CORABELL (_softly_)—Boo-hoo, boo-hoo, boo-hoo!
TILLY—Oh, teacher, my little sister’s cryin’! (_puts arm around
Corabell_). What’s the matter, little sister? Are you sick?
CORABELL—No! (_louder_). Boo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo!
TEACHER (_goes over_)—Do you want to go home?
CORABELL—NO! (_louder_) Boo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo!
TILLY—Please, dearie, tell sister what’s the matter.
CORABELL—I want—some—too—boo-hoo-hoo!
MR. JUDD—Pshaw, now! I guess I got myself in trouble (_he slips over
and puts candy in Corabell’s hand_).
TILLY—Oh, see, little sister, what the nice man gave you (_Corabell
laughs and puts candy in mouth_).
TEACHER—We will now have a piece by Sarah Jane (_she sits fussing in
her seat_). Come, Sarah Jane, speak your piece.
SAM—Huh, she’s f-f-f-f-f-f-fraid to s-s-s-s-s-say it.
SARAH JANE—I haint neither—I haint scart o’ nuthin’. I’m—I’m a fixin’
up my stockin’ (_fusses, then goes to front and stands there, twisting
her dress and looking down at floor_).
TEACHER—Speak up, nice, Sarah Jane.
VIRGIL—Say, I bet she’s so skeert she can’t say nothin’.
SARAH JANE—I haint neither.
VIRGIL—Oh, you be, too.
SARAH JANE—I haint scart o’ nothin’.
TEACHER—Why don’t you speak, Sarah Jane?
SARAH JANE—I’m thinkin’.
TEACHER—What are you thinking about?
SARAH JANE—How my piece starts (_twists dress, looks down at floor,
moves lips. Then speaks, loud and fast_).
The air was cold as cold could be,
The wind was blowing dis-ma-lee,
The night was dark as a black cat
And Santy Claus’ heart went pit-y-pat.
(_Stops, moves lips, etc., as before. Then speaks the four lines over
again and adds_):
’Cause ’twas so dark he feared he’d make,
Scootin’ down chimbleys a bad mistake,
An’ leave a doll with curly hair
For the big boy a livin’ there.
(_Bows low and takes seat._)
MRS. HILL—That was real fine, Sarah Jane.
MR. JUDD—Very good, very good!
TEACHER—Next Sam Shaw will speak.
SAM—T-t-t-t-t-teacher, I g-g-g-g-g-g-got a s-s-s-s-s-short piece,
k-k-k-k-k-kawse it takes me so l-l-l-l-l-long to s-s-s-s-s-say it,
k-k-k-k-k-kawse I st-st-st-st-st-stutter.
TEACHER—Very well (_Sam pulls coat and contorts body trying to speak_):
A l-l-l-l-l-little b-b-b-b-b-bird sat on a t-t-t-t-tree,
S-s-s-s-s-singin’ loud an’ k-k-k-k-klear,
Oh, l-l-l-l-l-let us all b-b-b-b-b-be h-h-h-h-h-happy,
K-k-k-k-k-kawse K-k-k-k-k-k-kris’mus time is here.
(_Bows and takes seat._)
MRS. SKAGGS—I think he done that real fine.
MR. JUDD—Very good, very good!
TEACHER—Now, Billy will speak his piece (_Billy shakes head_).
MRS. SKAGGS—Now Billy, you go speak like a good boy.
BILLY—I—don’t wan’—to (_hangs to his mother’s skirt_).
MRS. SKAGGS—Now, don’t you be naughty. You go speak your piece so Santy
Claus will bring you a nice present.
BILLY—No, no, NO!
MRS. SKAGGS—Come now, maw will take you over (_she takes him by the
hand, pulls him to the front to speak, fixes his tie, smoothes his hair
and goes back to her seat_). Now speak, Billy.
BILLY—No, no, NO! (_he runs back and sits by his mother_).
MRS. SKAGGS—Now, Billy, don’t act so—what would paw say? (_she pulls
him back to front, fixes him again and turns to go to her seat. Billy
grabs her skirt and follows her, crying_). Wal, teacher, I don’t guess
he’ll speak, he’s so bashful. He gits it from his paw an’ I spose he
can’t help it.
TEACHER—Then Tilly will speak her piece.
TILLY (_in high, piping voice, very dramatic gestures_).
Upon the mountains high, (_up to right with right hand_)
Or in the valleys low, (_down at left with left hand_)
Or in the arching heavens, (_up with both hands_)
Where stars in silence glow (_same as above_).
In the North and South land (_point to the front, then back_)
East and West the breezes say, (_to right, then left_)
“Let ev’ry one be merry (_to the front with both hands_)
On Christmas Day” (_same as above_).
(_Very sweeping bow, then takes seat._)
MRS. HILL—My, my, her motions was jes’ grand!
MR. JUDD (_nodding_)—Very good, very good!
TILLY—Teacher, my little sister has a piece to say.
TEACHER—Then she may speak now.
TILLY—Come on, Corabell, don’t be ’fraid. I’ll take you up to speak
(_she leads Corabell to the front and fixes her hair, ribbons, dress,
etc._) Now speak your piece, little sister (_Corabell should be fat and
larger than Tilly_).