MERRY CHRISTMAS, FROM THE PUBLISHER

'Twas the night before Christmas,

when all through the house

Not a creature was stirring, not even

a mouse;

The stockings were hung by the

chimney with care,

In hopes that St. Nicholas soon

would be there;

The children were nestled all snug in

their beds;

While visions of sugar-plums

danced in their heads;

And mamma in her 'kerchief, and I

in my cap,

Had just settled our brains for a long

winter's nap,

When out on the lawn there arose

such a clatter,

I sprang from my bed to see what

was the matter.

Away to the window I flew like a

flash,

Tore open the shutters and threw up

the sash.

The moon on the breast of the

new-fallen snow,

Gave a lustre of midday to objects

below,

When what to my wondering eyes

did appear,

But a miniature sleigh and eight tiny

rein-deer,

With a little old driver so lively and

quick,

I knew in a moment he must be St.

Nick.

More rapid than eagles his coursers

they came,

And he whistled, and shouted, and

called them by name:

"Now, Dasher! now, Dancer!

now Prancer and Vixen!

On, Comet! on, Cupid! on, Donner and Blitzen!

To the top of the porch! to the top of

the wall!

Now dash away! dash away! dash

away all!"

As leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,

When they meet with an obstacle,

mount to the sky;

So up to the housetop the coursers

they flew

With the sleigh full of toys, and St.

Nicholas too-

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on

the roof

The prancing and pawing of each

little hoof.

As I drew in my head, and was turning around,

Down the chimney St. Nicholas

came with a bound.

He was dressed all in fur, from his

head to his foot,

And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;

A bundle of toys he had flung

on his back,

And he looked like a pedler

just opening his pack.

His eyes-how they twinkled!

his dimples, how merry!

His cheeks were like roses, his

nose like a cherry!

His droll little mouth was

drawn up like a bow,

And the beard on his chin was

as white as the snow;

The stump of a pipe he held

tight in his teeth,

And the smoke, it encircled his

head like a wreath;

He had a broad face and a little

round belly

That shook when he laughed,

like a bowl full of jelly.

He was chubby and plump, a

right jolly old elf,

And I laughed when I saw him,

in spite of myself;

A wink of his eye and a twist of

his head

Soon gave me to know I had

nothing to dread;

He spoke not a word, but went

straight to his work,

And filled all the stockings;

then turned with a jerk,

And laying his finger aside of

his nose,

And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose;

He sprang to his sleigh, to his

team gave a whistle,

And away they all flew like the

down of a thistle.

But I heard him exclaim, ere

he drove out of sight-

"Happy Christmas to all, and

to all a good night!"