[Transcriber's Note: Bold text is surrounded by =equal signs= and italic
text is surrounded by _underscores_.]
The Two Christmas Boxes.
BY
ELSIE DUNCAN YALE.
[Illustration]
PRICE 25 CENTS
Eldridge Entertainment House
Franklin, Ohio
TWO PLAYS FOR BOYS
By SEYMOUR S. TIBBALS.
Mr. Tibbals has been unusually successful in furnishing boys’ plays
that introduce characters true to life. While the plays are strong and
forceful in the lessons they teach, clean comedy predominates and the
boys like them.
“The Millionaire Janitor”
A comedy in two acts. Here is a rollicking play for eight or more boys
with plenty of action. Just the thing for a Boys’ Class or Junior Y.
M. C. A. Easily staged and costumed. Opportunity for introduction of
musical numbers and recitations. By introducing such features the play
may be used for an entire evening’s entertainment.
=Price 25 Cents=
“Up Caesar’s Creek”
A splendid play for any number of boys. The characters are real boys
and the play deals with their experiences while camping up Caesar’s
Creek the performance closing with a minstrel show in camp. Costumes
and scenery are not elaborate and the play may be produced on any stage.
=Price 25 Cents=
These comedies are protected by copyright, but permission for amateur
production is granted with the purchase of the book.
ELDRIDGE ENTERTAINMENT HOUSE
Franklin, Ohio
THE TWO CHRISTMAS BOXES
A Play for Girls.
By ELSIE DUNCAN YALE
Copyright, 1915, Eldridge Entertainment House
PUBLISHED BY
ELDRIDGE ENTERTAINMENT HOUSE,
FRANKLIN, - OHIO
CHARACTERS
MRS. JENKINS President of the Ladies’ Aid
MRS. HODGES Member of the Ladies’ Aid
MRS. BANKS Member of the Ladies’ Aid
MRS. WINTER Member of the Ladies’ Aid
MISS LOOMIS Member of the Ladies’ Aid
MRS. DAVID BROWN Missionary in Montana
DOROTHY BROWN Daughter of Mrs. Brown
MILDRED BANKS Daughter of Mrs. Banks
MRS. WORTHINGTON Sister-in-law of Mrs. Banks
GLADYS Daughter of Mrs. Worthington
MARIE A Maid
The members of the Aid Society wear plain, rather old-fashioned street
dresses, with the exception of Miss Loomis, whose dress should be so
old-fashioned as to be amusing. In the first scene Mrs. Banks wears a
plain house dress with white apron. Mrs. David Brown should be dressed
neatly but plainly, and Dorothy wears shirtwaist and skirt. Mrs.
Worthington should appear in an elaborate negligee, and Gladys in a
pretty house dress, while Marie wears black dress, white apron and cap.
Mildred wears sweater, cap and dark skirt. Beneath the sweater is worn
a middy blouse.
The first and last scenes take place in Mrs. Banks’ sitting room. A
few chairs, a bookcase, pictures and table will be required, also two
wooden boxes, exactly alike.
In the second scene a poorly furnished kitchen or living room is
represented. Plain wood chairs should be used, while a red cover should
be upon the table. Mrs. Brown should have a large mending basket beside
her. The Christmas box should be in the foreground.
The third scene should represent the living room of an apartment, and
should be as handsomely furnished as possible. The Christmas box should
be at the side of the room, but before unpacking, should be drawn into
the foreground.
The Two Christmas Boxes.
SCENE I.
(_Mrs. Banks enters carrying large pile of clothing, which she deposits
upon a chair._)
_Mrs. Banks._ Dear me, that was heavy! Now for the newspapers.
(_Exit and returns with newspapers which she places on a table near the
pile of clothing._)
_Mrs. B._ Now I have twine all ready and scissors, and everything but
the folks to do the work. It’s the same way in every church. A few are
willing to do all the work and the rest are all willing to have them.
There comes Martha Jenkins now!
(_Hurriedly straightens sofa cushion, changes position of chairs,
smoothes hair._)
(_Enter Mrs. Jenkins._)
_Mrs. B._ (_effusively_). Well, Martha, I am glad to see you! I began
to think that not a soul was coming to help me pack the missionary box.
Take off your things!
_Mrs. Jenkins._ Thank you. (_Removes hat, gloves and coat._)
_Mrs. B._ What a pretty waist! Did you buy it ready made?
_Mrs. J._ New! No indeed! I made that out of last year’s and the one
before that pieced together. John has read an article about how you can
make nice dresses out of stuff you have in the rag bag, so he says I’m
just as smart as the woman that wrote that article, and he wanted me to
try it. (_sits_).
_Mrs. Banks._ Well, William did say something about that to me, so I
suppose he read the same article, so I said all right, but I’d have to
economize on him too. I’d cut off the tops of his socks for wristlets
for cold weather, and I’d make neckties out of Mildred’s hairbows for
him, and I’d try to make over his old frock coat into a sack coat to
wear to the store on week days, so that silenced him all right!
_Mrs. Jenkins._ There’s really no reason for economy being an
exclusively feminine virtue.
_Mrs. B._ (_Taking up several of the articles from the pile of
clothing_). These things look as if somebody had been economizing all
right.
_Mrs. J._ (_placing newspaper carefully in the bottom of the box_).
Suppose we get busy now and pack the box.
_Mrs. B._ (_doubtfully_). I don’t believe any of the others are coming.
_Mrs. J._ Emmeline Miller told me she couldn’t come on account of
domestic affliction.
_Mrs. B._ (_surprised_). How terrible! What was it?
_Mrs. J._ Her husband’s mother and two aunts have come to spend a week,
and Emmeline said if that wasn’t domestic affliction she didn’t know
what was!
_Mrs. B._ Well we can soon get the box packed. Here’s a nice overcoat!
(_Holds it up._)
_Mrs. J._ Marcia Hill sent that. The sleeves are a bit raggedy and the
lining is torn quite badly but the missionary’s wife can fix it. They
say that’s one of the qualifications of a missionary’s wife to be able
to do anything.
_Mrs. B._ I’ll fold it and wrap it and you can put it in the box.
(_folds coat, wraps in paper. Hands to Mrs. Jenkins who places it in
the box_).
_Mrs. B._ I’m going to give this white shawl. (_Holds up shawl._) It
really ought to be cleaned or washed but I simply haven’t the time. You
know how busy everyone is just before Christmas.
_Mrs. J._ O that can easily be cleaned in cornmeal or flour or
gasoline, I forget which, (_aside_). I should think she’d be ashamed to
send it!
_Mrs. B._ (_wrapping shawl_). I know that the missionaries lead much
simpler lives than we do so of course they have more time.
_Mrs. J._ Hand it to me and I’ll put it beside the overcoat.
_Mrs. B._ Mrs. Hodges sent this dress of Clara’s. (_Holds up dress._)
_Mrs. J._ It’s rather fadey looking but there’s a lot of wear in it yet.
_Mrs. B._ There’s a guimpe that goes with it, but when I asked Clara
for it, she said her mother said the guimpe was too good to give away.
_Mrs. J._ (_examining dress_). It isn’t a bad quality gingham and it
could easily be boiled out and used for a white dress. Wrap it up and
hand it over, (_aside_). If she is going to hold a farewell service
over every last thing that goes in the box, we’ll never get it packed.
_Mrs. B._ Here’s Emmeline Miller’s red dress! (_holding up shabby
dress._)
_Mrs. J._ (_surprised_). O that dress! I don’t see how she ever brought
herself to part with it for she has worn it years and years!
_Mrs. B._ The material isn’t so bad and it can be scoured, and scrubbed
and pressed and mended and it will look quite respectable. (_Wraps
dress and hands to Mrs. J._) I’m going to give this suit of Albert’s.
Albert simply insists that he will not wear it another day, and so I
thought it would do very well for the missionary’s son. (_Holds up
patched and worn suit._)
_Mrs. J._ Well, I’m sure the missionary’s son will be very thankful to
get it. (_Places suit in box._)
_Mrs. B._ I’m going to give these ties too. (_holds up gaudy ties_).
Two or three of them are new but Albert is so fussy he won’t wear them.
I’m afraid I’ve brought him up to be too particular.
_Mrs. J._ I’m afraid you have, Louisa.
_Mrs. B._ (_indignantly_). I don’t know as he is any more fussy than
anybody else’s boy. I like to see a boy particular about what he wears.
(_Folds ties and wraps them._)
_Mrs. J._ (_apologetically_). Well, don’t get mad, Louisa. I was just
agreeing with you. (_aside_). Isn’t she a tinder-box when anybody
mentions her boy!
_Mrs. B._ Here’s a cape from Mrs. Winter. It’s warm, but you can’t say
much else about it.
_Mrs. J._ Why it will be just the thing for those cold Montana winters.
I think the missionary’s wife will be glad to get it.
_Mrs. B._ (_examining cape_). You see its some moth-eaten and I was
scared for fear it would get moths in my house. I never have them.
_Mrs. J._ Well wrap it up quick, and I’ll tuck it in here beside the
other things. Why we are getting quite a box full. (_Places package in
box._)
_Mrs. B._ I thought I would contribute this red wrapper. It’s warm,
even though it isn’t so good looking. (_Holds up shabby wrapper._)
_Mrs. J._ I’m sure that will be very useful. But what’s that?
_Mrs. B._ Miss Loomis has actually contributed her hat. Isn’t it awful?
_Mrs. J._ (_hesitating_). Really Louisa, we can’t send that! It’s
terrible!
_Mrs. B._ Miss Loomis would never forgive me if I didn’t. I’d like to
put it in the ash barrel though. (_Holds up hat._)
_Mrs. J._ Let’s see it! (_examines hat_). Well, I suppose if it were
steamed and pressed and dyed and other trimming put on, it wouldn’t be
so bad. We’ll have to put it in for a finishing touch.
_Mrs. B._ (_handing hat to her_). I am certainly thankful that I will
not see that hat in front of me in church any more. Here’s some more
newspapers, Martha, to stuff in at the top.
_Mrs. J._ (_completes task by packing top of box firmly with papers._)
_Mrs. J._ Now thank goodness, that’s done. Dear me, it’s five o’clock
and I must hurry home. I had no idea it was so late.
_Mrs. B._ (_hospitably_). Can’t you stay and have supper with us?
_Mrs. J._ (_rising and pinning on her hat_). O no, thank you just the
same.
_Mrs. B._ (_helping her on with coat_). Well thank you very much for
coming. I’m glad that _one_ member of the society was conscientious
enough to help.
_Mrs. J._ (_drawing on gloves_). O I never shirk my duty. Good-bye
Louisa. Come and see me real soon.
_Mrs. B._ You come and see me. Thank you ever so much for helping me.
_Mrs. J._ Good-bye.
_Mrs. B._ Good-bye, Martha.
_Mrs. B._ (_picking up papers and rearranging room_). I suppose Martha
thought it would have been absolutely impossible for me to have packed
that box by myself. Well, thank goodness it’s done, and Amelia’s box is
done, and I’m about done, too. (_Seats herself wearily._)
(_Enter Mildred, swinging skates in one hand._)
_Mildred._ Well, mother, you look about fagged out. (_goes over to her
mother, and smoothes her forehead_). Is the rummage sale over?
_Mrs. B._ Rummage sale? We were packing the missionary box.
_Mildred._ (_smiling_). I hope the gifts will be appreciated. I wish I
were to get Miss Loomis’ hat, and Mrs. Hodges’ dress, and a few other
adornments.
_Mrs. B._ (_irritably_). Mildred, I am really too tired to stand any
nonsense. I have your Aunt Amelia’s box all ready, and I’ve worried
over that, for I know whatever I send will be criticised.
_Mildred._ (_continuing to smooth her mother’s hair_). Well, I don’t
see how they could possibly find fault with those presents. Dad is
always so liberal about that box, but I know Aunt Amelia always finds
faults with every last thing we send. I should think though she would
be pleased with the waist I embroidered for her, and those lovely
handkerchiefs.
_Mrs. B._ She won’t though.
_Mildred._ It was the limit though for Dad to go shopping on his own
account and buy Gladys a dress pattern that I’d have given my eyes for,
and fur gloves for Uncle and a fur cap for Joe, and an embroidered
dress pattern for Aunt Amelia too. The saleswoman coaxed him into
getting those embroidered dress patterns, all right.
_Mrs. B._ (_irritably_). O your father always has some foolishness
about Amelia loving him because he is her youngest brother. But the
box is packed anyway, and the expressman is to call in the morning the
first thing. I’ve just got to nail the cover on both boxes and mark
them.
_Mildred._ (_eagerly_). O let me do that mother. I’ve been gallivanting
with the girls out skating while you’ve been working, and I feel
ashamed of myself. Let me do that little bit. (_coaxingly_).
_Mrs. B._ (_gratefully_). Thank you, dear. I am tired and my head
aches, so I’ll go rest awhile if you will finish up. Thank you ever so
much, (_rises_). Be careful you don’t spill ink.
_Mildred._ (_reassuringly_). O I’ll be careful all right. You go rest.
(_Exit Mrs. Banks._)
_Mildred._ (_cheerfully_). Now for the amateur carpentry! Who says
a girl can’t drive a nail? (_Hums a tune as she nails the lid upon
first box._) There, Mrs. Missionary! Your valuable donations are
safe. Let us hope that they may not be injured in transit! Now Aunt
Amelia, here’s something to complain about! (_takes up cards_). O poor
mother! She’s forgotten to put the cards on the presents. Well, I
can’t unpack the box again, and I’m not going to worry her by telling
her that she forgot them. Uncle William will know that the sash and
embroidered dresses aren’t for him. (_nails box_). Now for the marking.
Let’s see how artistic I can be! Mrs. William Worthington, Morningside
Apartments, 524 W. 118th Street, New York. (_suddenly_). O I wonder if
that was the right box? (_hesitates_). O I’m sure it was, I couldn’t
make a mistake about anything like that! Now for the other! (_repeats
as she marks_). Mrs. David Brown, Silver Creek, Montana. Now ladies,
for what you are about to receive may you both be truly thankful!
CURTAIN.