Betty (speaks).
Yes, Christmis is a-comin’, and I feel worser and worser the more it keeps a-comin’.
Ma an’ me we had all sorts of fun planned out, ’coz I’ve been helpin’ much as I could, and we’ve been savin’ up for Christmis.
Then what did Buddy do but go an’ break his arm, and that cost lots. (Sighing.) Yes—I know—the doctor didn’t charge nuthin’, but the drug store man did, ’coz Buddy had fever and had to have medicine to stop it.
And Benny (that’s Buddy’s twin), he wasn’t goin’ to be left behind, so he broke a winder playin’ ball, and ma paid for it. And it was hard work to keep ’em from fightin’; ’coz Bud he said a broke arm was worst, and Ben he would have it a broke winder was worst—cost as much, anyhow.
(Suddenly.) Betty Holloway! What you whinin’ about? Cryin’ ’fore you’re hurt, are you? (Scornfully.) Didn’t know you was that kind. What did ma tell you the other day?
“’Taint what comes to us, Betty,” she said, “It’s how we take it when it comes that counts,” she said. “We can’t sit down and cry, not one of us; we’ve all got to count for something. All of us.” My! When ma talks like that, with her eyes shinin’ and her lips smiley, it makes me think of the band goin’ by; you can’t help marchin’ in time and walkin’ straight, and you feel like you could tackle anything.
Well, sir, I’m goin’ to tackle Christmis, and I’ll make it count, now you see. With all these children on our hands ma ’n’ me has to hustle, but we’ll never let Christmis go and nothin’ doin’.
Now, le’s see. “When you ain’t got money you got to make your know-how and your hands do instead,” ma says. That’s true this time if it never was before. (Looks at her hands.) Ten fingers—and that’s all. (Shakes head doubtfully, then cheerily says:) Ho, you Betty! Where’s your know-how? Stir that up a bit and get to work. Well—first of all there’s the twins. They’re always playin’ store. I’ll make ’em a store. I’ve got a box the grocer gave me yesterday, and that shall have shelves in it, and a counter; and I know where to get some little bottles, and I’ve got two cardboard boxes, big ones, and I’ll make no end of things out of ’em—little boxes and scales, and sugar-scoop—’n’ lots of things. Sand shall be sugar, and plenty of things will do for spice and coffee, and such. Oh, you’ll see! It’ll be a nilligant store. I don’t b’lieve that one in the toy store is much nicer. And I can make paper bags, and—oh, what fun! And won’t they be tickled!
Then, besides the store I’ll make ’em some paper soldier caps. Ma gave me some be-u-tiful paper last week; it came around a bundle of work. And some badges—I’ve got some silver paper that come ’round some chocolate once—I found it; it’ll make beauty badges. Oh, I tell you! They’ll be so fine they can hardly step. Stripes down their trousers, too. Why, I couldn’t get ’em anything that would tickle ’em more if I had a whole bag of money. And this won’t cost a cent.