang their heads in embarrassment.]
Santa Claus [to Father]. What does this mean? Can you explain it, Mr. Bird?
Father. Well—a—you see, the stockings really weren't filled after your usual thoughtful manner.
Santa Claus [bursts into a loud laugh, at which the children turn in injured astonishment]. Well, well! That's a good joke!
Kitty [in an injured tone]. We didn't think it was a joke at all, Santa Claus.
Santa Claus. Well, my dear, you will when I tell you about it. You see, I had a new helper, last night, and it wasn't to be expected that one so new to the business wouldn't make some mistakes. Well, this one made a good many,—— [to Ted] didn't he?
Ted [dolefully]. I should think he did! He didn't do anything else at all!
Santa Claus. But when he found out about it, he felt very badly, indeed,—— [to Ted] didn't he?
Ted. He never felt worse in his life!
Santa Claus. So he came to me and begged me to fix the matter for him, and I've agreed to do it. He never suspected that I knew about it before he told me, but I did know, all the time, and so I've come prepared to make it up to you for all the trouble Ted caused——
All. Ted!
Santa Claus. Yes, Ted. [With pretended fierceness.] He meddled with my business last night.
Children [shocked]. Oh, Santa Claus!
Santa Claus. But I'm going to forgive him, because I think he learned a good many things about Christmas while he was at it. And I never could bear to see anyone unhappy when I pay my yearly call, so come along, children, come, Father and Mother Bird, and we'll see if we can't find something to suit you all under the branches of my Tree![19]
[Unveiling of Christmas Tree follows. Children
mingle with audience, and general
distribution of presents takes place.