Teacher—No, indeed, you’re not late, Mis’ Hill, an’ we’re very, very glad you came. Have this chair (she seats Mrs. Hill).
Mrs. Hill—My, my, well I remember the time, teacher, that I’ve spoke a piece at Chris’mus time. They did say, as I says to Jeremiah, says I, they used to say that I was an awful good hand at speakin’. Mebbe I’ll speak a piece here today (smiles at children).
Teacher—That will be very, very nice. You’d like to have Mis’ Hill speak, wouldn’t you, children?
All—Yes, ma’am (they nudge and point off stage again).
Sarah Jane—Oh, teacher, Billy Skaggs’s mother, she’s comin’ (a knock is heard. Teacher goes over and admits Mrs. Skaggs).
Enter Mrs. Skaggs
Mrs. Skaggs—How-de-do, teacher. I hope you’re feelin’ real well. I’ve come over to the Chris’mus speakin’, teacher. I’ve got an awful lot o’ work to do to home, bein’ as we’re goin’ to have comp’ny on Chris’mus, an’ I’m tryin’ to make some Chris’mus presents, an’ bake an’ clean up an’ all, but Billy he was so set on my comin’ that I jes’ come an’ here I be (she shakes hands with the teacher and Mrs. Hill).
Teacher—We are very, very glad you came. I should have been very, very disappointed if no one came to visit (she seats Mrs. Skaggs by Mrs. Hill).
Mrs. Skaggs—I hope you haint had none the speakin’ yet. I’d hate dreadful bad to miss any of it. As I was sayin’ to Hen—that’s my husban’—I says, Hen, there aint a single thing I like to hear better’n children speakin’ pieces. I think it’s dreadful nice, even when they make mistakes. As I says to Hen, we can’t expect ’em to do too good.