Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1843-12-08
SAINT NICHOLAS VISIT.

Last evening Saint Nicholas harnessed his team,
(For the jolly old Saint never travels by steam,
Since wisely he thinks it modern invention
For getting up accident, racing, contention,
A contrivance to learn oil the people to roam, @
Till they almost forget hatlthey Ger had homes
new tangled notion for sending on high
Mortal corpses, like rockets to traverse the sky,)
ST. Nicholas harnessed his old fashioned team,
And he started off like the flight of dream.
He drove through the village, up each street and down
And out through the country, all over the town.
You had laughed had you that funny eye twinkle
And his bright rosy checks, unmarked by wrinkle,
'Twoud have pleased you to see how he puff d out
his smoke,
And YOU had spill, both your sides had the old fellow
spoke.
You had laughed to have his queer figure so tat
And his head almost hid in his sprucely cooked hat
His cross made Of silver, to keep of the witches,
And buttons of pewter, to hold on his breeches
His basket hung down from his elbow quite handy,
Running over with presents Of notions and candy
With horses and puppies, tin trumpets and whls'les'
For case hardened scoundrel pillow OF thslles,
Tales OF Jack the big giant and Tommy the fool,
For children to read, who are kept out OF school,
With fine presents for Harry, and Mary and Dick,
That they all NIGH remember the call of ST. Nick,
Good books and good glasses for people grown old,
And hannels, and fxns" to keep out the cold,
Silks 5a,ins and Ribbons, and things for the Misses
Srch as hearts full OF arrows, and moltos in kisses
And for those who are given to fre,ting and storm
He dropped in some tracts upon Moral Reform"
With his basket thus filled upon Thank sgivng eve,
ST. Nick drove his ponies (wlhou, getting leave,
| All over the houses) With Gathering hUof,,
Folks thought wa. the pnttlng ofraln on the roofs
And down through the hue Ctwas the dread hour Of
witching)
The old man with his basket poppd into the kitchen,
Where Johnny, all the evening had s,ad,
Lisping nonsense and love to Miss Betty the maid
"Ha! ha! criel 81. Nick. with right jolly shout,
And his thumb on his nose, "does your Ma know
you're out"
Then laughing he wen, up the stairs a, bound,
Where the chamber of Mr.. and Mrs is found,
In t the room, through the key holei leaped in
trice,
"Do hear" cried the lady, that jumping of mice"
ST. Nicholas laughed, and the deuce only knows,
What comca presents he left in the hose,
Here's puppy for John, and then there's for Dick
ITO be used by his mo,her) nicely trimmed stick;
A satchel. books pencils, and paper to carry,
He saw by his hill, that he bought it for Harry.
An emblem Of love- ne'er to go out of date,
ST. Nicholas knew, twas intended for Kate;
A sign of affection, that never will vary,
He saw BY lis looks that il was intended for Mary;
And cup OF enjoyment the pures. e'er drank,
He wished to have purch sed but couldn't, for Frank
For Madam, he threw out some Advocates" tracts
, To keep her supplied with "lamenable facts
Since to strengthen good morals, she thinks 1t Is nc
-. To keep them familiar as may be with vice.
'Twere useless to tell how he drove up and down,
And scattered his presents all the town.
How he passed by the Doctors and silly popped IN,
So still you heard had You listened the fall Of pin
He chose out Deaths head, wrote on 1t this line
81 For your Office this head s appropriate sign"
4 A nicely strapped razor, ready to shave,
For lawyer in town, he took trouble to save,
y And he seemed much surprised when the door bell
: rung ~ .,. :,
G And learned that a lawyer could shave with !
Il tongue.
He finished his drive bya call on the Poet,
e Who'sa half crazy fool (hough he doesn know ~
a "Of fine frenzy Sir, perceive that YOU'RE III,
( For your benefit Sir, here's helebore pile
J. 1--WE conclude, as hellebore was an ancient rem
In DIV for insanity &C.. that ST. ick meant by this OF
l. of that medicine to our most august person. TO ms
-, uae that we are demented otherwise cracked,
our upper story. Wsrnt that vile "insnivaloI