And this is the end of the Play.

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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.

POLLY—­A little girl } first in ordinary indoor clothes;
                     }
JACK—­a little boy } afterwards in wrappers.

DOCTOR JOHN—­Their father; indoor clothes; also overcoat and hat; medicine case; afterwards in a dressing gown.

MOTHER—­Doctor John’s wife; indoor clothes; afterwards in kimono or wrapper.

NURSE MARY—­A little old woman; first dressed for outdoors, in cloak and hood; simple dark dress underneath.

AN ELF—­Acted by a very little boy, dressed all in green; he does not speak.

SANTA CLAUS—­At first in heavy wrapper, preferably white; underneath this his conventional costume; later he puts on fur cap and gloves.

MRS. SANTA CLAUS—­Indoor clothes of red and white, corresponding to the conventional costume of Santa Claus.

DOLL—­Acted by two girls, one much smaller than the other, but both exactly alike as to dress, stockings, sash, hair ribbons, and color and arrangement of hair.

SOLDIER—­Acted by two boys, one much smaller than the other, but corresponding as closely as possible in uniform and appearance, except that the small one has bright red cheeks from the beginning.

CHRISTMAS WAITS—­Boys in outdoor clothes; warm caps, mufflers, gloves or mittens; one carries and plays a violin; others hold copies of the carols.

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Scenery and Scenic Effects

SCENES I AND III.

The stage should contain a table, a little at one side, opposite the fire-place, and five chairs, one for each of the family, and the fifth for Nurse Mary when she arrives.  On the table a lighted lamp.  For safety, it may be lighted by an ever-ready electric torch.  The lighting of the stage must, of course, be otherwise provided for.

There should be two doors on opposite sides of the stage, and a practicable window at the back, through which in the last scene a view of houses or landscape is visible, and the Waits at the close.

As the fire-place is at the side, it is easy to arrange steps by which the elf and the children appear to climb up and down the chimney.  A box or small step ladder, just out of sight on the side toward the front, will serve the purpose.

The Carol of the Friendly Beasts may be sung to the following tune: 

[Illustration:  Music]

There is also another tune composed by Clarence Dickinson.  A different carol may, of course, be substituted, if desired.