PATSY. Now, we'll have to draw the curtain to get the stage ready. NORA. And while we're getting ready Mary Ann can say her piece. CURTAIN FALLS. MRS. MULLIGAN (_in audience_). My, my, Kathleen, what a large crowd of people are here tonight. I'm afraid I'm not dressed up for the occasion. MRS. O'TOOLE. Dressed up, is it? Indade you are. Ye have on short sleeves and a low-neck dress. What more would ye want? There's the minister and his wife setting right back there. (_Speaks to them._) Good avening, Brother ----; sure, it's a fine avening we're having, is it not? MRS. MULLIGAN (_speaks to a lady in audience_). My, my, is it yourself, Mrs. ----? Sure, I'm glad to see ye out. It's a long time since I've had the pleasure of seeing you. (_Speaks to several children._) And there's ---- and ---- and ----. I'm glad to see all of yeez. Sure, some day yeez must come over to me house in Mulligan Alley and I'll let you play with the goat, Shamus O'Brien. MRS. O'TOOLE. I see the young ladies over there, and each one of them has a young man. My, my, it does me ould heart good to see the young folks enjoying themselves. It ain't so many years since me and Pat was courting each other just like the rest of yeez. MRS. MULLIGAN. Mrs. O'Toole, do you see that young man sitting there all by his lonesome? Ain't it a shame? And him such a good looking young feller, too. I've a good notion to go over there and cheer him up a bit. Maybe his girl is here with another fellow. MRS. O'TOOLE. Sure, there's plenty of girls here without any fellows at all, at all. Why should a young man sit all alone like a bump on a log, whin there's so many handsome colleens waiting for the chance at him? MRS. MULLIGAN. Whist, Mrs. O'Toole, it's making him embarrassed yeez are. Will you look at the red color in his face? MRS. O'TOOLE. If ye ask me my opinion, Mollie Mulligan, sure and I think he's after waiting fer one of yer own lovely daughters. MRS. MULLIGAN. Well, he might go further and fare worse. Nora Eudora's a fine girl, if I do say it myself. MRS. O'TOOLE. Whist, here comes Mary Ann out in front of the curtain to spake her piece. (MARY ANN _comes in front of the curtain, makes a bow and recites:_) LETTER TO SANTA CLAUS. Blessed old Santa Claus, king of delights, What are you doing these long winter nights? Filling your budgets with trinkets and toys, Wonderful gifts for the girls and the boys. While you are planning for everything nice, Pray let me give you a bit of advice. Don't take it hard if I say in your ear, Santa, I thought you were partial last year; Loading the rich folks with everything gay, Snubbing the poor ones who came in your way. Now of all times of the year I am sure This is the time to remember the poor.