Chapter 2

_After a little_ SANTA CLAUS _says_: Stop! _Then he opens the door and out walk, in the same funny stiff way, the doll and the soldier, only now they are about half as big as they were before. They walk down to the front._ SANTA CLAUS _looks at them, shakes his head, and says,_ No, you must be much smaller than that. Go back into the machine.

_So back the doll and soldier go; and Jack again turns the crank and this time, when_ SANTA CLAUS _cries,_ Stop, _and the doors are opened, the toys have grown very small indeed, as you can see, when Santa Claus holds them up. He puts the soldier into a box, and then puts the box and the doll into his bag._

_And now Mrs. Santa Claus comes in with the cap and gloves; and Santa Claus puts them on. At the same time sleighbells are heard outside, and a stamping of hoofs._

We're off! _cries_ SANTA CLAUS, _taking up his pack._ Come, Polly! Come, Jack! I'll stow you away as warm as toast down under the buffalo robe.

Good-bye, _cries_ MRS. SANTA CLAUS as _they go out at the door._

Good-bye, good-bye, _they_ ALL _call back._

_Then there is more stamping of hoofs outside, and a great jingling of sleighbells, which grow fainter and fainter, as they drive away._

_And that is the end of the Second Scene._

* * * * *

Interlude

_Again while the curtain is closed_ MOTHER GOOSE _comes out, and this is what she says:_

My dears, we must hurry back to the house where Jack and Polly live, for Santa Claus's sleigh is going so fast through the sky, that it will be there before us, unless we are quick about it. It is still dark night there, and nothing has happened since we were there before, except that Dr. John has come home from seeing sick old Mrs. Cavendish, and he has let himself in with his key, and has felt his way in the dark to his own door, and has gone to bed. He and Mother are both fast asleep, and they haven't an idea but that Jack and Polly are fast asleep in their beds too. But you and I know that they are in the reindeer sleigh with Santa Claus. And all the time they are coming nearer and nearer. Listen for the sleighbells, for now it is going to begin.

* * * * *

The Third Scene

_When the curtain opens you can see nothing at all at first, for the room is all dark, just as Mother left it, you remember, when she went out and took the light with her. But after a moment you can hear something--the sleighbells far away. Nearer and nearer they come; then there is a stamping sound on the roof; then a sort of scrambling sound in the place where you know the chimney is; and then Santa Claus, who by this time is crouching down in the fire-place, turns the light of his lantern into the room. He steps out carrying his pack, and then down the chimney come Jack and Polly._

Hush! _says_ SANTA CLAUS, _with his finger at his lips._ Off to bed with you both! And don't you dare to open your eyes until the day-light comes. It won't be long.

_On tiptoes Polly and Jack go out at the door. Then Santa Claus turns to his work. First he reads Polly's letter by the light of his lantern, and fills Polly's stocking and Mother's; then he reads Jack's letter and fills Jack's stocking and Father's; then he puts out the light so that the room is all dark again. You hear him climbing up the chimney, then there is a jingling of sleighbells on the roof, which grows fainter and fainter, and then all is still once more._

_After a little while you notice that you can see faintly through the window at the back, because it is beginning to be daylight. Very, very slowly it grows brighter. Then the door, that Jack and Polly went out by, opens, and in come the two children in their wrappers._

Is it daylight now? _asks_ JACK, _but he is looking toward the fire-place instead of toward the window._

Yes, I think it is, _says_ POLLY, _and she is looking in the same direction._

_Then they go on tiptoe to the door of the other room, where Father and Mother sleep; they open the door and shout:_

Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas!

_Two rather sleepy voices, from_ MOTHER _first and then from_ FATHER, _answer:_ Merry Christmas. Merry Christmas. _And_ MOTHER _continues,_ All right, children; we'll be there in a moment, as soon as we have put our wrappers on.

_The children go over to the fire-place, and feel the lumpy stockings; and then in come Father and Mother in wrappers and nightcaps._

Oh, _says_ FATHER, old Santa Claus hasn't forgotten us, has he? And candy canes are still in fashion, I see; I'm glad of that. Bring Mother her stocking, Polly; and Jack, get mine for me. We'll sit down and take our time about it.

No fair, Jack, _cries_ POLLY. You're peeking into your stocking. I've only felt of mine.

But my thing is in a box, _says_ JACK, so that I can't see anything anyway. Oh, let's begin quick.

All right, _says_ FATHER, and ladies first. Mother, you lead off.

Shall I? _says_ MOTHER, _feeling her stocking_. Oh, I know what this round thing is: it's an orange. No, it isn't either: it's a ball of knitting cotton. Just what I want, and the very kind I use. Now, Polly, it's your turn to see what is in the top of yours.

I'm sure I know what mine is, _says_ POLLY, _and then as she draws it out._ Yes, it is: it's a doll.

Why, Polly, _cries_ JACK, it's the very same doll that we--

Hush! _says_ POLLY _quickly_. Yes, it's the very same kind of a doll I asked for. See, Mother, she has a pink sash. Isn't she lovely?

Now, Jack, _says_ FATHER, I think it is your turn next. What is in that box of yours? Slate pencils, probably.

Slate pencils! _says_ JACK, _indignantly_. You know I didn't want slate pencils.

But are you sure you will get just what you want? _asks_ FATHER.

Yes, indeed I am, _answers_ JACK, _pulling out the box and opening it_, and there it is--a soldier. I knew it would be that, because I saw it when--

Hush! _says_ POLLY _quickly_. Father, it is now your turn at last.

And I know all about mine, _says_ FATHER. It is soft and squashy, so of course it's a sponge. Now why do you suppose Santa Claus brought me a sponge? for my old one is quite good enough.

But it isn't a sponge at all, _cries_ JACK, _who has been peeking into the little bundle_.

Not a sponge? _says_ FATHER. But what is it, then? _He opens the paper_. A pair of warm gloves, I declare--just what I need. Well, Santa Claus is a great old fellow, and no mistake.

_Mother has been turning her head toward the window, as though she were listening to something, and now she says:_

Hush! Is that singing that I hear, far away?

_They all listen, and sure enough from some distance can be heard the sound of singing voices. The children, nodding their heads, show that they hear it._

What can it be? _says_ MOTHER. Why, I know; it's the Christmas Waits, of course, singing carols from house to house.

Oh, I wish they would sing in our street, _cries_ POLLY, _and runs to the window. Then she exclaims,_ There they are: they are coming around the corner.

_The others all go toward the window, and_ JACK _says delightedly._ One of them has a fiddle. Oh, I do hope they will stop here.

_Then outside the window the Christmas Waits can be seen, all in warm caps and mittens and mufflers. They stop just in front of the window, hold up their music before them, and begin to sing the dear old carol, called_:

THE CAROL OF CHRISTMAS MORNING

God rest you merry, gentlemen, Let nothing you dismay. Remember Christ our Saviour Was born on Christmas Day.

_When the carol is finished_, POLLY _and_ JACK _and_ MOTHER _and_ FATHER _wave to the Waits, and cry,_ Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas!

_And the_ WAITS _wave back and cry_: Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas!

_And this is the end of the Play._

* * * * *

Characters and Costumes

MOTHER GOOSE--The conventional costume; full skirt, peaked hat, cane, spectacles, mits. It is effective for her to draw her lips tight over her teeth so that her speech is that of a toothless old woman.

POLLY--A little girl } first in ordinary indoor clothes; } JACK--a little boy } afterwards in wrappers.

DOCTOR JOHN--Their father; indoor clothes; also overcoat and hat; medicine case; afterwards in a dressing gown.

MOTHER--Doctor John's wife; indoor clothes; afterwards in kimono or wrapper.

NURSE MARY--A little old woman; first dressed for outdoors, in cloak and hood; simple dark dress underneath.

AN ELF--Acted by a very little boy, dressed all in green; he does not speak.

SANTA CLAUS--At first in heavy wrapper, preferably white; underneath this his conventional costume; later he puts on fur cap and gloves.

MRS. SANTA CLAUS--Indoor clothes of red and white, corresponding to the conventional costume of Santa Claus.

DOLL--Acted by two girls, one much smaller than the other, but both exactly alike as to dress, stockings, sash, hair ribbons, and color and arrangement of hair.

SOLDIER--Acted by two boys, one much smaller than the other, but corresponding as closely as possible in uniform and appearance, except that the small one has bright red cheeks from the beginning.

CHRISTMAS WAITS--Boys in outdoor clothes; warm caps, mufflers, gloves or mittens; one carries and plays a violin; others hold copies of the carols.

* * * * *

Scenery and Scenic Effects

SCENES I AND III.

The stage should contain a table, a little at one side, opposite the fire-place, and five chairs, one for each of the family, and the fifth for Nurse Mary when she arrives. On the table a lighted lamp. For safety, it may be lighted by an ever-ready electric torch. The lighting of the stage must, of course, be otherwise provided for.

There should be two doors on opposite sides of the stage, and a practicable window at the back, through which in the last scene a view of houses or landscape is visible, and the Waits at the close.

As the fire-place is at the side, it is easy to arrange steps by which the elf and the children appear to climb up and down the chimney. A box or small step ladder, just out of sight on the side toward the front, will serve the purpose.

The Carol of the Friendly Beasts may be sung to the following tune:

There is also another tune composed by Clarence Dickinson. A different carol may, of course, be substituted, if desired.

SCENE II.

The Shrinking Machine stands at the back of the stage, and must be accessible from behind, for the changing of the doll and the soldier. There should be doors in front which can be opened wide. At one side should be the crank. For this an ice cream freezer will serve, well secured in place, only the handle showing through the cambric side wall of the Machine. The sound is effective, even though the children in the audience will announce its identity at once.

For painting the soldier's cheeks, cranberry juice is both brilliant and harmless.

If gifts or candies are to be distributed, Mother Goose may enter again immediately after the final curtain, and say something like this:

Well, my dear children, it is all over, and I hope it has pleased you. I heard you laugh once or twice, and that makes me think that you must have liked it. But there is one more thing to tell you, and this you are sure to like very much indeed. You will remember that they had only looked at the first things, in the very top of their stockings. Well, after the curtain closed, they had time to look at what was left. And what do you suppose Father found in the bottom of his stocking, down in the very toe of it? A little note from Santa Claus, telling him that if he would look into the fire-place he would find there some boxes of candy, one for every child in this audience: And sure enough, there they were: and if you will sit very still, the curtain will open again, and they will be brought out and given to you. And so, my dears, as I bid you Good-night, I wish you all (or, I hope you have had) a very Merry Christmas and (wish you) a Happy New Year.