| Mary. | Edith. | Eva. | Frederic. |
| Debbie. | Caroline. | Minnie. | Arthur. |
| Dora. | Hittie. | Joe. | Johnny. |
| Gussie. | |||
[Mary, Caroline, Debbie, and Dora are the largest among the girls; Minnie and Eva the smallest. Frederic and Joe are the largest boys: Johnny is the smallest.]
Scene.—A schoolroom. Tables and chairs are placed around, upon which are books, slates, a globe, &c. Maps are hung upon the walls. A group of scholars assembled, waiting for school to begin. Mary and Hittie are sitting together, Mary’s arm around Hittie. Johnny stands whittling. Gussie is seated, with open book in hand, twirling a teetotum. Debbie stands with sack on, holding and occasionally swinging her hat by one string. Caroline sits with slate and arithmetic before her. Edith is seated with an open atlas. Frederic leans back a little in his chair, sharpening lead-pencils for the others, which he hands them at intervals. Dora is at work on tatting. Arthur stands, and is winding a ball, unravelling the yarn from an old stocking. Joe sits at work on the hull of a little boat. Minnie is sitting on a low stool, with a bunch of flowers, which she is arranging in different ways. Eva is also on a low stool, near Dora and Caroline. These various occupations are introduced to avoid stiffness. They should not be kept up constantly, but left off and resumed occasionally, in an easy, careless way. Confused talking and noise heard behind the curtain. Curtain rises.
Mary (as if continuing a conversation). Now, I should rather be a robin. He sings so pretty a song! Everybody likes to hear a robin sing. I don’t believe even a boy would shoot a robin.
Johnny. Course he wouldn’t!
Minnie. Robin redbreasts covered up the two little childuns when they got lost in the woods.
Caroline. And they don’t do like other birds,—live here all summer and have a good time, and then fly off and leave us. They stay by.
Gussie. How do you know that?
Caroline (or any one that can sing). Oh! I’ve heard. They stay in swamps and barns, waiting for spring. Don’t you remember? (Sings.)
“The north-wind doth blow, and we shall have snow;