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+*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 14785 ***
+
+Down The Chimney
+
+BY
+
+SHEPHERD KNAPP
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+1921
+
+THE HEIDELBERG PRESS
+
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+TO THOSE
+
+WHO FIRST ACTED IN THIS PLAY
+
+TO THOSE WHO WITH SO MUCH SKILL AND PATIENCE
+
+TRAINED THE PARTICIPANTS
+
+AND TO THE FRIENDLY AUDIENCES OF BOYS AND GIRLS
+
+WHO ENCOURAGE US BY THEIR APPLAUSE
+
+IT IS DEDICATED
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+
+
+
+Preface
+
+
+This play is intended, not only for acting, but also for reading.
+It is so arranged that boys and girls can read it to themselves,
+just as they would read any other story. Even the stage directions and
+the descriptions of scenery are presented as a part of the narrative.
+At the same time, by the use of different styles of type, the speeches
+of the characters are clearly distinguished from the rest of the text,
+an arrangement which will be found convenient when parts are being
+memorized for acting.
+
+The play has been acted more than once, and by different groups of
+people; sometimes on a stage equipped with footlights, curtain, and
+scenery; sometimes with barely any of these aids. Practical suggestions
+as to costumes, scenery, and some simple scenic effects will be found
+at the end of the play.
+
+What sort of a Christmas play do the boys and girls like, and in what
+sort do we like to see them take part? It should be a play, surely, in
+which the dialogue is simple and natural, not stilted and artificial;
+one that seems like a bit of real life, and yet has plenty of fancy and
+imagination in it; one that suggests and helps to perpetuate some of
+the happy and wholesome customs of Christmas; above all, one that is
+pervaded by the Christmas spirit. I hope that this play does not
+entirely fail to meet these requirements.
+
+Worcester, Mass.
+
+SHEPHERD KNAPP.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+
+
+
+Down the Chimney
+
+
+The First Scene
+
+
+_Now the curtain opens, and you see the Roof of a House, just as
+Mother Goose promised. Keep your eyes open to see what will happen next,
+for here comes_ JACK FROST, _who is dressed all in white. He walks
+with a quick and nimble step, and this is what he says_:
+
+Would you believe from the look of things, that to-morrow is Christmas?
+There is not a flake of snow anywhere. This roof is as clear as it is
+in summer. These pine trees, whose boughs hang over the roof, are all
+green. The chimney has not even an icicle on it. I hear people saying
+that we have no old-fashioned winters any more. Even old Mother Cary
+said to me the other day, "Jack Frost," said she, "when are you going
+to give them a real snow-storm?" But I told her not to be impatient:
+I would attend to it all in good time. And when I do begin, it doesn't
+take me long to get up a fine old storm, I can tell you. _Now he walks
+up to the Chimney, and knocks on the side of it_. Say, old fellow.
+_He waits a moment; then knocks again_. Wake up there. _He waits
+a moment; then knocks again_. Wake up, I say.
+
+_And now--would you believe it?--the Chimney opens, first, one of his
+eyes, then the other; and then his mouth and nose appear together. Each
+of his eyes is exactly the shape and size of one brick. So is his nose.
+And his mouth is as long as two bricks side by side. They all turn a
+very bright red, when they appear, as though light were shining through
+them._
+
+JACK FROST _goes on talking_: What do you mean, Mr. Chimney, by
+going to sleep in winter, I'd like to know? Summer is the time for you
+chimneys to go to sleep; but in winter when the people in the houses
+have their fires burning, you ought to keep wide awake, so as to carry
+off the smoke; don't you know that? Sleepy head! You ought to be ashamed
+of yourself.
+
+THE CHIMNEY _answers_: Nothing of the sort. Have you forgotten what
+night this is, Jack Frost? Don't you know that this is Christmas Eve,
+when the fires are all put out, so that Santa Claus can climb down
+without getting burned? That's why I was taking a little nap. See? _He
+winks with one eye._
+
+JACK FROST _says_: Oh, that's it, is it? Well, that's true enough.
+I hadn't thought of old Santa Claus. He'll be here before long,
+probably.
+
+Yes, too soon, _says_ THE CHIMNEY; for I haven't had my sleep half
+out, and here you are, keeping me awake for nothing. With your kind
+permission, I'll take another forty winks.
+
+_And now his eyes close, then his nose and mouth disappear, and in a
+moment he is sound asleep again._
+
+Lazy old fellow! _exclaims_ JACK FROST. Well, I must get to work if
+we are to have a real old-fashioned storm before morning. And first for
+some wind. Where are those Wind Fairies, I wonder? They ought to be here
+by now. _He puts his hands beside his mouth, and calls in a high
+voice:_ Hoo--oo! Hoo--oo!
+
+THE WIND FAIRIES _are heard from far, far away, calling in answer:_
+Hoo-oo! Hoo-oo!
+
+JACK FROST, _as soon as he hears them, says joyfully:_ There they
+are. They'll be here in a second.
+
+_And now you can hear the Wind Fairies coming gradually nearer, making
+the wind-noise as the come, like this:_
+
+  z--z--z z--z--z z--Z--Z--Z--z--z--z
+  z--z--z z--z--z z--Z--Z--Z--z--z--z
+
+
+_This grows louder and louder, till suddenly in come the Wind Fairies,
+running. They are all in gray; they have on gray peaked caps, gray capes
+which comes down to their knees, and long gray stockings; and they have
+gray masks over the upper parts of their faces. The Fairies stop short
+before Jack Frost, and make him a low bow. Then they sing their song,
+which is called_
+
+
+THE SONG OF THE WIND FAIRIES[1]
+
+  Do you hear us blow, in our coats of gray?
+  Do you hear us blow, till the trees rock and sway?
+  Do you hear us blow--for from far, far away
+  We have come with a storm for your Christmas.
+
+  REFRAIN
+
+  Oh, the sound of the wind is strange for to hear;
+  And the breath of the wind, it is cold and clear;
+  You'll hear us blow, as we fly thro' the air,
+  And we've brought you a storm for your Christmas.
+
+  You can hear us sigh at the window-pane;
+  And we moan and cry in the snow and the rain.
+  Then away we fly, for we may not remain,
+  But we leave you a storm for your Christmas.
+
+  REFRAIN
+
+  Oh, the sound of the wind is strange for to hear;
+  And the breath of the wind, it is cold and clear;
+  You'll hear us blow, as we fly thro' the air,
+  And we've brought you a storm for your Christmas.
+
+
+[Footnote 1: To the tune "_D' ye ken John Peel?_"]
+
+_As soon as the song is over, off run the Wind Fairies, making the
+wind-noise as they go, which grows fainter and fainter as they get
+further and further away, like this_
+
+  Z--Z--Z--z--z--z  z--z--z  z--z--z
+  Z--Z--Z--z--z--z  z--z--z  z--z--z
+
+
+_When the sound of the wind has quite died away_, THE CHIMNEY
+_opens one eye, and speaking slowly and sleepily, says:_ Look here,
+Jack, something's going on in my inside. _He opens the other eye, and
+his nose and mouth appear. He speaks more briskly_: It feels as
+though there were something hot in there. Do you suppose those stupid
+people in the house down below have forgotten all about Santa Claus, and
+are lighting the fire on the hearth? I believe they are. I wish you'd
+just climb up on my shoulder, and shout down to them to stop. Do:
+there's a good fellow.
+
+JACK FROST _climbs up, puts his head over the chimney, then draws back
+coughing_. Fire? _cries he_. I should say there was, and smoke,
+too; enough to choke a locomotive. _He cautiously peers down_.
+Hello there, you people, put that fire out. Do you hear? Put it out.
+Santa Claus is coming. Do you hear what I say? SANTA CLAUS IS COMING.
+Put out that fire.
+
+_There is a pause; then a hissing sound, loud at first, then dying
+away, like this_:
+
+  S--S--S--s--s--s--s--s--s
+
+
+There! _says_ JACK FROST, they've thrown a pitcherful of water on
+it. _He climbs down from the chimney_.
+
+THE CHIMNEY, _who has now grown sleepy again, says to him, in a voice
+that grows fainter and fainter_: Thank you, my dear fellow:
+you--real--ly (_Here one eye closes_) are--ver--y--ki--_And he
+never finishes the sentence, for the other eye closes, and the nose and
+mouth "go out" at the same moment._
+
+Asleep again, I declare, says JACK FROST, _with disgust_. Well, now
+for the Snow Fairies.
+
+_He walks to the edge of the roof at one side, and blows a shrill
+blast on a whistle. Almost at once snow begins to fall from the sky,
+slowly at first, then more and more. Jack Frost looks up at it and nods
+his head approvingly. When it is snowing very hard, in come on tip-toe,
+very softly, the Snow Fairies, dressed in snowy white, with white hoods
+and muffs. Some of them quietly spread snow on the boughs of the trees,
+taking it out of their muffs; others hang flakes on the Chimney, in such
+a way as to make eyebrows, mustache, and beard for the face. But this
+doesn't show at first, because the Chimney is still asleep. Then the
+Fairies, standing in front of the Chimney, so that they hide it, sing
+their song, which is called_
+
+
+THE SONG OF THE SNOW FAIRIES[2]
+
+  When children go to bed at night,
+  We fairies come with snow-flakes white;
+  Cover the earth, silent and still;
+  House-top, and tree-top, and field and hill.
+
+  When children wake at morning light,
+  They find the world all snowy white.
+  Where, then, are we? Who of you know?
+  Cosily tucked in our beds of snow.
+
+
+[Footnote 2: To the tune of Schumann's "_Kindernacht._"]
+
+THE CHIMNEY, _who is still hidden behind the Snow Fairies, wakes up
+while they are singing the last line, and calls out_: What's this,
+I'd like to know? Who's been decorating my face?
+
+_The Snow Fairies stand back on either side, so that his face can now
+be seen, with its white eyebrows and mustache and beard, all made of
+snow-flakes; and he goes on talking in a jolly voice_: Oh, you sly
+ones, you are at your old tricks. Well, well, I'm really glad to see
+you. It seems like old times to have snow at Christmas. Now don't mind
+me; go on with your work; cover me up with your snowflakes as much as
+you choose--eyes, nose, mouth, and all; I don't mind it a bit.
+
+_So the Snow Fairies, moving softly about, hang more snow-flakes on
+the chimney, even over his eyes and nose and mouth, which show dimly
+through the snow. His eyes blink now and then._
+
+_And now, sleigh-bells are heard in the distance._
+
+Hark! _cries_ JACK FROST.
+
+_They all listen: the bells are still heard, a little nearer._
+
+_Then_ JACK FROST _continues_: There comes Santa Claus, sure
+enough. Let's give the old fellow a surprise. Here! All hide behind the
+Chimney.
+
+_Very quickly, but very quietly, too, they all hide. The sleigh-bells
+come nearer and nearer, till they seem to be just outside: then they
+stop, and a voice, which plainly belongs to_ SANTA CLAUS,
+_says_: Whoa! Quiet, Prancer! Blitzen, stand still there!
+
+_And now Santa Claus himself appears, with his pack of toys. He walks
+to the middle of the roof, and sets down the pack._
+
+It certainly is getting cold, _says_ SANTA CLAUS _to himself. For
+he does not see Jack Frost and the Snow Fairies, who are hidden behind
+the Chimney. He goes on talking_: And what a lot of snow there is
+about here. It is really like the Christmas eves we used to have fifty
+years ago. My pack seems to be coming undone. _He stoops to fix
+it._ I should hate to have it burst open, while I was going down the
+Chimney.
+
+_Now the Snow Fairies have come out from behind the Chimney, and are
+stealing up behind him on tip-toe. When they are quite close, they throw
+great handfuls of snow at him. He starts up, surprised, but bursts into
+a great laugh_:
+
+Ho! ho! ho! This is a fine way to treat an old man! _says_ SANTA
+CLAUS. Ho! ho! ho! ho! This is fine fun indeed! Hello, Jack Frost, is
+that you? And how are you, my little roley-poley snow-balls? White and
+light as ever, I see. And you've made me all white too, but not very
+light, I fear. Well, well, be off with you, for I must go down the
+Chimney.
+
+_He bows to the Chimney, whose eyes blink through the snow._
+
+Good evening, my old friend, _says_ SANTA CLAUS. YOU are enjoying
+good health, I hope. May I climb down inside of you as usual?
+
+THE CHIMNEY _answers, in a muffled voice, because he is so covered up
+with snow_: Go ahead, Santa, I'm used to it.
+
+_So Santa Claus climbs to the top of the Chimney, steps over, and
+after throwing a kiss to the Snow Fairies, who return it, he goes down
+out of sight._
+
+_And that is the end of the First Scene._
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+
+
+
+THE INTERLUDE
+
+
+_Again, before the Second Scene begins_, MOTHER GOOSE _comes out
+in front of the curtain and this is what she says_:
+
+Well, my dears, I hope you are enjoying my little Play. And what do you
+suppose comes next? Wouldn't you like to see who lives down inside that
+house, where the chimney was; and what they were doing while Jack Frost
+and the others were up on the roof, and whether they heard the Wind
+Fairies; and whether they knew that the Snow Fairies had come; and how
+they came to make that mistake, lighting a fire in the fireplace where
+Santa Claus had come down? Well, that is just what the next scene is to
+be about. Last time we were up on the roof; this time we shall be down
+in the Room, in front of the fire-place. So be still and listen
+carefully, for now it is going to begin.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+
+
+
+The Second Scene
+
+
+_When the curtain opens this time, you can see into the Room of the
+House, just as Mother Goose promised. Notice that on one side of the
+fire-place is a window with curtains drawn, on the other, a washstand
+with howl and pitcher. In front, on right and left, are two large beds.
+In the middle of the room, with her hack to the fire-place, the
+Grandmother is seated on a low chair, and about her in a half-circle on
+stools, sit the eight grandchildren, four girls and four boys, all in
+their night-clothes and wrappers._
+
+ISABEL _begins by asking_: Grandmother, how old are you?
+
+GRANDMOTHER _replies_: How old do you think, my dear?
+
+ISABEL _guesses_: A hundred?
+
+Almost, _says_ GRANDMOTHER: Why, I can remember when all your
+mothers and fathers were little boys and girls like you. Your mother,
+Margaret and Sally, and your father, Jack and Tom and Helen, and your
+father, Isabel, and your mother, Ned and Frank, were my little boys and
+girls, you know; and on Christmas Eve I used to sit with them in the
+nursery, just as I am sitting with you now. That is why I told them
+to go downstairs and leave me alone with you for a little while
+tonight--for the sake of old times. Yes, they used to sit around me
+just like this, and then I used to tell them a story.
+
+A story! A story! _cry_ ALL THE CHILDREN.
+
+_And_ GRANDMOTHER _says_: Shall I tell you one? _The
+children all nod_. Let me think, _says she_.
+
+_The Wind Fairies are heard outside, making the wind-noise, like
+this_:
+
+
+  z--z--z  z--z--z  z--Z--Z--Z--z--z--z
+  z--z--z  z--z--z  z--Z--Z--Z--z--z--z
+
+
+GRANDMOTHER _listens to them, then begins her story_: Well, once
+there was a wicked king, who didn't like cold weather; so he sent his
+soldiers, and told them to catch all the cold Wind Fairies and--
+
+TOM _interrupts her to ask_: Are there really Wind Fairies, Grandmother?
+
+GRANDMOTHER _answers_: Of course there are. I think I heard them a
+moment ago. Listen!
+
+_They all listen. The Wind Fairies are heard outside, like this_:
+
+  z--z--z z--z--z z--Z--Z--Z--z--z--z
+
+
+Do you hear them? _asks_ GRANDMOTHER. _The children all nod_.
+Yes, _she continues, going on with the story_, the king told his
+soldiers to catch all the Wind Fairies, and all the Snow Fairies, and
+Jack Frost himself, and to lock them all up in prison.
+
+And did the soldiers do it? _asks_ HELEN.
+
+Yes, _answers_ GRANDMOTHER. They locked up all of them except one
+little Wind Fairy, and he was so small and so quick, that they couldn't
+catch him; and what do you suppose he did? He rattled the windows so
+hard that the king couldn't sleep, and he blew so hard down the chimney
+and through the cracks around the doors, that he blew out all the lights
+in the king's house, and gave the king such a bad cold in his head,
+that--
+
+_Here Grandmother herself sneezes. And the Wind Fairies are heard
+outside, like this_:
+
+  z--z--z  z--z--z  z--Z--Z--Z--z--z--z
+
+
+How the wind does blow tonight, _says_ GRANDMOTHER. Children, it
+seems to me very cold in this room. _She looks around to see what
+makes it so chilly._ Why, bless me, _she says_, they have forgotten
+to light the fire. _She rises, the children also, and they all go
+toward the fire-place._ Frank, _says_ GRANDMOTHER, hand me the matches.
+_He brings them. She stoops at the hearth, the children standing
+around, and soon a bright glow appears and is seen to dance about._
+There, that will soon make a fine blaze, _says she._ Hold up your
+hands, children, and warm them.
+
+_But suddenly from up the chimney comes the voice of_ JACK FROST:
+Hello there, you people, put that fire out. _Grandmother and the
+children are startled._ Do you hear? _shouts_ JACK FROST. Put it
+out. Santa Claus is coming. Do you hear what I say? SANTA CLAUS IS
+COMING. Put out that fire.
+
+Why, children, _cries_ GRANDMOTHER, I had forgotten all about that.
+Quick! We must indeed put the fire out at once. Ned, bring me that
+pitcher of water.
+
+_He brings it; she throws the water on the fire. The glow disappears
+and a great hissing sound is heard, loud at first, then dying away, like
+this_:
+
+  S--S--S--s--s--s--s--s--s--s--s--s--s--s
+
+
+There! _says_ GRANDMOTHER. It is quite out, you see. And now, you
+must hang up your stockings, quickly, and hurry into bed. _A shrill
+whistle is heard outside_. What was that? GRANDMOTHER _asks_.
+
+It sounded like a whistle out of doors, _answers_ MARGARET; _and
+she goes to the window and looks out._ Why, Grandmother, _says
+she_, it's beginning to snow.
+
+Good! _says_ GRANDMOTHER. That will make it easier for Santa Claus
+to get here in his sleigh. So make haste with your stockings, and then,
+before you get into bed, we will read from the Good Book about what
+happened on the first Christmas night so many, many years ago.
+
+_They bring their stockings and hang them in a row over the
+fire-place. Meantime Grandmother has taken the big Bible, and seated
+herself in the low chair in the middle of the room. The children, when
+the stockings are hung, group themselves beside her, standing, looking
+over her shoulders, her arms around some of them. Then_ GRANDMOTHER
+_reads_:
+
+And there were shepherds in the same country abiding in the field, and
+keeping watch by night over their flock. And an angel of the Lord stood
+by them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them; and they were
+sore afraid.
+
+And the angel said unto them, "Be not afraid; for, behold, I bring you
+good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all the people. For there
+is born to you this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is Christ
+the Lord. And this shall be the sign unto you: Ye shall find a babe
+wrapped in swaddling clothes, and lying in a manger?"
+
+And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host
+praising God, and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth
+peace, good will toward men."
+
+And it came to pass, when the angels went away from them into heaven,
+the shepherds said one to another, "Let us now go even unto Bethlehem,
+and see this thing that is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known
+to us."
+
+And they came with haste, and found Mary and Joseph, and the babe lying
+in the manger.
+
+_Then_ GRANDMOTHER _closes the Book_. And now your prayers,
+_says she_.
+
+_They all kneel down for a few moments, the boys by the bed on the
+right, the girls by the bed on the left. Then they rise and climb into
+the beds._
+
+_But_ SALLY _has a question to ask_: May we sing one song,
+Grandmother, before we go to sleep?
+
+_And_ GRANDMOTHER _answers_, Well, just one.
+
+_Then sitting up in the bed, they sing the dear old song, that is
+called_
+
+
+THE CAROL OF CHRISTMAS NIGHT
+
+  Holy night! peaceful night!
+  All is dark save the light
+  Yonder where they sweet vigil keep
+  O'er the Babe, who in silent sleep
+  Rests in heavenly peace.
+
+  Silent night! holiest night!
+  Darkness flies; all is light!
+  Shepherds hear the angels sing,
+  "Hallelujah! Hail the King!
+  Christ, the Saviour, is here,
+  Jesus, the Saviour, is here."
+
+
+_When the song is finished, they all lie down. Grandmother tucks the
+bed-clothes about their shoulders, and goes out. Soon they are all
+asleep._
+
+_Then a faint sound of sleigh-bells is heard on the roof._
+
+_Then all is quiet for a moment._
+
+_And THEN Santa Claus comes down the chimney, and steps out
+into the room. Silently he looks at both beds, full of sleeping
+children, turning his pocket flash light on them, so as to see them
+better. He counts the children in each bed. Then he counts the stockings
+hanging by the fire-place to be sure they are all there. Next he fills
+each of the stockings, taking the toys out of his pack. Then he takes
+his empty bag, and, after looking once more at the children, he
+disappears up the Chimney._
+
+_And this is the end of the Play_.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+
+
+
+Characters And Costumes
+
+
+MOTHER GOOSE--The conventional costume; full skirt, peaked hat, cane,
+spectacles, mits. It is effective for her to draw her lips tight over
+her teeth so that her speech is that of a toothless old woman.
+
+JACK FROST--All in white, decorated with tinsel, tall peaked cap, white
+gloves.
+
+THE CHIMNEY--No costume; for he sits inside the chimney throughout.
+
+THE WIND FAIRIES--Four little boys, all in gray, capes, caps,
+half-masks, long stockings.
+
+THE SNOW FAIRIES--Four little girls, all in white, capes or coats,
+hoods, muffs. The muffs full of loose cotton, which they use as snow,
+to hang on trees and chimney, and to throw at Santa Claus.
+
+SANTA CLAUS--The conventional costume; white hair and beard; pack, with
+few toys protruding from the top.
+
+THE GRANDMOTHER--Gray hair, lace cap, gray or black dress.
+
+THE GRANDCHILDREN--Four boys in pajamas, with wrappers over them; four
+girls in night dresses with kimonos over them.
+
+
+
+
+Scenery And Scenic Effects
+
+SCENE I.
+
+
+The Chimney, which must be large enough to hold two people, one of them
+Santa Claus with his pack of toys, may consist of a light frame covered
+with turkey red cambric and backed with cardboard or heavy paper.
+The cambric should be marked off into bricks. The face is produced by
+cutting away the cardboard or paper backing behind two bricks for the
+eyes, one for the nose and two together for the mouth. Boxes must cover
+these openings on the inside, one for each eye and a larger one for
+mouth and nose together. In these three boxes are three electric lights
+which can be turned on and off independently by the boy inside the
+chimney. Dry batteries have been used when an electric current was not
+available. The light shining through the cambric makes the face. Turning
+off, and on again, the light behind one of the eyes makes the chimney
+wink, etc. Small hooks or nails, sticking out above the eyes, under the
+nose, and under the mouth, should be provided to hold the snow which the
+fairies hang on to represent eyebrows, mustache and beard.
+
+The background and flies for this scene should be made of black cambric,
+dull side out, and a dim light should be used, blue or green preferable,
+so distributed as not to throw shadows on the "sky."
+
+The trees may be real spruces or pines, or may be painted, or may be
+made of green cambric touched up with paint or charcoal.
+
+The wind noise is made by some one behind the scenes, preferably not the
+Wind Fairies themselves. It should be plainly heard. The same applies to
+the sound of water thrown on the fire.
+
+If accompaniment is desired for the songs, a violin gives a better
+effect than a piano.
+
+The effect of falling snow is produced by a simple machine, consisting
+of a connected series of perforated cardboard boxes suspended from a
+cord or wire, and filled with finely cut paper. At one end they are
+attached to a wire spring, and by a cord at the other end they are
+shaken, so as to make the paper snow shower down. Such a machine may be
+bought for a small sum from firms dealing in Sunday School supplies.
+Two of them used together are more adequate than one.
+
+
+SCENE II.
+
+
+It is not necessary to use real beds. Boards on low horses or boxes
+will make excellent substitutes, and a strip of cloth will conceal their
+structure. An advantage of this plan is that they need not be as long
+as regulation beds. Four children to a bed means packing them like
+sardines, but it can be done, and it always amuses the audience.
+
+The effect of a fire on the hearth can be made by quick motions
+with an ever-ready flashlight operated from behind. The children and
+Grandmother, standing in front, allow but an imperfect view of the
+fire-place, so that the illusion is easy to produce. The fireplace,
+however, may be a real one, if that is more convenient. In that case the
+flashlight must be operated by one of the children, kneeling in front of
+the fire-place; and when Santa Claus enters the room must be absolutely
+dark, so that he will first be seen when he turns on his flashlight, as
+he crouches before the fire-place, having apparently just come down the
+chimney.
+
+If candies or gifts are to be distributed to children in the audience,
+as when this play is used as the Christmas entertainment of a Sunday
+School, Mother Goose may come out again, as soon as the curtain closes
+after the second scene, and speak as follows:
+
+Well, my dear children, my little Play for you is finished, and I hope
+you liked it. There is just one thing left to be said. Those little boys
+and girls whom you saw asleep in their beds found that Santa Claus had
+not only put into their stockings presents for THEM, but also left
+something for YOU; and what do you suppose it was? A box of candy for
+each one of you, and if you will sit still a moment longer, the curtain
+will open again, and the candy will be handed to you. And so, my dears,
+as I say Good-night, I wish you all (or I hope you have all had) a Merry
+Christmas and (wish you) a Happy New Year.
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Down the Chimney, by Shepherd Knapp
+
+*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 14785 ***