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
the 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 the lustre of mid-day to
objects below.
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But
a miniature sleigh, and eight tinny 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!
"Now Dasher! now, Dancer! now,
Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! On, Cupid! on, 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 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.
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 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 of 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 bowlful 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!"