“That’s fine!” cried the blind man. “This will be a jolly Christmas for everybody!”
And so it was, and no one was happier than Lucile and Mart that they had found their missing uncle and aunt.
“Oh, I can sing my last song so much more happily now!” said Lucile softly.
“And I’m going to turn three flipflops instead of one!” cried Mart.
“And I’ll help you!” added Bunny Brown, and every one laughed again. It was a merry, happy, jolly time, just right for Christmas.
“Well, all ready now, children!” called Mr. Treadwell when Mr. Brown had taken his seat. “Now for the last grand chorus then the final curtain and the play will be over!”
Once more the piano played, and then the children, led by Lucile, lifted up their sweet voices in song. And it seemed to be a hymn of thanksgiving for the two children who had found their lost ones.
Circling around the tree in the stage orchard marched Bunny Brown, his sister Sue, and the other children. Then out danced Mr. Treadwell, in another funny suit, and then, all at once, out from the wings rushed Splash the dog. He stood up on his hind legs put his paws on Mr. Treadwell’s shoulders, and marched across the stage that way, while the audience clapped and Bunny and Sue stared with wide-opened eyes.
“I—I didn’t know my dog could do that trick!” cried Bunny.
“I taught it to him for a surprise,” said the actor. “Hi, Splash! Come on and have another dance with me!” And the dog walked across the stage again on his hind legs.
And then, with another song, given as the children stood in a double row facing the audience, the show of “Down on the Farm” came to a close and the final curtain fell, while the crowd of fathers, mothers, sisters, brothers, uncles, aunts and friends applauded as loudly as they could. Mr. Brown gave a little talk about the Home for the Blind and many persons said they would help it.
“Well, from what I heard of it, I’ll say that was a fine show!” said Lucile’s Uncle Bill. “And one of the best parts was that telegram Mr. Brown read.”
“Yes, I think so myself,” said Bunny’s father.
Back on the stage the children were hurrying to get off their costumes and into their regular garments, so they might go home and look at their Christmas presents once more.
“Shall we ever give the show again?” asked Charlie Star.
“Well, we might, in a day or so,” said Mr. Treadwell. “If the audience would like to see it, we might give it some afternoon next week.”
“Oh, yes, let’s do it!” cried Bunny.
“Oh, yes!” cried Sue and the others.
While this talk was going on Mr. Raymond, the owner of the hall, came up to where Bunny Brown stood.
“I guess you’re the treasurer of this show, aren’t you?” he asked, and Sue noticed that the hardware man had something in his hand.
“No—no,” said Bunny, shaking his head, “I wasn’t a—a treasure. I was a farm boy in one act and I turned somersaults in another act.”