_The curtain opens, and you see a room in a house and four people,
just as Mother Goose promised. On one side is a fire-place, and notice
the stockings hanging by it. At the back is a window, looking out into
the street, but you cannot see anything there, because it is dark out of
doors. The little girl's name is Polly, but the first one to speak is
her brother, named_ JACK, _who looks up from his letter and
says_:
Mother, how do you spell "friend"?
MOTHER _answers_: F, r, i, e, n, d. Have you nearly finished your
letter, Jack?
Yes, _says_ JACK, _still writing. Then he stops, straightens up
and says_, There! It's all done. Shall I read it to you, Mother?
Do, MOTHER _answers. And Father puts down his newspaper to listen, and
Polly stops writing. Mother goes on knitting, because she can knit and
listen at the same time_.
_So_ JACK _reads_: "Dear Santa Claus, I have been very
good this year--most of the time; and I wish you would
bring me a toy soldier. I am very well and I hope you are.
Your loving little friend, Jack." Is that all right, Mother?
It is a very good letter, _says_ MOTHER; only I thought you were
going to speak about that pair of warm gloves for Father.
Oh, I forget that, _says_ JACK, _looking a little bit
ashamed_. I'll put it in a postscript. _So he goes on writing, and
so does Polly_. JACK _says his words aloud while he writes
them_: "P.S.--Fa--ather--would--like--a--pair--of--warm--gloves."
MOTHER _looks over at Polly, who seems to have finished, and says_:
Polly, let us hear your letter.
_So_ POLLY _reads_: "Dear Santa Claus, I am so glad that
tomorrow is Christmas. We have all hung up our stockings, and I think I
would like best to have a doll in short dresses. I love you very much.
Your little friend, Polly. P.S.--I think Mother would like a ball of
white knitting cotton." I had to put that in a postscript, Mother,
because I forgot, too.
_And now_ FATHER, _who has been listening all this time,
says_: Where will you put the letters?--on the mantel-piece or in the
stockings?
Oh, on the mantel-piece, _answers_ JACK. We always put them on the
mantel-piece. Don't you remember that, Father?
Yes, I believe I do, now that you speak of it, _says_ FATHER.
_Then the children put the two letters on the mantel-piece, standing
them against the clock, so that they can be easily seen. While they are
doing this, some one passes the window, walking along the street, and
there comes a knock at the door_.
Come in, _says_ FATHER; _and in comes a little woman, rather old,
and rather bent, and rather lame_.
Why, if it isn't little Nurse Mary, _cries_ FATHER, _and they all
rise up to greet her. She kisses both the children, and shakes hands
with Father and Mother._
Here's a chair for you, Nurse Mary, _says_ JACK.
Let me take your cloak and hood, Nurse Mary, _says_ POLLY.
_When they were all seated again_, FATHER _says_, I am afraid
I shall have to give you a little scolding, Mary, for coming out on such
a cold night. It really don't do, you know.
Now, Doctor John, NURSE MARY _answers_, What do you expect?
Haven't I seen you every Christmas Eve since you were half the size of
Master Jack here, and didn't I knit with my own hands the first little
stocking you ever hung up for Santa Claus, and don't I remember how
frightened you were that time when we heard the reindeers on the roof,
and when the handful of walnuts came tumbling down the chimney? And do
you expect me to stay away on Christmas Eve, like some lonely old woman,
who never was nurse to any children at all, let alone two generations of
them? What are you thinking of, Doctor John?
I am thinking, _says_ FATHER _smiling_, that if you hadn't
come, we should have missed you dreadfully. But tell me, Nurse Mary, how
are you feeling?
Well, _answers_ NURSE MARY, to speak the truth, Doctor John, I
think you must give me some medicine.
Medicine? _cries_ MOTHER.
Are you sick, Nurse Mary? _asks_ POLLY.
Yes, Miss Polly, sick, and very sick, too, NURSE MARY _answers_.
But how? _asks_ FATHER. What's wrong? Where is the trouble?
First of all, in my back, Doctor John, _says_ NURSE MARY. Today,
after sweeping and scrubbing a little, and baking a Christmas cake, I
just ironed out a few pieces, my best cap and apron, and the likes of
that, and before I had finished, I give you word my back began to ache.
Now what do you make of it? And then, my joints--stiff! Yes, Dr. John,
stiff! How am I to do my work with stiff joints, I'd like to know?
I see, _says_ FATHER, _shaking his head._ This is a serious
matter. But cheer up, Nurse Mary; I believe I have the very thing that
will help you. _He opens his medicine case, which stands on the table,
and takes out a little bottle._ Here it is, _he says_, and let
me tell you how to take it; for with this medicine that is the most
important part. You must find some children to give it to you. If you
take it from grown-up people, it will do you no good at all, so you must
find a child somewhere, or two would be better, one to pour it out and
one to hold the spoon--
Oh, let me pour it out, _cries_ JACK.
And let me hold the spoon, _cries_ POLLY.
Why, that will do finely, _says_ FATHER, _and hands Jack the
bottle._ And now I must go out, _he continues_; for old Mrs.
Cavendish is sick and has sent for me. It may be quite late, when I come
home. _He begins to put on his overcoat._
And I, _says_ MOTHER, have some Christmas bundles to tie up. If
Nurse Mary goes before I come back, will you both go quietly to bed like
good children?