The Mandie Collection (31 page)

MANDIE:
(Holding up a small, white robe.)
Aunt Lou certainly did a good job on these. I’ve got to tell her how much I appreciate her work.

JOE:
(Holding a pair of wings to go on the robe.)
She certainly did. We’re lucky your grandmother came to our rescue. Without your cook, Jenny, preparing food for the children and Aunt Lou making the costumes, we would never in this world get finished on time.

MANDIE: You’re right.
(She puts the costume down on the table and looks at the children.)
You know, anybody could look at Jasper and Jake and tell they were brothers, but the boys themselves don’t seem aware of it. It’s a shame they’ve been put into different homes since they were babies. I imagine this is the first time they’ve ever really seen each other.

JOE:
(Also looking at the children.)
I think we ought to tell them they’re brothers.

MANDIE: I don’t imagine Mrs. Oglesby, who keeps Jake, would mind. But that bunch of bootleggers who have Jasper would probably raise the roof.

JOE: There’s nothing they could do about it if we did tell the boys. In fact, Jasper might be taken away from them if the right people knew what kind of home he is in.

MANDIE: But, Joe, think how it would hurt the boys to know they were brothers and couldn’t live together.

JOE:
(Pacing the floor.)
This thing has become too complicated for comfort.

MANDIE: It’s not much longer to wait. Sunday we’ll give the play, and Grandmother has already promised we could all go Christmas caroling on Christmas Eve, and keep the children here until late Christmas Day on Wednesday so we can give them the presents she is going to place beneath the tree.

JOE: Don’t you think we’d better practice a little more for the play? The children need to learn to stay together on the songs.

MANDIE: All right.
(She looks over at Liza.)
Liza, let’s line the children up and sing some of the songs. The more they practice, the better they’ll be.

LIZA:
(Getting up off the floor where she has been sitting with the children and urging the ten children to line up.)
Let’s stand up straight heah down by de table and show Missy ’Manda how good we is. How ’out dat “Silent Night” song we done learned?
(All ten children obey as they line up and begin singing.)
Silent Night, Holy Night—loud now so Mistuh Joe he kin hear you, too.

MANDIE:
(Mandie and Joe stand nearby to watch and listen as the children go through the whole song without a noticeable mistake. Claps as the song ends. The children go back to play.)
That was wonderful!
(Turning to Joe.)
They need some music. I didn’t even think about that. And I don’t know where we’re going to get someone to play the piano.

JOE:
(Walking toward the hallway exit.)
There’s a piano in this next room here.
(He exits.)

MANDIE:
(Remains on stage.)
Yes, but what good is it to us?
(Suddenly the sound of “Silent Night, Holy Night,” bursts forth from the piano in the next room.)

MANDIE:
(Hurrying to the hallway exit. She looks offstage as she calls to Joe.)
Joe Woodard!
(The music stops.)
When did you learn to play the piano?

JOE:
(Entering from the hallway exit.)
A long, long time ago.

MANDIE: I’ve known you all my life, and I didn’t know you could play the piano. Why have you been so secretive about it?

JOE:
(Flopping into a chair near the table.)
I haven’t been. My mother taught me as soon as I could walk, just about. But I revolted after I got up in school.

MANDIE: I’m glad to find this out about you, because I’m sure we’re going to make use of your talent for this play.
(She grins at him.)

JOE:
(Stands up and yawns, picks up his coat and cap from a chair.)
I think I’m going to the house now. It’s late.

MANDIE:
(Stands up.)
I know. The children have stayed up way past their bedtime.

JOE:
(Placing his coat and cap back on the chair.)
I’ll stoke up the fire in the heater for you and get the mattresses ready for the children.
(He goes to the heater, opens the door, pokes at the fire inside, and adds more wood from a pile on the floor.)

MANDIE: Liza, it’s bedtime. Take the girls to the other room and get them dressed for bed. Joe and I will make up the mattresses, and then you can help the boys.

LIZA:
(Stands up and motions to the girls.)
Come on, all you lil’ gals. Bedtime.

(The girls follow her as she exits off the hallway.)

JOE: I’ll get the mattresses.
(He starts toward the exit off the hallway.)
We put them in the big closet down the hall this morning.
(Exits.)

MANDIE:
(Follows him across the stage.)
I’ll help you.
(Exits off the hallway.)

LIZA:
(Enters from the hallway, gently pushing the little girls ahead of her. The children are wearing their nightclothes.)
Come on, you lil’ boys. You’s next.

(Mandie and Joe enter carrying a cornshuck mattress, which they place on two benches they push together. Liza exits through the hallway as she herds the boys ahead of her.)

JOE:
(Straightening up.)
One down. Four to go.

MANDIE:
(Giving the mattress a little pat.)
Five to go. Don’t forget Liza has to have a bed, too.

JOE: I thought some of the little ones could sleep three on one mattress. With the backs of benches to keep them from falling off, there’s plenty of room.

MANDIE:
(Straightening up.)
You’re right. And I’ll sleep in the next room.

(Mandie and Joe exit through the hallway and bring in more mattresses. Liza leads the little boys back into the room in their nightclothes and puts them and the girls on their beds. Then she helps Mandie and Joe and gets her own mattress, which she places on the floor between the boys and girls.)

MANDIE: Liza and I can get the quilts. You go ahead. See you in the morning.

JOE:
(Picks up his coat and hat, puts them on.)
Good-night.
(He goes to the open door.)

MANDIE: Good-night.

(Joe exits through the doorway and closes the door.)

(Liza exits through the hallway and comes back with an armload of quilts, which she lays on the table.)

LIZA: I git de rest of dem quilts if you wants to kivver de chillun wid dese.
(Exits.)

MANDIE: Sure, Liza.
(She begins going from bed to bed distributing the covers.)

LIZA:
(Enters from the hallway with more quilts.)
Dis be all of dem. I left one fo’ you.

(Mandie takes some of the quilts, and she and Liza finish distributing them. The children are all covered for the night.)

MANDIE: You go ahead to bed, Liza. I’m going to sit down at the far end and go over the script for the play one more time before I retire for the night.
(She picks up the stack of papers on the table.)

LIZA:
(Flopping down on her mattress and pulling a quilt over her.)
’Night, Missy ’Manda.

MANDIE:
(She walks over to the lamp at the hallway end of the room and blows out the light.)
Good-night, Liza.
(She carries the papers and goes to sit down in a chair by the other lamp, which is near the door. The scene becomes quiet. There is a giggle now and then from the children, but they soon fall asleep. Mandie reads her papers and begins to nod. She drops off to sleep in the chair. She is suddenly awakened by someone [George] opening the door.
Quickly sitting up and rubbing her eyes. She looks toward the door.)
Who is it?

GEORGE:
(Pausing just inside the doorway as he closes the door.)
I’m sorry. I didn’t know someone was using the basement. You see, I’ve just got back into town after many long years away, and I thought I’d run over to visit this old church where I went as a child.

MANDIE:
(Gasping as she quickly stands up and straightens her skirts.)
I see. My name is Amanda Shaw, Mandie for short, and these children are all orphans.
(She waves her hand toward the sleeping children.)

GEORGE: I apologize. I’m George Simpson. Are you related to Mr. John Shaw?

MANDIE:
(Completely awake now, responds in surprise.)
Yes, he’s my uncle, and he married my mother after my father, Jim Shaw, died.

GEORGE:
(With a big smile.)
Well, well, well! I remember your father very well before he married your mother. After that he seemed to disappear, but Mr. John Shaw was very kind to me when I was growing up. You see, I was an orphan, too.

MANDIE: If you were an orphan, where did you live here in Franklin when you attended this church?

GEORGE: Oh, here and there, mostly with my mother’s old cousins, who have just died. That’s why I’m back in town.

MANDIE: Did I know them? Who were they?

GEORGE: No, you probably didn’t know them, because they left town years ago to live over in Jackson County. They owned the huge house on the hill just as you go around the curve on Bryson City Road. It has been closed up ever since they moved away, and I find it’s in bad shape. I’m their only heir, and they left it to me, but I don’t know what I’ll be doing with it.

MANDIE: Don’t you want to live in it? I know the house you’re talking about. It looks like a mansion, really, it’s so big.

GEORGE: No, it would be impossible for me to live here in Franklin. You see, I have a home in New York and my business is up there, so I don’t need the house.

MANDIE: New York? I’ve never been there, but some day I will go. Couldn’t you move your business down here so you could live in the house? I’m sure it would be beautiful if someone would fix it up.

GEORGE:
(Laughing.)
No, I couldn’t do that. I’m an actor and I have to stay where the theater is.

MANDIE:
(Quickly looking at George.)
The children are here temporarily so we can have them in a Christmas play here in the church. My friend Joe Woodard and I are presenting it the Sunday before Christmas—next Sunday, in fact.
(Looking up directly into his eyes.)
Could we persuade you to act in our play? Please?

GEORGE: Sorry, but I won’t be in Franklin this coming weekend. I will return next week to do something about the house though.

MANDIE: How much are you going to sell the house for? I mean, you must be planning to sell it since you don’t want it.

GEORGE: Why? Do you know of someone who might be interested in buying it?

MANDIE:
(Sighing.)
No, not exactly. I was just thinking what a perfect home it would make for these orphans here. You see, they’ve all been farmed out wherever a family needs them to do work, and I’m sure they’re being mistreated. Can you imagine little ones like these having to work for their keep?

GEORGE:
(Pacing about a few steps.)
Yes, I know exactly what it’s like. I went through all that and somehow managed to survive. I ran away from the last place that gave me a home, because they beat me. I was fourteen and I hitchhiked—walked most of the way, really—to New York. I got various backbreaking jobs and was able to get some education. Then, when I was seventeen, I was really lucky. I got a job as driver for one of the big Broadway producers. He gave me my start in show business. But I am well aware that not all orphans are given an opportunity like that.

MANDIE:
(Smiling.)
I’m sorry, Mr. Simpson, but I am happy for you now.
(Smiling, she looks up at him.)
Don’t you think the house would be a good place to put these orphans?

GEORGE:
(Pauses for a moment before replying.)
Yes, I agree. I remember being in the house. It probably has twenty rooms. But it’s in bad shape right now.

MANDIE:
(Mandie frowns and walks around. Stops to face George.)
I know what we could do! If you would give us the house for the orphans, I could probably get the money from the townspeople to fix it up.

GEORGE: But what about maintenance? How would you run the operation? After all, there are regular bills, such as food and clothing among other things, that have to be funded from somewhere.

MANDIE:
(Closing her eyes as she looks upward. Then turns to look at George.)
If you will donate the house to the orphans, I will come up with the money to run it. I have faith in the people’s kindness here in Franklin and, above all, I have faith that God will supply the funds.
(She clasps her hands as she holds her breath, waiting for his answer.)

GEORGE:
(Hesitates a moment. Steps forward with his hand out.)
It’s a deal. You get the money rounded up and I will be back in town, probably on Christmas Eve. We’ll seal the bargain then.

(They shake hands.)

MANDIE:
(Suddenly stands on tiptoe and plants a kiss on George’s cheek.)
Thank you! With all my heart, I thank you!

GEORGE:
(Quickly embraces her and then steps back.)
Now I have to go. I have someone waiting for me. I will see you as soon as I get back in town.
(He walks toward the door.)