ELSIE—Jimmy will buy me a Christmas—a big Christmas, and a big tree. I
know he will.
MICKY—Gee, Jimmy! It’s up to you, all right.
MR. OPPERMAN—(_entering_) Vot vos up to Chimmy?
CAESAR—Ter cunjur up a big Christmas tree fo’ Ailsie. She done boun’
ter have one.
ELSIE—Mine fader did get me one always, Mr. Opperman.
OPPERMAN—Vell, vell, ve never did yet have van Christmas here yet
a’retty, but meppe ve might half von leedle von, if ve all chip in
togedder. Be patient a’retty, mine leedle fraulein, and ve’ll see vot
ve’ll see!
ELSIE—But I don’t want one little tree, I want one big one like mine
fader always did me get. Jimmy will buy me one. I know he will. I’m
Jimmy’s little sister. He did buy for me these hair ribbons of the blue
color.
CAESAR—You’ll half ter do it, Jimmy, whedder or no, as de preachah say.
ELSIE—You know, Mr. Opperman. You one German was, too. You know the
German kinder do always one big Christmas tree have. Mustn’t I have one?
OPPERMAN—Vell, vell, leedle Madchen, I vos sure von Cherman, but I vos
von Cherman Chew a’retty. Der Chews no Christmas do keep, nor drees.
ELSIE—(_beginning to cry_) I must have one big Christmas tree. I must.
And no one wants me my tree to have but Jimmy.
JIMMY—There, there, Ilsie, don’t spoil the swate eyes av yez wid
cryin’, ans we’ll think up a way somehow. (_Mrs. McCarthy, Mrs.
Ferrari, Mrs. Omstrom, and Mrs. Washington come out and seat themselves
on the steps._)
CHLOE—(_taking Elsie into her lap_) What dey bin a doin’ to mammy
Chloe’s li’l white lambie?
BRIDGET—Which av ye spalpeens hov bin afther makin’ the wee colleen
wape, now? Be shame to yez, who iver yez are!
ELSIE—They don’t want me my Christmas to have a’retty.
BRIDGET—And who’s bin afther puttin’ Christmas into the hid av her?
You, Jim, I’ll bet a sixpince. Yez do spile the choild, most awful.
JIMMY—’Twasn’t me, nather. ’Twas a foine leddy who wanted to adopt her,
av yez plaze, or av yez don’t plaze, either.
CHLOE—’Dopt her? Den she’d be quality, like she ottah be, but ole mammy
Chloe would miss her li’l white missy.
BRIDGET—Bedad, an’ she can’t have her, thin. She’s the baby of all
Murphy’s tinement, and betwane us we’ll get up a Christmas for her if
she’s thot set on it. I kin take in an ixtry wash or two, mebbe. Sure
me own little spalpeens have niver had a Christmas yit, nor Jimsie,
naythur.
JIMMY—I don’t need any, Aunt Bridget, but Elsie wants one that bad, she
can’t same to do widout it.
ELSIE—Mine fader did always one tree for me get.
CARLOTTA—How mucha one tree he costa?