Marie Irish

“ Now see ye here, Bill Jones, I was goin’ to make ye a nice cookie cut in shape of a pig fer a Christmas prisint, but I’ll not do it if ye don’t be after quittin’ an’ go to behavin’.
Jones: [folding hands piously] If I quit a-tall I’ll have to quit behavin’ ’cause I’m always good. My mother says I’m the best boy she’s got—the other six boys bein’ girls. But tell me now, where’s Rosie an’ Katie?
Mulligan: Sure, they’re in their room fixin’ up tryin’ to see how nice they can make themselves look ’cause they want Dannie to think they’re pretty when he sees ’em. ”

“ Mulligan an’ she’s to wear it on Christmas day. Now here is something for Dannie who has been a good boy while his eyes were being made well. This is for— [pretends to study name] w’y, it’s for the good Nurse who has taken care of Dannie. Here [peeks into bag] is some Christmas candy, but mind you, Katie and Rosie, that you don’t make yourselves sick. Here [peeps into bag] are some nuts to go with the candy. Here at the bottom of the basket is something that I believe is for me—a nice, fat chicken for Christmas dinner. ”

“ An’ whin Dannie who’s niver looked out of his eyes all the years he’s lived, bless ’im, is gettin’ ’em fixed so’s he can see.
Mulligan: But Nora darlin’, when a man’s got sich a fine wife an’ sich fine childer as I’ve got, an’ likes to do well by ’em, it comes awful hard not to give ’em a bit of a treat at Christmas. [Sighs.]
Mrs. M.: [putting hand on his shoulder] Now, Peter, not a bit more of that! We are going to have a wonderful Christmas, just in havin’ Dannie come home so he can see. Shame to think we need any prisint but that. ”

“ Nurse: Oh, I’m sure this is the finest treat you’ve ever given them, Mr. Mulligan, to be able to have Dannie’s eyes treated.
Mulligan: [shaking head sadly] But Christmas ain’t Christmas without the treat.
Enter Jones with large basket
Jones: What’s that about a Christmas treat? Well, here it comes. I met Santy Claus down on the corner an’ he said a fam’ly who did so well savin’ up money to get a boy’s eyes fixed must have a little pay for it. Nurse, you might help me give these out. [He puts basket on chair, takes out packages and hands to Nurse who gives them to family.]
Rosie: Oh, goody! ”

“ M.: We don’t care for a Christmas dinner if Dannie can see.
The Others: We don’t care for a Christmas dinner if Dannie can see.
Mrs. M.: That’s fine. Now we must remimber that all day tomorrow, which will be Christmas day.
Rosie: Can’t Dannie come home tomorrow? We want him home Christmas.
Mulligan: [shaking head] I’m ’fraid he’ll not be comin’ fer a bit yet. Mebbe he’ll be here for New Year’s.
Rosie: [clapping hands] Oh, won’t that be lovely?
Jones: [to Mulligan] Say, Peter, an’ s’posin’ Dannie was to see you now? Why don’t you fuss up some an’ let us see how it improves the looks of you? ”

“ An’ I don’t want the doll very bad, Katie.
Katie: Indeed you don’t if dear Dannie comes home so he sees us. Come on. [They take hold of hands and run off merrily.]
Mulligan: [coming up to center, shaking head and sighing] Poor little dears, what a pity it is, now, that they’ll not be gittin’ a single bit of a Christmas prisint. [Sits.] But what’s a poor workin’ man like mesilf to do whin Christmas comes round an’ he hasn’t a cint left? Sure, there’s no father that’s wantin’ to do better by his childer than I do, but with all of Dannie’s ixpenses I’m clean broke.
Enter Mrs. Mulligan
Mrs. ”

“ My, my, how happy we are. Just as soon as tomorrow morning comes, Katie, you an’ Rosie must run over with some of the nuts an’ candy for the Flemming childers, poor little dears.
Rosie: Oh, mama, can’t I take one of my dolls to little Mary? I know she won’t get any.
Mulligan: Sure, that will be fine, Rosie.
Nurse: The best thing about Christmas is to be able to share our joys with someone else. [Knock is heard; Katie runs over and ushers in the visitors.]
Enter Mrs. O’Brien and Patsy, each carrying a basket
Mrs. ”