The Christmas Dinner | Page 5

We'll do that right after supper, answers FATHER. Run along now, and
tell mother that I'm here. The children go, and FATHER continues
speaking. Is everything all ready for tomorrow? he asks.
Yes, answers GRANDMOTHER, Mary finished everything quite a
while ago. Or almost everything. She didn't get the paper caps made for
the children, but she was just too tired to do it after all the other work.
I don't wonder, says FATHER. When there is so much to be done,
some things simply have to be left. Perhaps there will be time
tomorrow morning. I'm leaving some things for tomorrow myself. For
instance, I promised Mary I'd sweep out the kitchen here, after I'd
brought in the wood; and it needs it, sure enough, for I see I've tracked
in a lot of dirt. But I'm going to beg off for tonight. I'll do it first thing
in the morning. I only hope that Santa Claus won't notice it, and think
we're an untidy household. But we leave such a dim light in the kitchen
at night, that I don't believe he'll be able to tell whether the room is

broom-clean or not. And any way, I guess he must get tired himself
sometimes. So he'll know how it is, and won't lay it up against us.
And that is the end of the First Scene.

The Interlude
Again before the Second Scene begins, MOTHER GOOSE comes out
in front of the Curtain, and this is what she says:
Children, do you want to know what has happened in that Kitchen
since the curtain closed? Well, I've come to tell you all about it. The
first thing was that they all had supper; not a very hearty supper,
because they all wanted to save up their appetites for the Christmas
dinner the next day. But they had as much as they needed. And then the
two children went and got their stockings, one for each member of the
family, and then they all hung up their own stockings. Gertrude hung
up her stocking, and Walter hung up his stocking, and Mother hung up
her stocking, and Father hung up his stocking, and Grandmother hung
up her stocking, and--and--and--now, I declare, I've left somebody out.
Who can it be, I wonder? Why, to be sure--Grandfather. Yes,
Grandfather hung up his stocking; and there they were, all six stockings
hanging in a row. You look for them there, when the curtain opens. I
think you'll see them. Well, then of course the children went to bed, and
by this time I think they are both asleep. And now the rest of the family
are beginning to feel sleepy, and in just a moment, I think one of them
is going to say, "It's time we all went to bed." What happens after that
you can see for yourselves, for now it's going to begin.

The Second Scene
When the Curtain opens, you see the Kitchen again just as before,
except that now the six stockings are hanging from the mantel shelf
over the fire-place. Father is sitting beside the table reading the
newspaper. The two Grandparents are still sitting close to the fire, one
on each side. Grandfather has fallen asleep, and Grandmother is drowsy,
so that her head nods. Then she wakes up, and tries to stay awake; but
in a minute her head goes nodding again. Father yawns, puts down his
newspaper; yawns once more and stretches; then goes on reading.
MOTHER comes in and says, The children are sound asleep.

It's time we all went to bed, says FATHER, putting down the
newspaper. I know I'm ready for it. He yawns.
Besides, adds MOTHER, the fire is almost out; and indeed it ought
soon to be put out entirely, so as to cool the chimney for old Santa
Claus, when he comes.
That's right, too, FATHER agrees. He gets up and goes to Grandfather,
laying his hand on his shoulder. Father, he says, speaking loud so as to
waken him. It's time to go to bed.
What? says GRANDFATHER, waking up with a start; and then he says,
Why, I must have been dozing. Where are the children?
They went to bed long ago, says MOTHER. Don't you remember? And
now it's bed time for all of us. Are you ready, mother?
Yes, I'm more than ready, answers GRANDMOTHER. She rises and
Grandfather, also, and with feeble steps, they go toward the door.
Good-night, GRANDMOTHER says.
Good-night, FATHER and MOTHER answer her, and FATHER
continues, Good-night, father. Pleasant dreams.
Good-night, answers GRANDFATHER, and he and Grandmother go
out.
I'll be off too, James, says MOTHER, if you'll look after the fire and
the light.
Yes, I'll attend to all that, answers FATHER.
Then Mother goes out, and