A visit from Santa Claus

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TRom the- Boors of
EANNETTE M.HOPKINS








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The Baldwin Library
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SAN 'TA CLAUS.















BY

SCLZ FJ4EJ[7 C. 001E.


WAS the night before Christmas, when all
thro' the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;

The stockings were hung by the chimneys with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;
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4 A VISIT FROM SANTA CLAUS.




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The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar-plums danced thro' their heads;

And mamma in her kerchief and I in my cap,
Had just settled our brains for a long winter's nap-
ttad just settled our brains for a long winter's nap--








A VISIT FROM SANTA CLAUS.





































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;









6 A VISIT FROM SANTA CLAUS.


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 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:


"Now Dasher! now Dancer! now Prancer! now Vixen!
On, Comet! on, Cupid! on, Donder and Blixen!


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.



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A VISIT FROM SANTA CLAUS. 7


As I drew in my head and was turning around,
Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound.


IIe 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 pedlar 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.









8 A VISIT FROM SANTA CLAUS.


He spake 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 the thistle;












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But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight,
"HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO ALL, AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT!"































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