The Mandie Collection (32 page)

MANDIE:
(Follows George to door.)
Thank you again.

GEORGE: Good-night now.
(He exits the door.)

MANDIE:
(She closes the door and leans against it. Softly to herself.)
It’s going to be a long night before morning comes when I can tell Joe the good news. The Lord is going to take care of His orphans.

CURTAIN

MANDIE:
(Reading from the book as she sits in the chair.)
Joseph and Mary went from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth into Judea, and into the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, to be taxed according to a law made by Caesar Augustus. He declared that all the world should be taxed. While they were there they had to stay in a stable, because there was no room for them in the inn.

(A light illuminates the manger left downstage. Mary and Joseph are sitting by the manger in the straw.)

MANDIE:
(Continues reading.)
Mary’s first son was born in that stable manger. She wrapped Him in swaddling clothes and laid Him in the rough bed.

(As she reads this, Mary picks up a baby from the manger for the audience to see and carefully places Him back in the bed. He is wrapped in white garments.)

MANDIE:
(Continues reading.)
There were shepherds watching their flocks in the fields. The Lord’s angels appeared to them and they were afraid. The angel said—

JOE:
(From offstage.)
Fear not; behold, I bring you good tidings of a great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you. Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

LIZA AND THE ORPHANS:
(Liza, with the ten orphans dressed in white robes and wings, enters left stage and comes to stand behind the manger.)
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

MANDIE:
(Continues reading.)
And the shepherds came to see what had come to pass, and after they had seen the baby Jesus, they went out into the night and spread the word. Herod, the king, sent wise men from the east to find the newborn baby. The star they saw in the east went along with them and showed them the way.
(Pause for soft music from offstage.)

MANDIE:
(Continues reading.)
When the wise men saw the baby, they fell down on their knees and worshipped Him. They brought gold, frankincense, and myrrh and laid it before Him. But God warned them they should not return to Herod and that they should return to their country by another route. And after they left, the Lord’s angel appeared to Joseph in a dream telling him to arise and take the baby and His mother and flee into Egypt, because Herod would seek out the baby and try to kill Him. Then Herod died.

LIZA AND THE ORPHANS: And because the son of Herod was king now, Joseph didn’t go to Israel like God told him. He went to Galilee instead, and settled down in the city called Nazareth.

MANDIE:
(Closing the book and rising.)
And today we are having an early celebration of Jesus’ birth.
(She turns to look at Liza.)

(Liza herds the orphans forward to stand in a line across the stage.)

(The piano offstage begins playing, and Mandie steps to one side as the orphans, led by Liza, begin to sing old Christmas songs.)

MANDIE:
(After two songs, Mandie waves to Liza to stop. The piano music also stops. Mandie steps forward to center downstage.)
Ladies and gentlemen, I’d like you to meet our chorus. (
She motions toward the orphans, and they all come to stand by her.
) These ten little children are all orphans. I doubt that any of you knows any of these little tykes. When Joe Woodard and I got permission to put on this play at the church, we wanted to make this a real Christmas—what Christmas really stands for—Jesus’ birthday, not just the time when Santa Claus comes and everyone is so anxious to receive all the gifts they can get, with no mention of our Savior. Presents should be given to show our love for other people, people who are poor and needy and who won’t receive much else for Christmas.
(Mandie pauses as she spots Uncle Ned in the audience.)
These children don’t have a real home. They live wherever people will take them in exchange for work. Imagine little ones like these having to work for their keep.
(She pauses as a murmur goes up from the audience. Continuing.)
I want to ask each and every one of you to help these orphans. And I’ll tell you how you can do it. You probably all know about the old house that’s been closed up for years and years out on Bryson City Road, just around the curve. Well, the owners died recently in Jackson County, where they had moved many years ago. And I met the man who has inherited the house, George Simpson, their cousin.
(She pauses as she sees some of the older people looking at each other in recognition of the name. She takes a deep breath and continues.)
Now, Mr. Simpson has agreed to give us the house for a home for these orphans
provided
we donate enough time, work, and money to get it in livable shape and maintain it.
(She pauses as there are loud murmurs from the audience.)

MANDIE:
(Continuing as she looks over the audience.)
Just look at these two little boys here, Jake and Jasper. (
She motions toward the two boys.
) They are not aware of it yet, but they were separated when they were babies after the death of their parents. That shouldn’t ever happen to anyone.
(She pauses to allow the audience to make remarks among themselves.)

(The two boys step out of line to look at each other and rush to embrace.)

(Continuing in a stern voice.)
Now here’s what every person in this audience
must
do. Everybody here can give something. If you don’t have money to give, you can give time and work. We have promised Mr. Simpson that the people of Franklin will come to the rescue of these little orphans, and we are going to keep our promise. Please don’t say you’re too busy or you can’t afford to give even a few dollars. No matter how poor you are, you can still share in some way. We can always find someone poorer than we are, and these little orphans are poorer than anyone in this audience.
(She pauses, but the audience is quiet.) (Continuing in a firm voice.)
Now, I want the donations to begin. Who will make the first one? We have a chance to help these children, and I want you to assist in some way. Come on now. Who has money to give? Who will volunteer to work on the house? Speak up.

(The audience has become restless and murmurs among themselves.)

MAN:
(Stands up, shaking his fist and yelling at Mandie.)
We don’t need no half-breed telling us what to do with our money and time! Who do you think you are?

MANDIE:
(Shocked.)
I am what God made me and I can’t change that so you’d better like it!

JOE:
(Rushing out from behind the curtain to Mandie’s side. Yelling and shaking his fist in the air.)
This is God’s house and no place for such talk, mister!

UNCLE NED:
(Rushing up on the stage to join Mandie.)
Come, Papoose.

AUDIENCE: No, we don’t! No! Never! Use your own money!
(The audience quickly exit the church.)

MRS. TAFT:
(Rushing up on the stage to join Mandie.)
I’ll fix that man! You just wait and see! He’ll live to regret what he said to my granddaughter!

MANDIE:
(Seeing Liza and the orphans standing nearby.)
Please take off their costumes, Liza, and take the children all over to the house. We’re going to eat there.
(She wipes her eyes with the back of her hand.)

(Liza exits with the orphans, and Jenny and Abraham, who played Joseph and Mary, follow them offstage.)

MRS. TAFT: Come on, dear. Everyone is due over at your house in a few minutes. Your mother and Uncle John went on ahead, before that ugly man made his remarks, and asked me to see that everyone else gets there on time.

MANDIE: Just give me a few minutes, please, Grandmother, and I’ll be along.

MRS. TAFT: All right now. Don’t be too long.
(She exits the way Liza went.)

MANDIE:
(Mandie steps down from the stage and sits down in the front pew. Joe and Uncle Ned follow her. Looking at Joe.)
I’m sorry everything went so badly. I guess I ruined it all.

JOE:
(Reaching to hold her hand.)
No, you didn’t, Mandie. You did wonderful. It was that selfish man who tried to ruin everything.
(He stands up.)
I’m going on over to your house because I know you want to talk with Uncle Ned. You haven’t seen him since he got here. But please hurry. I’m hungry.
(He laughs as he exits left stage.)

MANDIE: Uncle Ned, what did I do wrong?

UNCLE NED: Papoose must learn to think. I always say think. Think before acting. Think what people will say when Papoose demand money and work from them.

MANDIE:
(Looking at him in surprise.)
But I didn’t demand it, Uncle Ned. I was only asking for it.

UNCLE NED: No, no, Papoose must walk softly when asking for something. Cannot
make
people do things. Must set example to influence them.

MANDIE: But I thought I was doing the right thing showing them the orphans and telling them about the house.

UNCLE NED: Papoose must set example. Show people she can work and give.

MANDIE: You mean we should go ahead and start work on the house if Mr. Simpson will let us?

UNCLE NED:
(Smiling.)
Yes, begin work. Others will come.

MANDIE: I’m not sure about that. The other people in the audience were saying things that sounded like they were agreeing with what the man said.

UNCLE NED: Trust. We work. Other people will work.

MANDIE: Trust, yes, I must trust in the Lord to help.
(Mandie reaches for the old Indian’s hand, and together they look upward to say a prayer.)

MANDIE: Dear Lord, we need your help to provide a home for the little orphans. Please help. Thank you, dear Lord.

UNCLE NED: Yes, Big God, we need help. Please help.
(Uncle Ned stands and pulls Mandie to her feet.)
Must go eat now.

MANDIE:
(Wiping her reddened eyes with the back of her hand.)
Even you are hungry!
(She smiles up at him as they start to exit the stage.)

CURTAIN

MINISTER: We should remember that Christmas is the celebration of Jesus’ birth, and not only an occasion for receiving gifts. We should be giving gifts to those less fortunate than we are—the poor, the disabled, and of course the orphans such as you have had here in the play on Sunday.

(An amen comes from the Amen Corner in the back of the church.)

(Minister continues.)
Christmas should be a time of forgiving. Don’t let the sun go down on your wrath. You may not be here tomorrow to ask the other person’s forgiveness. And the sum of the commandments is that we love one another. If you really want to get even with someone you think has done you wrong, forgive that person and be nice to him or her. That person will be at a loss as to what to do next and, most of the time, amends can be made. Now let’s stand and sing our final hymn tonight, the old Christmas carol “O Holy Night.” Let’s all join in.

(The audience stands and sings the song.)

MANDIE:
(As soon as the song is over, Mandie rushes up to the pulpit. The minister looks at her in surprise. Speaking to the minister.)
Please excuse me, but I have something to say before everyone leaves.

MINISTER: Yes, miss, go right ahead.
(He steps back from the pulpit as Mandie steps up to it.)

MANDIE:
(Looking over the audience, who are all watching her.)
I want to apologize to all of you, every one of you, for the way I made the request for help for the orphans’ home on Sunday after the play. I know I was wrong to demand anything from you good people. I want your forgiveness for letting my temper out. I am sorry from the bottom of my heart. Please forgive me. I see Mr. George Simpson sitting near the back. It’s up to him whether we get the house for the orphans, but I am sure the Lord will take care of the little children.
(Mandie feels her knees about to fold up and she starts to return to her seat.)

(The people in the church begin murmuring.)

MAN:
(The man who started it all suddenly walks up to the pulpit. He steps in front of Mandie to speak.)
I must ask your forgiveness, Miss Amanda Shaw. I am terribly sorry for my stupid outburst last Sunday. You are trying to do a wonderful thing, and I was trying to stop you. I am sorry. And to show I mean it, I have the first hundred dollars right here for the work on the house. And I will do any job that I am capable of doing to help get things going.
(He waves the money in the air.)

(Before Mandie can reply, the audience becomes noisy and yells such things as “Here’s mine,” “I’ll do my part,” “What can I do?” etc.)

MANDIE:
(Smiles at the people.)
I love you all.

(The crowd suddenly surges forward toward the platform. They begin filling the collection plates on the table with their money. Suddenly the piano blasts out with the old hymn, “Count Your Blessings,” and the people chime in with the words, “Count your blessings, name them one by one . . .”)

MANDIE:
(Mandie looks down toward the piano on the side.)
Joe Woodard!
(She smiles and waves at Joe playing the piano, and he laughs and plays louder still.)

GEORGE:
(George Simpson rushes up to the platform with a paper in his hand. He hands it to Mandie.)
I’ve already had the legal work done. The house is now the orphans’ home.

MANDIE:
(Grasps the piece of paper, stands on tiptoe to plant a kiss on his cheek. Mandie waves the paper at Joe and then at Uncle Ned in the audience.)
See what God has done!

(The audience closes in around her with a loud “Amen.” The piano gets louder with “Count Your Blessings.”)

CURTAIN