**A CHILD'S CHRISTMAS
**
Twas the night before
Christmas and all through the house
Not a creature was
stirring, not even a mouse.
All the stockings
were hung by the chimney with care
In the hope that
Saint Nicholas soon would be there.
Then, what to my
wondering eyes should appear, A miniature sleigh and eight tiny reindeer,
A little old driver
so lively and quick, I knew in a moment it must be Saint Nick.
And more rapid than
eagles his reindeer all came, as he shouted, "On Dasher" and each reindeer's
name.
And so up to the
housetop the reindeer soon flew, with the sleigh full of toys and Saint
Nicholas, too.
Down the chimney
he came with a leap and a bound; He was dressed all in fur, and his belly
was round.
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.
But I heard him
exclaim as he drove out of sight, "Merry
Christmas to all, and to all a good night!"
|