_This little Book conveys the Greetings of_
............................................................
_to_
............................................................
[Illustration: (St. Nicholas in a home delivering presents to
children)]
[Illustration: (Page decoration)]
_A_
VISIT
_from_
St. NICHOLAS
∵
_By Clement C. Moore_
_Boston
The Atlantic Monthly Press_
1921
[Illustration: (Sleigh and rein-deer on top of home)]
_’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 through 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 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 did appear,_
_But a miniature sleigh and eight tiny rein-deer,_
_With a little old driver so lively and quick,_
_I knew in a moment he 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, 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._
_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 pedler 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;_
_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!_”
[Illustration: (St. Nicholas at the fireplace)]
⸿_Designed by Bruce Rogers and printed by William Edwin Rudge,
Mount Vernon, N. Y. The text is that of the original (1837)
edition. The woodcuts are by Florence Wyman Ivins._
[Illustration: (Original back cover)]
