ACT III

TIME: _Christmas morning._

SCENE: _The Convent chapel, decorated with Christmas greens, candles, etc. A picture of the Madonna and Child wreathed in green. On a daïs (back Center), in the_ ABBOT'S _chair, dressed in white with a wreath on her head, is seated little_ ROSALIA. _She sings a simple little Christmas hymn. Enter_ PETER, _with an air of secrecy, sitting down at_ ROSALIA'S _feet._

PETER. Oh, sister, I feel so miserable!

ROSALIA. Why, Peter? I think it is just beautiful!

PETER. Oh, yes, of course it is beautiful, and that's the very worst part of it. I mean, you know, that just because it is so beautiful, and the good Fathers are so very dreadfully kind, that I feel worse than ever. Oh, dear! I'm not saying what I mean a bit, sister, but, you see, I hate not to tell the Fathers the truth about you, and on Christmas day, too. You know they think that you are a live doll, and a miracle, and you're no such thing. You're just Peter's little sister, aren't you, pet? And they have been so kind, and Father Ambrose has made your poor little ankle so nice and well---- So it makes me feel horrid to think we're deceiving them. Why, it's 'most as bad as telling a story.

ROSALIA [_patting_ PETER'S _shoulder_]. Poor Peter, I'm so sorry!

PETER. What shall we do about it, sister?

ROSALIA. Why, Peter, I'll tell them. They're all so kind, I don't think they will be cross.

PETER. Well, sister, I don't believe they will, either. And it's Christmas day, so I want to be sure to do what is right. And this is right--I am sure of that. Now I must run away; they'll be coming soon. [_Exit_ PETER. _Sound of Monks singing in the distance grows louder and louder. Enter Monks_, ABBOT _leading, each bearing a tray full of toys for_ ROSALIA. _Half the Monks march to the right, half to the left of her chair. Monks hold out their presents to her._]

ROSALIA. Please, I'm not a miracle. I'm only Peter's little sister!

FELIX, AMBROSE, _and_ SEBASTIAN. Peter!

ANSELM, HILARION, _and_ GREGORY. Peter's little sister!

ABBOT. Peter? The Peter who works in our garden?

[_Enter_ PETER, _standing unnoticed by door._

ROSALIA. Yes, Peter's little sister.

[_Monks turn, each looking in the eyes of the one nearest._

GREGORY. Surely, here's an opportunity for a whole convent full of Monks to look foolish.

ANSELM. Filing up in procession----

AMBROSE. With our hands full of gifts----

SEBASTIAN. To offer them to a miracle----

FELIX. And then to find out that this miracle----

HILARION. This famous miracle is nothing but Peter's little sister! [HILARION _doubles up with laughter, but controls himself as the_ ABBOT _lifts his hand for order._]

ABBOT. My children, harken to me. Haven't I always maintained that there are two ways of looking at anything? If an object is not what we wish it to be in one light, let us see if there is not some other light under which it will surely meet our views. This dear little girl is a little girl and not a doll, that is true. She did not come up in the place of the wax doll, and she is not a miracle in that light. But look at her in another light, and surely she is a miracle--do you not see? Look at her, the darling little girl, isn't the very meaning and sweetness of all Christmas in her loving, trusting, innocent little face?

MONKS. Yes, yes, she is a miracle, a miracle, indeed!

[_Monks come forward and lay the toys at her feet._ PETER _fairly hugs himself with joy._

ABBOT. And, Peter? Where is Peter?

PETER [_coming forward_]. Here I am, sir.

ABBOT. Peter, we feel so happy this beautiful Christmas Day, that we must find some expression for our joy--we must surely find a way to share such happiness with others. Run, my son, open the Convent gates, and bid all the village people who wait there for our usual gifts to enter and take part in our pleasure. [_Exit_ PETER _in haste._] Think, my children, what a gift we have here for the poor parents of Peter and little Rosalia--this dear little girl will be restored to them, not lame, as she was when she wandered here, but well and strong and happy like other little ones. Think of it, my children.

[_Enter_ PETER, _leading his father and mother, who hasten to_ ROSALIA, _kneeling one on each side of her great chair. The rest of the villagers of Act I press in, and stand grouped at each side of the stage._

ABBOT. Welcome, welcome, my good people! A Merry Christmas to you all!

VILLAGERS. Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas!

[_Amid the tumult enter the two_ PAGES. _They advance to the_ ABBOT, _and bowing, present a letter with large seals._

ABBOT. How, now! What's this? [_Breaking seal and reading letter, the Monks showing deep interest._] My children, we have here a message from His Majesty, the King. He tells us that his son, the Prince, reached his palace in safety, and that he has come to feel great regret for all the trouble and anxiety he caused the Christmas Monks. He hopes that the Prince's repentance, though late, will help to season our Christmas and make it a happy one. And his Majesty adds that he finds great improvement in his son. Well! Well! this does indeed add yet another happiness to our day. [_To the people._] And I know you all, little and big, are just as happy as we are, for at last the gates are open to the Convent of the Christmas Monks.

[_All sing a Christmas carol._

CURTAIN

NOTES ON COSTUME AND PRESENTATION

(Mrs. Freeman's story of the same name, from which this little play was taken, has delightful illustrations which would be of help in making the monks' costumes. It appeared first in _Wide Awake_, Volume 16, and was later published in a collection of Mrs. Freeman's short stories, entitled "The Pot of Gold.")

THE ABBOT (taken by an adult), and

THE BRETHREN of the Convent (boys, sixteen to eighteen) wear long hooded robes made of white canton flannel. Greek patterns in green are stenciled at hem of skirt and around the wide sleeves. A rope of ground pine, or other Christmas wreathing, is worn for a girdle, ends hanging, and the tonsures are made by wearing close-fitting skull-caps of flesh-colored silk or sateen, with a wreath of green at the edge.

When PETER and the PRINCE come to the Garden their dress is the same, but their Greek borders should be smaller and they wear no tonsures. They are boys of ten. Hoods of all are worn hanging, except that of Brother SEBASTIAN, who in the 2nd Act goes gloomily hooded. All wear sandals and white stockings.

As the story suggests neither country nor period, there may be a good deal of latitude in the matter of costumes for the rest of the cast, but the court party in the first act should be as resplendent as possible.

THE PRINCE. Plumed hat, short trousers, slippers with bows, coat with broad lace collar and cuffs. Very long cloak, borne behind him by the

PAGES. Dressed alike in a style somewhat resembling the Prince.

COURTIER. The same, with the addition of a short cape, and a sword.

COURT LADY. Dress made with a train and a high beaded collar. The boy and girl playing these parts are also Peter's Father and Mother in the last act.

MISTRESS LONGLANE and MISTRESS SPINNING, and the little Village girls wear large poke bonnets, old-fashioned shawls or white kerchiefs, and mitts.

PETER. Neat, but old and faded blouse and knickerbockers. Cap.

LITTLE ROSALIA. Quaint smocked dress, of soft blue, a Persian border at hem, square neck, and short sleeves. (Or, white, with blue borders.) Small cap, trimmed in the same way. She is lame and walks with crutches.

PETER'S FATHER and MOTHER. Poorly and roughly dressed.

GILBERT, the Carpenter's Apprentice. Blue denim apron. Carries T-square.

ROBIN, the Forester's Son. Sleeveless green coat, over a white shirt with full sleeves; full trousers; broad felt hat, turned up on one side with a quill.

WALTER, the Miller's Son. White apron. Dusty felt hat.

(If preferred, instead of using the above suggestions for costumes, the Randolph Caldecott pictures, or Kate Greenaway illustrations of "Mother Goose," may be adopted as a scheme for dressing all but the Monks.)

The entrance and exit of the Monks is always heralded by their singing. Their song may be one of the well-known Christmas carols containing a few Latin words, but a Latin chant is most effective, such as can be found in the little Sunday-school hymnals of the Roman Catholic Church. Suggestions for ROSALIA'S song and the carol at the end of the play will be found on p. 315.

SETTING

For the Garden wall, a frame must be made sufficiently strong to bear the weight of the Prince, and may need special bracing at the central point where he climbs over. He uses a small ladder, preferably a red-painted one, like those in children's ladder-wagon sets. The framework of the wall may be covered with paper, but unbleached muslin is much more substantial and lasting. On this is painted the wall, representing either brick or stone, with a stone coping, all quaintly stained and moss-grown. It is five or six feet in height.

The beds where the toys grow are outlined in green. Dolls as large as possible should be used in the back row, in order to prevent the contrast with little Rosalia from being too great. Smaller dolls may be used in the front rows. The number depends on the size of the stage and the possibilities for borrowing. They may be made to stand with wooden braces, but it will be found convenient if milliners' stands for displaying hats can be obtained, as they are light and can be easily set in place. For the other bed, two or three small bare bushes, on the branches of which can be fastened such toys as whips, tin trumpets, etc. Small wheelbarrow, watering-pot, and other garden tools scattered about.

For the last scene, the walls should be plain and dark in color. The Abbot's chair is large and ecclesiastical, and Rosalia looks, in it, like the doll for which the Monks mistook her. Two great candles, in tall candlesticks, on the daïs beside her, are effective. No other furniture.

THE SPELL OF CHRISTMAS

A CHRISTMAS PLAY, IN TWO SCENES

CHARACTERS

SIR GILBERT UNDERHILL. LADY KATHERINE UNDERHILL. RUFUS } RAFE } CICELY } Their Children. ALLISON } PHYLLIS, their orphan niece. GILLIAN } DICCON } Servants. STEPHEN } ANDREW } Roundhead soldiers. WAT } SIR PHILIP } LADY GERALDINE } Ancestors of the House of Underhill. WAITS, who sing without.

TIME: In the reign of Charles the First. SCENE: The old manor-house of the Underhills.

THE SPELL OF CHRISTMAS