Mary. Yes, of course.
Teddy. You bet.
Mrs. R. We ain’t got no chimney, and Santa Claus can’t come that way, but you just hang ’em on the back of the chair and I’ll leave the door open so he can get in that way, and I hope he’ll not forget and pass us by. Now, Mary, here’s a stockin’ for you. The foot is too full of holes for you to wear ’em, or me to darn ’em; so I just sewed it across the heel, and it’ll have to do. Teddy, I must have lost your other stockin’; anyway I can’t find ’em now, so you can just use this old sock that used to be your father’s before he went to the Philippines. And here are your stockin’s, Johnnie, and Susie and Annie. (Helps pin them up.) Now you all get to bed quick’s you can. Mary, you look after the little ones, won’t you? You see, I’ve got so much to do to make things tidy for Santa Claus, that I can’t bother ’bout ’em. Now just scoot! All of you. And don’t you dare peek, or Santa Claus won’t leave you nothin’. (All hurry off. Mrs. R. opens the table drawer and takes out gloves and tie and places them on the chair, gets apples and puts in the stockings, also.) Now that ain’t enough for ’em all, so I’ll go buy somethin’ with that money. (Musingly.) Let me see. Oh, yes; I know. (Door opens and Teddy puts head in, saying, “Ma.” Mrs. R. slams drawer shut and hurriedly covers chair with apron, then answers, “What?”).
Teddy. Ma, where’s my nightgown?
Mrs. R. Land sakes, Teddy. I forgot. I lent it to Mrs. McRoy to cut a pattern for Joe, an’ I s’pose she forgot to bring it back.
Teddy. But Ma, what’ll I do?
Mrs. R. Wear Johnnie’s other one.
Teddy. Can’t. It’s too little.
Mrs. R. Well, then wear Mary’s other one, but for goodness sakes go to bed or Santa Claus won’t never come. (Children go out.) Now I’ll go over to the store and get some things. I’ve a fine idea. (Puts on shawl and hat, takes basket.) I’ll be back in a minute, and they won’t know I’ve been away. (Exit. After a moment the door opens and Mary puts her head in. Dodges back and then enters in nightdress. Closes door and starts to go toward the table, when the door opens again and Teddy starts in. She motions him back, tries to push him out, then pulls him in and both go to the table. The door again opens and the others come in in their nightgowns. All go toward the table on tip-toe, stop and listen and rush out. After a pause the children come cautiously in and get nearly to the table when they hear their mother coming, and rush out again. Mrs. R. enters with a loaded basket on her arm, sets it on the table.)
Mrs. R. There we are. Things for a good dinner, anyhow. I know what I’ll do for the playthings. (Takes off shawl and hat, sits down and works. Directions for this at the end.) Susie always did want a doll baby, and here’s one she can’t smash. (She works with frequent pauses, holding up her work from time to time.) I think that is real scrumptious. I’ve seen ’em in stores lots of times that didn’t look a mite better. Won’t she be tickled? And I’ve thought how to make a elephant just like the one in the store that Joe’s been begging for. Here’s just the thing. Queer how things grow sometimes. You can work hard and you can’t do no better than nature. See that now! You never know what you can do till you try. ’Tain’t quite what I wanted, but it’ll have to do. Leastwise it’s all he’ll get, so he’d better like it. There’s Annie, now. She’s allus beggin’ for something pretty, so I got her some beautiful tissue paper to cut out fancy. (Takes paper from basket.) It only cost three cents, and she’ll be just happy. (She begins to put things in stockings. Knock at door. She opens door to a lady.) How do you do, Miss? Have you lost your way? I can show you real easy.