The Mandie Collection (37 page)

Liza tugged at her hand to go the other way, and Mollie pushed ahead. Then when they got closer to the white form, Mandie felt Mollie’s footsteps grow slower.

“Come on, now, Mollie, we’re going to find out what this is,” Mandie told her as she continued up the hill and strong gusts of wind blew against them.

As they drew nearer, Mandie could see what looked like a lot of white, fluffy material floating in the air, and then suddenly the top part of it seemed to be broken away by the wind and go flying off into space.

Mandie gasped as she saw carrot-red hair uncovered and the form turned into a woman dressed in all white. The four young people stopped to stare at the woman, and the woman stared at them. Then Mandie came to a quick decision. Practically dragging Mollie with Celia’s help, Mandie moved on toward the woman. Finally they were in hearing distance, and when Mandie could see the woman’s bright blue eyes, she came to a conclusion.

“You are Mollie’s aunt, aren’t you?” Mandie asked as they stood face-to-face with the woman. Mollie clung to Mandie’s skirt and Liza slipped behind the little girl. Celia stood by, listening and looking.

“That I am,” the woman said. Then suddenly she came forward and stooped down to get a good look at Mollie. “And this is my sister’s dear little daughter.”

Mollie tried to move closer to Mandie, and the woman added, “I am your aunt, child. Come to me.” She held her arms out but Mollie didn’t budge.

“How did you know where Mollie was?” Mandie asked.

“Ah, that you do not know?” the woman asked. “The detectives hunted and hunted but could not find me because I got married and changed my name. Then weeks and weeks ago, your grandmother, Mrs. Taft, asked your uncle John Shaw to send his man to contact the Cherokee people for help in locating me, and, as you see, they found me.”

“Then why didn’t you just come to the house instead of hiding out here on the mountain?” Mandie asked.

“My poor sister and I had hard words years ago when I left Ireland, and I was not sure I wanted to see my niece,” the woman replied.

“You must have been the one who lured Mollie out of her bed the other night,” Celia said.

“Aye, she was,” Mollie suddenly spoke.

“And how do you be knowing that?” the woman asked.

“Because ye smell like ye did that night when ye ran off and left me,” Mollie told her. “Do ye not want to be me aunt?”

“I am your aunt, dear child. Nothing can change that,” the woman said.

“Me name is not child. Me name is Mollie,” the little girl replied.

“That I do know, and also your name was spelled wrong on the papers the detectives had,” the woman said. “The correct spelling is M-o-l-l-i-e, and they had it spelled M-o-l-l-y, which almost caused me to disclaim any knowledge of you because I thought it was the wrong little girl. So I had to see you for myself. And when I saw that red hair and those blue eyes, I knew you were my sister’s child.”

“Her name was spelled with a ‘y’ on the papers the law officers gave my grandmother in Ireland to bring Mollie home with us,” Mandie told her. “So I suppose you are going to take Mollie home with you?”

The woman stood up and said, “No, that’s impossible right now.”

“I want to go back home with Celia,” Mollie said.

“Why is it impossible?” Mandie asked, ignoring Mollie’s remark.

“Because my husband died three months ago, and I don’t have a definite home right now. I am staying with his sister for the time being, but as soon as I can get on my feet again, I will come after Mollie,” the woman said.

“Where do you live? What town?” Mandie asked.

“Your uncle John Shaw knows all that,” the woman told her. “Now I think it’s best I leave since I cannot take Mollie with me.” She quickly stooped to kiss Mollie and said, “You be a sweetie, and I will be back for you, soon, I hope.”

Mandie saw tears in the woman’s eyes as she quickly turned and ran back over the hill, retrieving her white hat from the bushes where it had landed. She disappeared in the distance as the young people watched.

“ ’Tweren’t no ghost, aftuh all!” Liza said with a big sigh.

“I guess me aunt Lou must’ve been right. There be no real angel people that we kin see,” Mollie said, sadly looking into the distance.

“Aunt Lou is right. There are angels all around but we can’t see them,” Celia told her.

Mollie looked up at Celia and then at Mandie with tears in her blue eyes and said, “And there be no leprechauns either, no real leprechauns.” She shook her head and frowned.

“That’s right,” Mandie agreed.

Mollie suddenly started to run down the hill. “Let’s go tell me grandmither!” she yelled.

Liza ran after her. “I knowed dat all de time,” she called to Mollie.

“But it took you both a long time to say it,” Mandie said as she and Celia followed.

A Drama in Three Acts

by Lois Gladys Leppard

CHARACTERS

(in order of appearance)

Amanda (Mandie) Shaw, thirteen years old, blond hair, blue eyes, small

Celia Hamilton, thirteen years old, auburn hair, green eyes, Mandie’s friend

Mollie, ten years old, carrot-red hair, bright blue eyes, Irish orphan

Snowball, Mandie’s white cat

Liza, sixteen years old, maid in the Shaw home

Aunt Lou, elderly housekeeper for the Shaw family, large woman

Abraham, elderly handyman for the Shaw family

Jenny, middle-aged cook for the Shaw family, Abraham’s wife

Jason Bond, elderly caretaker for John Shaw’s businesses, tall, gray hair

Preacher, elderly man, tall, heavyset

The Woman, in her thirties, Mollie’s aunt from Ireland, carrot-red hair, blue eyes

Audience on mountain for service

MANDIE:
(Walking over to the settee and sitting down.)
Celia, I’m so glad you and your mother could come and spend the Easter holidays with us. And could bring Mollie, too. I do believe she has grown a couple of inches since we brought her home with us from Ireland.
(Mandie looks at Mollie, who is wandering about the room.)

CELIA:
(Sitting on the settee next to Mandie.)
She is growing fast. And she also gets around fast, you’ll find out.

MOLLIE:
(After inspecting everything in the room, she comes to
s
tand in front of the fireplace.)
Mandie, do ye be havin’ leprechauns in this place where ye live?
(She frowns and pushes back a lock of hair as she looks at Mandie.)

MANDIE:
(She sighs.)
Oh, Mollie, are you still chasing leprechauns? I don’t believe we have any in this house, or in this town, in fact.

MOLLIE:
(Walking closer to look at Mandie.)
But there might be one here someplace. I’ll be lookin’ and watchin’ for one while I be stayin’ here with ye.

MANDIE: But you don’t need to find one now to get his pot of gold. You have a nice home with Celia.

MOLLIE: When Celia finds me aunt, the lady may be needin’ the gold.

CELIA: We may never find your aunt, Mollie. So far the detectives my mother has had looking for her haven’t found any trace of her, so you may have to live with us until you grow up.

MOLLIE:
(Looking at Celia thoughtfully.)
I still be lookin’ for a leprechaun.

(Snowball, Mandie’s white cat, wanders into the room.)

MOLLIE:
(Picking up Snowball and going to sit on the stool.)
I know ye. Yer name be Snowball, and ye came to Ireland with Mandie last summer.

MANDIE:
(In a low voice to Celia.)
Is your mother still trying to find Mollie’s aunt, or has she given up?

CELIA:
(In a low voice.)
No, she hasn’t given up, but so far no one has found a trace of her. Remember the police authorities in Ireland told your grandmother that the aunt had come to the United States when Mollie was a baby. That’s a long time ago.

MANDIE: But they also told us that the aunt was last heard from somewhere in Virginia. Of course she might have moved on to another part of the country.
(Lowering her voice to a whisper.)
Does your mother plan to keep her if she never locates the aunt?

CELIA:
(In a whisper.)
I think so. She is quite a handful, never having had any discipline in Ireland and being allowed to roam the streets there, but Aunt Rebecca has become attached to her, and I sorta think she hopes we never find her aunt so she can keep Mollie.

MANDIE: How is your aunt Rebecca doing in trying to educate her?

CELIA:
(With a big smile.)
Well, you know Aunt Rebecca used to be a schoolteacher, and this gives her something to do.

MANDIE: Have y’all heard anything more about Mrs. Wiley, the woman who was keeping Mollie in Ireland?

CELIA: Yes, Mother stays in touch with her. I’m sure Mother sends her money, too. The woman is still in such bad shape—after that accident she had and no one to support her. Even though she is in that rest home for the poor in Belfast, she does need some money.

MANDIE:
(Rubbing her arms.)
It still gives me goose bumps just thinking about that awful fire. I’m so thankful we were able to save Mollie and Mrs. Wiley, although the lady did get seriously injured.

CELIA: I know. Never in all my thirteen years have I been so frightened.

LIZA:
(Appearing in the doorway and standing there to look into the room.)

MANDIE:
(Seeing Liza.)
Come on in, Liza. This is Mollie.
(She motions toward Mollie.)
And, Mollie, this is Liza.

MOLLIE:
(Jumping up and running to stand in front of Liza. She drops the cat in her haste. Snowball runs out the door.)
Do ye be knowin’ if there be leprechauns in this house?

LIZA:
(Frowning as she looks at Mollie and then at Mandie.)
Be whut? Missy ’Manda, dat lil’ girl she don’t speak good English.

MANDIE:
(Smiling.)
She wants to know if we have leprechauns in this house.

LIZA:
(Looking puzzled.)
If we has whut?

MANDIE: Leprechauns. You have probably never heard of leprechauns. You see, some people in Ireland believe they exist. And Mollie is always looking for one because they are supposed to own a pot of gold.

LIZA:
(Her eyes widening.)
Pot o’ gold?

CELIA:
(Looking at Mandie.)
You might as well explain what this is all about.

MANDIE: Yes. Many, many years ago, Liza, these leprechauns were supposed to live in Ireland. The English or American name for them is shoemaker—

LIZA:
(Excitedly interrupting.)
Like dat shoemaker man named Pat whut works down in dat shop on Main Street? But he ain’t got no pot o’ gold.

MOLLIE:
(Becoming excited.)
Ye know where there be a leprechaun? Show me where he be.

MANDIE:
(Loudly.)
No, Liza, Pat is a shoemaker, but he’s not a leprechaun. Maybe leprechauns only lived in Ireland. We don’t have any here.

MOLLIE:
(Grasping Liza’s hand.)
Will ye take me to see this Pat shoemaker? Please, I say.

LIZA:
(Looking from Mollie to Mandie and then back to Mollie.)
But Missy ’Manda she say dis heah Pat he ain’t de right kind o’ lepcawn, or whatever you calls it. And he sho ain’t got no pot o’ gold. Now iffen dat’s all you lookin’ fo’, why don’t you find de end to de rainbow? Dey say it’s a pot o’ gold at de end.

MOLLIE: Do ye be knowin’ where this rainbow be?

MANDIE:
(Speaking sharply to Liza.)
Liza! Please don’t put such nonsensical ideas into Mollie’s head. You know very well there is no pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, which I know you must have learned in church.

LIZA: I knows.

MANDIE:
(Looking at Mollie.)
The rainbow is God’s promise to us, all of us here on earth, that the earth will never again be destroyed by water. He gave the promise to Noah after the flood was over.

MOLLIE:
(Looking at Mandie in surprise.)
But how do ye be knowin’ all this?

MANDIE: Because it’s all in the Bible.
(Looking at Celia.)
Y’all have been teaching her the Bible, haven’t you?

CELIA: Of course, Mandie. But there is so much she doesn’t know that it’s going to take a lot of time for her to understand everything.

MOLLIE:
(Looking at Liza.)
Anyhow, kin we find a rainbow?

LIZA: Missy ’Manda, she be right ’bout rainbows. Ain’t no pot o’ gold at de end. Dat’s jes’ ole tales.
(Looking at Mandie.)
I’se sorry fo’ all de tomfoolery, Missy ’Manda. ’Course I knows bettuh. Aunt Lou she tell me all ’bout rainbows long time ago.

MOLLIE:
(Quickly pulling on Liza’s arm to get her attention.)
Kin we find a rainbow? Please, I say.

MANDIE:
(Looking at Liza.)
You are forgiven this time, Liza, but please remember that Mollie is young and doesn’t know everything you’ve been taught. In fact, you could help us teach her what Easter is all about while she’s here.

LIZA:
(Looking at Mandie with widened eyes.)
Missy ’Manda, I don’t be knowin’ how to teach nobody nuthin’. Y’all be needin’ Aunt Lou to do de teachin’.

MANDIE:
(Smiling at Liza.)
That’s a good idea, Liza. We’ll ask Aunt Lou to help explain things to Mollie.

MOLLIE:
(Suddenly, loudly, looking up at Liza.)
Kin we find a rainbow? Kin we?
(Then she looks at Mandie.)

MANDIE: All right, Mollie, if a rainbow comes into the sky while you are here, we’ll be sure to show it to you. You see, we can’t just make rainbows whenever we want one. God puts them in the sky, usually when the sun comes out after it rains.

MOLLIE: We kin look for leprechauns then. Maybe they don’t be made by God.

CELIA: Mollie, God made this earth and everything in it. So if there is such a thing as a leprechaun, I’m sure God made it, too. However, I don’t believe He made any leprechauns, because if He did, sooner or later you’d be able to find one.

MOLLIE:
(Frowning and stomping both her feet.)
Then I be wantin’ to go back to Ireland, where God didn’t make everythin’.

LIZA:
(Quickly turning to leave the room.)
And I’se got to go back to de kitchen ’fo Aunt Lou start lookin’ fo’ me.
(Liza exits through the doorway.)

(Mandie and Celia look at each other in dismay.)

CELIA: So far only Aunt Rebecca has been able to get through to her.

MOLLIE:
(Suddenly sitting down on the floor near the door.)
Where be Grandmither? She took me to this United States. Now I be wantin’ Grandmither to take me back to Belfast. That I do.

MANDIE:
(Quickly slipping out of her seat and sitting on the floor next to Mollie. She puts an arm around Mollie.)
Grandmother will be coming later this week, but we don’t want her to take you back to Ireland. Remember the cold place in the cellar where you lived? And lots of times you didn’t have enough to eat. We want you to stay in the United States so we can take care of you, at least until we can locate your aunt.
(Reaching to smooth Mollie’s hair.)

MOLLIE:
(Pulling away from Mandie.)
But I might be findin’ a leprechaun in Ireland, and then I could git his pot o’ gold, and I could be gittin’ me a new home to stay in, that I could.

CELIA:
(Coming to sit on the floor with Mandie and Mollie.)
Mollie, have you ever thought about the fact that if you did find a leprechaun and he had a pot of gold, you couldn’t take the gold away from him because it would belong to him? That wouldn’t be nice to take something away from someone that it belonged to.

MOLLIE:
(Looking at Celia for a moment.)
But he would be knowin’ where he could be findin’ another pot o’ gold. That he would.

CELIA: But suppose he had to work many long years and save to fill that pot with gold, like you had to work for your food when you lived in Ireland?

MOLLIE:
(After a pause.)
Where be that Indian uncle? He helped me look for leprechauns in Ireland, that he did.

MANDIE: Uncle Ned. He’s not actually my uncle. He was my father’s Cherokee friend. He and his family will probably meet up with us on the mountain at sunrise on Sunday.

MOLLIE: On the mountain? Sunrise?

MANDIE: Yes, we will be going up the mountain Sunday to see the sun rise and to hear the Easter sermon.

MOLLIE:
(Looking at Mandie and then at Celia.)
Then kin we look for leprechauns on the mountain?

MANDIE: There aren’t any leprechauns on the mountain. We’ll find something else to do up there. We’ll sing.

MOLLIE: Sing? And kin we dance, too?

MANDIE:
(Becoming impatient.)
No, Mollie, we will not dance. Easter is a special holy day. We’ll be celebrating the time that Jesus rose from His tomb.

MOLLIE: Celebratin’? Will we be havin’ a party? Like a birthday party?

MANDIE:
(Standing up and looking at Celia.)
Let’s take this child to Aunt Lou and ask her to explain a few things. I don’t seem to be getting anywhere with it myself.

CELIA:
(Smiling as she also rises.)
You are doing better than I have been able to do. But Aunt Lou sounds like the perfect teacher.

MANDIE:
(Reaching for Mollie’s hand.)
Come on, Mollie, we want you to meet Aunt Lou. You’ll love her, I’m sure. She’s in charge of everything here—cooking the food, sewing clothes, and running everything.

(Mollie stands up.)

(Mandie leads her toward the door. Celia follows.)

CURTAIN