! Hello, Jack Frost, is
that you? And how are you, my little roley-poley snow-balls? White and
light as ever, I see. And you've made me all white too, but not very
light, I fear. Well, well, be off with you, for I must go down the
Chimney.

_He bows to the Chimney, whose eyes blink through the snow._

Good evening, my old friend, _says_ SANTA CLAUS. YOU are enjoying
good health, I hope. May I climb down inside of you as usual?

THE CHIMNEY _answers, in a muffled voice, because he is so covered up
with snow_: Go ahead, Santa, I'm used to it.

_So Santa Claus climbs to the top of the Chimney, steps over, and
after throwing a kiss to the Snow Fairies, who return it, he goes down
out of sight._

_And that is the end of the First Scene._

* * * * *

THE INTERLUDE

_Again, before the Second Scene begins_, MOTHER GOOSE _comes out
in front of the curtain and this is what she says_:

Well, my dears, I hope you are enjoying my little Play. And what do you
suppose comes next? Wouldn't you like to see who lives down inside that
house, where the chimney was; and what they were doing while Jack Frost
and the others were up on the roof, and whether they heard the Wind
Fairies; and whether they knew that the Snow Fairies had come; and how
they came to make that mistake, lighting a fire in the fireplace where
Santa Claus had come down? Well, that is just what the next scene is to
be about. Last time we were up on the roof; this time we shall be down
in the Room, in front of the fire-place. So be still and listen
carefully, for now it is going to begin.

* * * * *

The Second Scene

_When the curtain opens this time, you can see into the Room of the
House, just as Mother Goose promised. Notice that on one side of the
fire-place is a window with curtains drawn, on the other, a washstand
with howl and pitcher. In front, on right and left, are two large beds.
In the middle of the room, with her hack to the fire-place, the
Grandmother is seated on a low chair, and about her in a half-circle on
stools, sit the eight grandchildren, four girls and four boys, all in
their night-clothes and wrappers._

ISABEL _begins by asking_: Grandmother, how old are you?

GRANDMOTHER _replies_: How old do you think, my dear?

ISABEL _guesses_: A hundred?

Almost, _says_ GRANDMOTHER: Why, I can remember when all your
mothers and fathers were little boys and girls