The Portland daily press., 1873-12-27
POETRY.
4 hide with santa Claus.


Or, snowy day a Il. tie boy named Ered,
WI il blight Glue eyes iei cheeks and carly ROAD,
W j, hop ing 'unt the rooin among his Toys,
An he was stag: Christmas SON will come,
An Santa Claus VIII bring a hal OF DRUM
HIS Nfnl Oil n ,-se smiled at his thldish gee,
Ani tahint VA npon her apone knee,
Sad, al / mo leil yen Freddy, what Pve heard;
II any clli,d win watch, without word,
a nd catch 81. Nj al work IN Christina day
He's bound TO AXE them ii',ing in | is Sleigh
TIE tlue yes danced with wonitr and delight.
A Fee uly qu3sijned evil, he come to-nis ht?"
AN oeiug ansV ed in a day or twn,"
He tr tea on 70 think what he should do;
A I'd nurse, glad Of the quiet, dozed again,
Inviting 4 T. @ mschi I set in train.
On Chris mas eve the stockings all were hung
Aroun the chimney; Chris mas hymns were sung,
Aud then he little ones W re tucked III pei,
An went to sleep-al but the monkey FRED;
LIS eyes We're o en- wide, ana watch , :" In A'p
ohllqul0e csrtaln that Lis proinei' 'op''
Then slipping from hi bed by slow degrees,
tie gainet the hearthrug riawlihg on MS knees,
And putting on his clothes in Silent haste,
His shating-cap upon his head he placed,
Aud stretched himself close 10 The chimney wide,
To watch for Santa Claus, and claim ride.
The time passed on, and soon Fred was aware
Of iinylng sleigh-l ellis in the upper air;
Then close behind him old Kriss seemed to stand,
Film the Stockings with liberal hand;
Fred laughed with jov, and merTiy he cried
'i'ye caught you, KRIS; now lei me have ride"
No sooner said than done; they seemed to rise,
An found upon the roof, meath starry skies.
sleigh packed tul of toys and drawn by deer,
WAC pranced and paved to see stranger near,
IN Nv ju mp in. Fr9d and bundle up your knees"
Said Santa Claus, unless you want to freeze"
Strange sights saw Fred upon that Christmas ride!
At some he laughed, at some he almost cried;
The rich man's home pleasant to behold,
Storei well with every comfort bought by gold;
And Santa Claus while there seemed growing hot
In nrnn hot hasa howe had yraft
Each warm sock filed, a Christmas tree was decked.
Old Santa saying, Soon twill all be wrecked"
With comic rrow; then away they sped
To wheIe the wind was bowling round shed,
And snow was drifting in the shaking door:
Fred meier had seen suca W etchedness before.
Within, five children huddled in reap,
With tear-stained faces, stivering in their sleeps
NJ stJcSin5s hung upon the chimney nail
No tree was there; but in a broken pail
spray of ivy bore lote which said,
dear Santa Claus, please bring us all some bread!
tear in Krs's eye found resting place,
Ana Fre-ldys fists crept very near his face,
TIL, rodsed 10 action by this scene of woe,
H whispered to his leader, soft andSlow,
]'dive the the TOYS and candy meant for me,
AIt let US dress them up Christmas tree.'
Then Santa Claus gave him loving look,
And iroa the sleigh Drought, top, and ball. and book,
Aud heaped the table with goJdiy load
OF Christmas cheer; the rnldy apples glowed,
turkey plump upheld huge mince pie.
Anu III tne niepiace "oou was pileo up hign,
Freds Joy great to see this nj asing sieht.
He gave sh ,ut; when ldenly twas night!
He was at home, aud sin2 on the floor,
And nurse was coming in the open door!
He sprang in bed anil held his frightened breath,
While nurse siaI, "Child! you'll surely catch your
deaf %
No word spoke Fred of all that he had seen
Only mamma the wond'rous tale could CLEAN;
And when he said, PLEASE. let me give some toys
And candy to the widow Jenkins boys"
She gave CONSENT while to herself she sighed
"Twere wei If ali vi h Santa Claus coull ride 80