The Council Bluffs nonpareil. [volume] (Council Bluffs [Iowa]) 1857-1867, 1861-01-05
4 CHRIsTMAs sTORY.
SANTA CLAUS'S VISIT.
from The HOsne Iearnal.

| IL was as still aud cold-on Chrissma;
Eye-as il could we'll be: 90 cold that ths
very moon-beans, as they came struggling
against the window-pane, seemed to CONCEAL
and appeared ike liaes Of silver wire drawn
out into the ley sir. The trees were coz es ed
with a coating of ice, which CLEANED and
glit.ered in the moonlight, as if ,hei,
branches were studded with precious stones;
liciclss, ike pointed spears, hung from the
ewes of the cottages; and the smoke which
rose from the hundred ehimneys of the
village, passed, ike pious incense, upward
into the still air, bearing in its quie. folds
kind thoughts and grateful words frcm the
loving ones clustered around their hearth
stones. The snow lay deep upon the ground,
and was covered with thick crust, which
lbore up the children when from the beaten
track they turned aside chasing each other
over the frozen surface, as they came home
from school. Lights CLEANED from the
windows Of every cot in the single street of
the village, aud voices Of young and old
mingled with song and laughter.
Al one end of the village, With cottage,
a little apart from the others, are seated al
old man OF seventy winters, his wife and
his grand daughter, Mary. The room is
one OF those antique rooms which answer
alike for the parior and kitchen the door is
Of oak, and sanded with clean white sand,
which was sprink,ed by Mafy's own hands.
Pictures aiorn the walls, descriptive Of
''The Prodisal Son." in four distinct Illus
trations-his going, his folly, his poverty
and his return. On the dresser are ranged
pewter platters and numerous plates; while
mugs of soodly dimensions hang from the
pegs, and reflect the fame of the fire.
Curtains Of white, as pure as the snow in
the meadow, are drawn at the windows and
TALL in graceful proportions; on one side of
the walnscot, little way from the dresser,
hangs a cage Of woven willow and wire
work within it robn-that bird OF the
homestead-g!addens the house with its
music. On an ancient carved table. drawn
out in the middle of the room, lies the Bible,
unclasped and wide open, aud the eyes Of
the masron are fixed on the passage before
her, ave have seen his star in the East, and
are come to worship him.
The old man is seated within his arm
chair, with his feet TO the FIRE, where the
tyuls iog is burning, and he watches the
| fame and the smoke as they dance and play
with each other, while his thoughts are
wandering back to the time of his youth,
when he danced and .joyed with the maiiens.
Oft doth his eye seek the face Of his grand
child beside him, with look of the kindest
inquiry. Sad, sad is the heart Of the maid
en- though her lips wear the smile of hap
piness, yet oft doth she start and sigh as
footstsp gldes on past the doorway. Thus
sit they in silence, each wishing yet learning
- utter the thoughts that have birth in their
bosoms, till the clock in the corner, grown
bold by the stiffness, chimes loudly the hour
of seven. Then the cat by the freside,
doing, awakened by the sound, answers by
purring the chirp of the cricket, and the
dog, with wag Of his tail, looks up into
the face of his master. Then rises the old
man, and PAGES the floor Of the kitchen !:
bis face has look Of trouble, and the eyes
of the maiden are downcast; while the mat
ron wipes the mist from her glasses and lays
them within the book, on the page tha, tells
Of the birth OF our Saviour. Still PAGES
the old man backward aud forward, like a
pendulum weary with going; but, anon, be
stops at the window, and drawing the eur
tain aside, looks out on the village; the
street is deserted, and he hears not the
sound Of football. Then he turns to his
grand daughter Mary, and says:
"Why is it, my child, that Nicholas comes
not hither to WOO thee on this heliest Of
ewes? Surely thou canst not have driven
him from thee in anger ?''
Then sighed the maiden, and answered as
follows: .
"Truly, my father, know not the reason
that keeps him awav-'tis now three days
since have seen him, though he hath not
been out Of the village. There are maideus
more beautiful, father, than |, and richer
by far. Mans heart is changeabls thing,
and perhaps my love is forgotten"
Then paced the old man backward and
forward, while dark grew his brow, and the
feeling Of wrath was upon him. At last be
lifted bis hand and said:
| "Neyer shall Nichoas--''
Suddenly paused the old man, and his
hand fell down on the table--while the
matron looked over her glasses, and opened
her mouth as If astonishe ed-whle the maid
en- rose from her chair fixed like q statue
the dog covered in the corner, and the cat
crept under the dresser, while the clock ceas.
ed its ticking aad held up its hands in amaze
ment. But the cricket kept up its chipping,
and sang louder and louder brighter grew
the FIRE, and the brands cracked and snap
ped, as giving welcome, while the fame
and the smoke rose higher, and higher, and
wreathed together Enthusiastically
The door stood open and there on the
piled snow, was q sleigh carved from On oak
of the forest. Coursers were there with
stately horns, that resembled tho reindeers
Of Lapland. They paved the snow with
their hoofs, and scattering it high in the
heavens: icicles hung from their antlers, and
| their backs were covered with snow fakes !;
they were fastened to the sleigh with links
cut from the icebergs, and their saddles
carved cut OF ebony, inlaid with stones !;
their reins were Of crystalized mooubeams.
The sleigh was filed with presents Of all
kinds-toys for the children, and candies
and books in profusion. Then from out
the sleigh there arose being Of jovial ap-
pearance. lie winked to bis steeds and then
entered the cottage. His fase was the face
Of the moon as seen through the mist Of
October, his were the stars Of night, and
his mouth was made for fasting and drink
ing; his hair was white ~ the snow and his
beard like ths hoar frost; his looks were
quizzical, aud joilisy shoae in each feature !;
be was short in stature, though broad sirth,
while bis walk was roll and caper his
coat va. the skin Of the polar bear, and
hung around bis body; alas, ere the the
morning, 1t would be black with the SCOT Of
the chimneys; leathern bEeeches adorned
bis limbs, and fitted his person efactly;
moccasins covered bis feet and be bore 10
his hand three-eornered hat, and 10 the
other fagon Of home -brewed. Closing
the door, he sat ds1n in chair and placed
the fagon beside him; not . word did b,
say, bat taking mug from the table, b.
filled il, and handed the same to the old
man. Trembling, be drank, but when b
had fnisbsd, he smseksd his lips, and vsw.
Cd it was - good - the bsss-sva thai
which BIZ old wife had nsds him.