The stockings were hung
The children were nestled
And mamma in her 'kerchief,
When out on the lawn
Away to the window
The moon on the breast
When, what to my
With a little old driver,
More rapid than eagles
"Now, DASHER!
On, COMET!
"To the top of the porch!
As dry leaves that before
So up to the house-top
And then, in a twinkling,
As I drew in my hand,
He was dressed all in fur,
A bundle of toys
His eyes --
His droll little mouth
The stump of a pipe
He had a broad face
He was chubby and plump,
A wink of his eye
He spoke not a word,
And laying his finger
He sprang to his sleigh,
But I heard him exclaim,
A Visit From St. Nicholas
by Clement Moore
'Twas the night before Christmas,
when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring,
not even a mouse;
by the chimney with care,
In hopes that ST. NICHOLAS
soon would be there;
all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar-plums
danced in their heads;
and I in my cap,
Had just settled down
for a long winter's nap,
there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed
to see what was the matter.
I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters
and threw up the sash.
of the new-fallen snow
Gave the lustre of mid-day
to objects below,
wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh,
and eight tiny reindeer,
so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment
it must be St. Nick.
his coursers they came,
And he whistled,
and shouted,
and called them by name:
now, DANCER!
now, PRANCER and VIXEN!
on CUPID!
on, DONNER and BLITZEN!"
to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! dash away!
dash away all!"
the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle,
mount to the sky,
the coursers they flew,
With the sleigh full of toys,
and St. Nicholas too.
I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing
of each little hoof.
and was turning around,
Down the chimney St. Nicholas
came with a bound.
from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished
with ashes and soot;
he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler
just opening his pack.
how they twinkled!
his dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses,
his nose like a cherry!
was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard of his chin
was as white as the snow;
he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke
it encircled his head like a wreath;
and a little round belly,
That shook, when he laughed
like a bowlful of jelly.
a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him,
in spite of myself;
and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know
I had nothing to dread;
but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings;
then turned with a jerk,
aside of his nose,
And giving a nod,
up the chimney he rose;
to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew
like the down of a thistle.
ere he drove out of sight,
"HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO ALL,
AND TO ALL A GOOD-NIGHT."
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