Harry: Pray, how do you bestow your gifts?
Mr. St. N.: By district messenger service, of course! Next boy (to Charlie), give me your name, age, birthplace, parents' names, residence, school, specific tastes, last year's presents.
Charlie: How did you come here, Mr. St. Nicholas? I heard no sleigh-bells at the door.
Mr. St. N. (scornfully): More nonsense to explain. I came down from the north pole in an air-ship of the latest pattern. Come, now, here are these girls waiting to be classified. (To Dora.) Name, age—
Dora: I won't be put in statistics, even if it is Christmas and you are the patron saint.
Charlie: Nor I. I didn't vote for any improvements. Take them away.
John: You seem a trifle ahead of the age, Mr. St. Nicholas, or else we made a great mistake in being discontented with our old-fashioned Christmas.
Tom: Allow me to call down your air-ship.
(Mr. St. Nicholas is ushered to the door. The others turn back at the sound of sleigh-bells. Santa Claus appears at the fireplace.)
Children (greeting him with enthusiasm): Jolly old Saint Nicholas!