Ola or a Christmas Present for Mother by John D. Mac donald. Requisites
scene a sitting room with fireplace, a small one or a two burner oil
stove hid in a fireplace. Characters. Alta Good read by Devora Allen,
Henry Good read by T. J. Burns. Leon Good read by Thomas
Peter, Missus Good read by Phone Ola. A Street Waif read by Jasmine
Selma Narrator read by Maria Casper. Alta working on a tidy sighs heavily.
Ha Leon whittling a stick, looks up at Alta. I say, Alta,
isn't that tidy finished? Yet? You must be taking a lot of
pains with it, for you have been a long time at it. That
is true, Leona. I have been working on it a long time.
You see. It is for mother, and I can only work on it
when she is away somewhere. I have quite a lot to do on it,
but I think I can finish it before mother comes home. You had
better let Henry and you help you, Alta, and then you surely will
finish it. Leon. It wouldn't be a tidy if I let you and
Henry get in some of your stitches on it. I rather think that it
would be an untidy instead of a tidy. I think you had better crack
some nuts for mother and leave me to do this Henry, who has been
rubbing some corn off into the pauper. Yes, Leon, you get some
nuts cracked and leave sister to do her fancy work. I'll get about this
corn and have it ready for mother when she gets home. Henry pops the
corn and Leon cracks nuts. By the way, Alta, what do you
think mother will bring you for a Christmas present? A writing pad or an
automobile? He wanted both, but as we're very poor, you will likely
only get one of them. Which shall it be? Now, Henry,
Please don't tease me anymore about that automobile. You know I was only fooling.
Besides, there are a number of things that I need more than I
do an automobile. I know what all to wants, Henry. She would
like a half dozen more brothers just like us. Come now, Alta,
isn't that so No, not at all, Leon. Two brothers are enough
for me, But I would like a sister to play with you boys tease
me so? Perhaps Mother will bring you one when she comes home from her
Christmas shopping Tonight, you pop your corn, Henry, and I will attend
to my work. I can see that you feel like teasing me again tonight,
Henry to Leon. I suppose there will be a lot of happy children
tomorrow, Leon, with plenty of candy and nuts and all kinds of presents.
Bill Lark told me they were going to have a Christmas tree at their
church and they were going to give a present to all the poor in the
town. Say that will be great, won't it. Still? I'll bet
there will be a lot of children that won't get anything, and I feel
so sorry for them. I was reading a story yesterday about a poor little
girl who had no father or mother to care for her. She had no
home but used to sleep in any hall or doorway that she found open,
and one cold Christmas Eve she froze to death. It made me cry when
I read it. Henry dumping the corn from the pauper on the table.
Well, sister, we have no father, and we are very poor too,
but we have a nice home and enough to eat, and the very
best mother and all the world. Dear me, boys, whatever should we
do without our mother? Knock heard at door, Alter hurries to put tidy
away. Here comes mother. I'm so glad. Goes to door, finds
Ola standing there. Why little girl, who are you? Oh? Please?
May I come and I get warm? I'm so very very cold,
and I have no place to go. I have no place to sleep,
and I'm so hungry. Boys go to door also, come in, Come
in and get warm? You poor little thing. What is your name?
Little girl? Olah shivering? Oh, I'm just Ola. Take off your
coat and hat, Ola, and come up to the fire and get warm.
You get a chair for her, Henry, while I get her a
hot drink and something to eat. Henry puts chair by fire. Ola starting
to remove coat. I guess i'd better keep my things on because your mom
might get mad when she sees me. And I have to scoot cause I
get kicked out of lots of places. Most people don't like poor folks.
They say we steal and lie in lots of other things. But I don't.
Here. Ola, eat this bread and drink this, and when mother
comes she will give you some more. Gives Ola hot drink and bread.
Why are your father and mother? Ola? I haven't gotten them. I
am just alone. Well, who takes care of you? I do it?
Myself, Henry, coming closer to Ola. Why who buys food for
you? Nobody? Only me? A'll tak wiping tears away? You poor
poor little thing. How do you earn money to buy bread and clothes and
shoes? I sell matches and papers, and I run errand sometimes for the
butcher man, and sometimes I scrub out the butcher man's shop. But I
don't get much. And sometimes I sing on the street and I get as
much as ten cents. Sing for us, Willyola, We would like to
hear you. Jesus loves me. This I know, for the Bible tells
me so little wants to him. Long they are week BERTI is strong.
Yes, Jesus loves me. Yes, Jesus loves me. Yes, Jesus
love me. The Bible tells me so. Alta calls boys aside, say,
boys, let's keep Olah, the poor little thing. She can be
our sister. And I will give her some of my clothes and shoes to
wear, and we can all take care of her. Let's do it,
Henry, let's do it. We will give her to mother for a Christmas
present, all right, we'll do it. When we hear mother coming,
we will let Ola stand in the corner and cover her up so mother won't
see her when she comes in. What fun? Alta speaks to Ola,
Ola, how would you like to live here with us, have our mother
for your mother too? Wouldn't it be nice? Ola standing up, looks
surprised. Oh oh, oh, missus Good knocks at the door. Quick,
all, La, quick, stand over here, and we will cover
you all up before mother comes in. Enter Missus Good. Well, my
dear children, have you enjoyed yourselves while I was out chopping? Oh?
Yes, mother, we had a splendid time. The boys were real good
to me and didn't tease much. Mother. Are all those bundles Christmas presents
for us? No, dear, don't be inquisitive. Wait until to morrow
morning to see what I have for you. Places bundles on the table,
Henrietta, Alta. I see a riding pad, Alta, but no automobile.
Alta turns her head away from him. Leon very importantly, hands in
pockets. Well, mother, we have a Christmas present for you, and
we're not going to keep you waiting until Christmas morning for it either. Henry
excitedly, what do you suppose it is? Mother? Give a good guess
now, Oh, some candy or some fancy work. Isn't that it?
Alter? No, not fancy work, dear mother. We have something better
than that. Our new presence moves and sings and is very very useful.
Missus good smiling. Oh I know. No, you have a canary bird
that moves and sings and is indeed very useful because it teaches us to be
happy all the time. No, it's not a canary, mother, because
it talks too. Now, a canary doesn't talk, you know, Henry,
it must be a parrot. Come now, isn't it a parrot?
No, Mother, it's no parrot either. Guess again, missus good ponder,
No, I'll give it up, but I know it must be something
nice. I can tell by your happy faces. Bring it out, boys,
Bring it out, boys, carry ollah, still covered up, out
the middle of the room in rigid position. Oh, what a big present
that is, boys, leon as he uncovers Olah. Yes, and it
can sing and scrub and sell matches. Missus good. In surprise, my
children, What little girl is this? How did you come here? Mother?
The poor little creature came to our door so cold and hungry, and
we brought her in. We thought she would freeze to death. And now
mother, we want to keep her, and she is your Christmas present from
us, Missus Good. As she seats herself in a chair, Come here,
little girl, and tell me all about it. Puts arm around Olah.
What is your name, dear Olah? Ola? What? Oh?
No, not Olla? What? It's just Ola, that's all. Where
is your home? Ola? I haven't got no home. But you must
live somewhere, and someone must take care of you. Can it be that
you are all alone in the world. I guess I must be, because
no one gives me a home, and I take care of myself. I
had a nice mama once, and she took care of me. But Mamma
was sick a long time, and she told me one day to always be
a good little girl, and sometime I could come and see her up in
heaven, because she was going there pretty soon. And I guess she went
to heaven because I didn't see her since they took her away in a carriage.
Do keep her, mother, and we will all share up with her.
Missus Good thoughtfully, three little ones of my own vite for can I
take another? And the stranger draws Ola closer to her. Ola. The
children say you can sing? Will you sing for me? Jesus loves me.
He who died heavens gets to open what he will wash away, my
son, let his little child come in. Yes, Jesus loves me.
Yes, Jesus loves me. Yes, Jesus loves me. The Bible tells
me, so, Ola, would you like to live here with us?
And let me be your mother in place of the one that's gone to heaven.
Oh? My live here, Oh this lovely house, runs over to
the fireplace, and be warm all the time. Oh yes, yes,
yes, Olah, and not only have a nice warm home, but a
warm place in our hearts too. Now, dear children, I thank you
all for your Christmas present, draws Olah to her, And if you will
all come closer, I will read a few verses from the Bible. Then
shall the King say to them that shall be on his right hand, Come,
ye, blessed of my Father possessed you the kingdom prepared for you from
the foundation of the world. For I was hungry, and you gave me
to eat. I was thirsty, and you gave me to drink. I
was a stranger and you took me in naked, and you covered me sick,
and you visited me. I was in prison, and you came to
me. Then shall the just answer him, saying, Lord, when did
we see thee hungry and fed thee thirsty and gave thee drink? Or when
did we see thee a stranger and took thee in? Or naked and covered
thee? Or when did we see thee sick or imprison and came to thee.
And the king answering, shall say to them, all men, I
say to you, as long as you did it to one of these,
my least brethren, you did it to me. Yes, after all,
it is more blessed to give than to receive. And for his sake I
will give this little one a home curtain end of ollah, or a Christmas
present for mother by John D. Mac donald