Mrs. Graham. Thank you, but I think this is where I wanted to come. Aren’t you Mrs. Randy, the mother of little Mary and Teddy, and Susie, Annie and Johnny?
Mrs. R. Yes, ma’am, they are my little folks. I hope they haven’t broken anything, or made any trouble. Are you one of the school teachers or anything like that? How did you know them?
Mrs. G. Oh, no. I’m not a school teacher; only a friend of one of the teachers; and as I have no little children of my own I wanted to find some little folks to help have a good time this Christmas. Just think how lonely it would be not to have any children to share your Christmas with. So I am going to ask you to let me have the pleasure of giving something to yours. Won’t you? Please let me, Mrs. Randy.
Mrs. R. Well, I must say that it’s very kind and friendly of you to want to do that; and when you ask it that way, of course I’ll let you if it will give you pleasure, though I must say I would hate to take presents from some. But you don’t know how thankful I am, for the children’s sake. I just didn’t know what I was going to do for some of them.
Mrs. G. Don’t say any more about it, please, but put these little things with the others in their stockings tonight, and say they came from Santa Claus. Wouldn’t you like to wear these yourself? (Hands her the red holly berries from her own dress.) They will be becoming to you. Good-night, and a merry Christmas.
Mrs. R. Thanks, ma’am. The same to you and many of ’em. (Exit Mrs. G.) There now, just look at that. (Surveying the parcels.) I ought to be pretty kind if I am to deserve such a friend. How different she is from that Mrs. Van Dusen. Why, I declare. She didn’t even tell me her name. I guess she wasn’t thinkin’ much about herself. Well, this surely does make me happy. I wonder what’s in this bundle. (Opens it, admires things, fills stockings.) And now, so much has happened that I should be perfectly happy if I could only get word from my John in the Philippines. It’s been so long since I heard from him that I can’t help bein’ worried ’bout him. Seems as if he surely wouldn’t let Christmas go by without sendin’ me word—if he’s alive—but it’s been so long—(knock at the door. A voice asks, “Is this Flower Street?”) No, this ain’t Flower Street. You’ve got a long way off. You go down that way (pointing) nearly half a mile and you’ll cross it. Good-night. (Comes in and sits down again.) Dear me. That gave me quite a turn. I must be gettin’ silly tonight, but it does seem as if my John was a-comin’—or was near—or somethin’. (Knock at the door, which she opens to receive a telegram, which she reads, then waves it over her head, calling to the children, who run in in their nightgowns.) Oh, hurry! Merry Christmas! Oh, just think! Your father is comin’ tomorrow!
Children (dancing around the chair). Santa Claus has been here already! Hurrah! Hurrah! Merry Christmas!
CURTAIN.
DIRECTIONS.
When Mrs. Randy returns from her purchase of Christmas things, she lays aside her hat and shawl, sits down and takes a clothes-pin or a potato from the basket. If a potato is used, one of the odd-shaped ones with a small, round knob at one end, which can be made to look like the head of the doll, is best. Then out of the table drawer she takes some pieces of bright cloth and dresses the potato, or clothes-pin, for a doll, tying on a skirt with a string, folding a square of cloth for a shawl and pinning it on the shoulders, and folding another piece for a bonnet, and tying it on with a bit of string. No sewing is needed.