90

OLD CHRISTMAS.

We know he will not fail us,
So we sweep the hearth up clean;
We set for him the old arm-chair,
And a cushion whereon to lean.

He comes with a cordial voice

That does one good to hear,

He shakes one heartily by the hand,
As he hath done many a year.

And after the little children

He asks in a cheerful tone,
Jack, Kate, and little Annie;
He remembers them every one!

What a fine old fellow he is!
With his faculties all as clear,
And his heart as warm and light
As a man in his fortieth year!

What a fine old fellow, in troth!
No tone of your griping elves,
Who, with plenty of money to spare,
Think only about themselves.

Not he! for he loveth the children,
And holiday begs for all;

And comes with his pockets full of gifts.
For the great ones and the small.

And he tells us witty old stories,
And singeth with might and main;
And we talk of the old man's visit

Till the day that he comes again.

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A VISIT FROM ST. NICHOLAS.

And all the workhouse children
He sets them in a row,

And giveth them rare plum-pudding,
And twopence apiece also.

He must be a rich old fellow,
What money he gives away!
There's not a lord in England
Could equal him any day!

Good luck unto old Christmas,
And long life, let us sing,
For he doth more good unto the poor

Than many a crownéd king!

MARY HOWITT.

A VISIT FROM ST. NICHOLAS.

'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 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 should appear
But a miniature sleigh and eight tiny reindeer,
With a little old driver, so lively and quick,

I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.

More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,

And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name:

66

Now, Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen! On! Comet, on! Cupid, on! Dunder and Blixen ! To the top of the porch, to the top of the wall! Now, dash away, dash away, dash away all!" As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly, When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky, So up to the house-top 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.

94

A VISIT FROM ST. NICHOLAS.

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 peddler just opening his pack.
His eyes, how they twinkle! 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!"

C. C. MOORE,