There will then be an interlude while Mr. Neff, the sexton, adjusts the connection, during which the four little girls stand undecided whether to brave it out or cry.  As a compromise they giggle and are herded back into the wings by Mrs. Drury, amid applause.  When the lights go on again, the applause becomes deafening, and as Mr. Neff walks triumphantly away, the little boys in the audience will whistle:  “There she goes, there she goes, all dressed up in her Sunday clothes!”

“The Return of the Reindeer” will be started again and the show-girls will reappear, this time more gingerly and somewhat dispirited.  They will, however, sing the following, to the music of the “Ballet Pizzicato” from “Sylvia”: 

  “We greet you, we greet you,
  On this Christmas Eve so fine. 
  We greet you, we greet you,
  And wish you a good time.”

They will then turn toward the tree and Flora Rochester will advance, hanging a silver star on one of the branches, meanwhile reciting a verse, the only distinguishable words of which are:  “I am Faith so strong and pure—­”

At the conclusion of her recitation, the star will fall off.

Lillian McNulty will then step forward and hang her star on a branch, reading her lines in clear tones: 

“And I am Hope, a virtue great, My gift to Christmas now I make, That children and grown-ups may hope today That tomorrow will be a merry Christmas Day.”

The hanging of the third star will be consummated by Gertrude Hamingham, who will get as far as “Sweet Charity I bring to place upon the tree—­” at which point the strain will become too great and she will forget the remainder.  After several frantic glances toward the wings, from which Mrs. Drury is sending out whispered messages to the effect that the next line begins, “My message bright—­” Gertrude will disappear, crying softly.

[Illustration:  “’Round and ’round the tree I go.”]

After the morale of the cast has been in some measure restored by the pianist, who, with great presence of mind, plays a few bars of “Will There Be Any Stars In My Crown?” to cover up Gertrude’s exit, Martha Wrist will unleash a rope of silver tinsel from the foot of the tree, and, stringing it over the boughs as she skips around in a circle, will say, with great assurance: 

“’Round and ’round the tree I go, Through the holly and the snow Bringing love and Christmas cheer Through the happy year to come.”

At this point there will be a great commotion and jangling of sleigh-bells off-stage, and Mr. Creamer, rather poorly disguised as Santa Claus, will emerge from the opening in the imitation fire-place.  A great popular demonstration for Mr. Creamer will follow.  He will then advance to the footlights, and, rubbing his pillow and ducking his knees to denote joviality, will say thickly through his false beard: