TEACHER (_tapping bell loudly_)—Now, children dear, I hope you
will all be very, very good and very, very quiet while we have our
entertainment. What kind of an entertainment is it to be, children? (_a
pause_) W’y, children, don’t you know what kind of an entertainment it
is going to be?
VIRGIL—Wal, I think it’ll be a fust-rate good ’un if none of ’em don’t
fergit their pieces.
SAM—W-w-w-w-w-wal, I w-w-w-w-w-won’t f-f-f-f-fergit mine if I
d-d-d-d-don’t git b-b-b-b-b-bashful.
SARAH JANE—Huh, you bet you I won’t git skeered—I haint fraid o’
nothin’. I wouldn’t be skeered to speak if they was a grizzly bear here.
TILLY—Oh, teacher, she would, too, wouldn’t she, teacher?
SARAH JANE—I wouldn’t neither, so there!
TEACHER (_tapping bell_)—Children, be still. That is not a nice way to
act on entertainment day. I meant what kind of an entertainment are we
going to have according to the season (_a pause_). W’y, can’t you tell,
children?
CORABELL—Teacher, what’s season?
MATILDY—Huh, don’t you know that? W’y, it’s salt an’ pepper an’ spice
an’ stuff they put in things to season ’em.
VIRGIL—Aw, that haint what it means—it’s spring an’ fall an’
winter—that’s what season means, haint it, teacher?
TEACHER (_tapping bell_)—Children, be still. I mean what kind of pieces
are we going to have in our entertainment?
ALL (_loudly_)—Chris’mus pieces.
TEACHER—Yes, children, that is right—Christmas pieces, children. Why
are we going to have Christmas pieces, children? (_pause_).
RASTUS—I reckon so’s we-all’ll git a Chris’mus present ef we does our
pieces good. Mammy says as how she’s gwine gimme a mighty nice present
ef I does my part good.
SAM—I t-t-t-t-think we’re s-s-s-s-s-sayin’ K-k-k-k-k-k-k-kris’mus
pieces k-k-k-k-k-kawase K-k-k-k-k-k-kris’mus is the time to
s-s-s-s-s-say K-k-k-k-k-k-k-kris’mus pieces.
TEACHER—Yes, children, we’re going to have a nice Christmas
entertainment because Christmas day is coming and we all love Christmas
day, don’t we, children?
ALL—Yes, ma’am.
TEACHER—And so, children, I hope we shall have a nice entertainment,
an’ that you will be very, very good an’ speak up nice an’ loud an’ do
your parts the very, very best you can (_children nudge each other and
point off stage as if looking out of window_).
FLORILDY (_waving hand_)—Teacher, somebody’s comin’ (_knock is heard_).
TEACHER—S-s-sh! Be quiet, children (_goes over and admits Mrs. Hill_).
_Enter Mrs. Hill_
MRS. HILL—Good afternoon, teacher. I heard as how you’re goin’ to have
Chris’mus speakin’ here this afternoon an’ I says to Jeremiah, I says,
I’m jes’ goin’ over to the skule house an’ hear that speakin’ ’cause as
I says to ’im, says I, I do jes’ love to hear the childrun speak their
pieces. An’ so here I be, teacher, an’ I hope I haint late.
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.
OLE (_pointing off stage_)—Oh, teacher, yust look who’s ban comin’!
TEACHER (_tapping bell_)—Be quiet, children (_knock is heard. She goes
over and admits Josiah Judd_).
_Enter Josiah Judd_
MR. JUDD—How-de-do, teacher, how-de-do? I came over to be present
at—that is, to attend, and injoy—that is, to participate in the
Chris’mus entertainment (_shakes hands awkwardly with teacher and the
two visitors_). As a member of the skule board I feel that I should
incourage the childern of the deestrict with my presence here an’ see
how they’re gittin’ on. Be they doin’ purty good, teacher? (_looks
children over_).
TEACHER—We’re very, very glad you came, Mr. Judd. Yes, they’re doin’
real well (_she seats him_). Now, children dear, we will begin to
commence our Christmas entertainment (_Billy sobs softly_).
SARAH JANE (_waving hand_)—Teacher, teacher, Billy’s bawlin’.
TEACHER—W’y, Billy, what is the matter? (_goes to him_).