Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1876-12-23
TE.e Night Before Christmas.

TE.e Night Before Christmas.
twas the nisnt b.lore Christmas, whoo 81
th:,uga the q use,
Not = GRE rture " 5 stirring, not even a mouse,
The Stockings were hung by the ctiilnney witt
care,
In nope tha It St. Nicholas would soon be there
The children were nestled ali snug n thei7 beds
i h.!e Y sions OF sugar plums danced thro tneH
heads;
And mamma in her 'kerch:af Snd l in my cap
Had Just settled our brains Tor 3 long winlcr
nap-
When out on the lawn there arose such q chatter
spran5 from my Doc Io see VIVA! was the mat
tor;
Away to the window l f,w like 8 g 4sh,
tore open the shutters md threw up the sash.
The moon on the breast of the new fallen snow
Gave the lustre of mid dsy to objects below;
When, what to my wondering eyes should sp'
pear,
But a miniature sleigh and eight tiny reindeer
With u little old driver 50 lively and quick,
| kuew IN Il moment 1t must be st Nick.
More rapid than eagles his cLursers they came
And he whipped and ne shouted and called
them BY name:
"HoT Dasherl now Dancerl now Prancer! now
Vixen
On ,ometl on Cupid! on Dondsrl on Blixeri
10 the top Of the porch to the top or the wall
Now dash away, dash away, dash away sl!'
As the leaves before the wild hur7Ie,n e ny,
VIII n they meet with an obstacle, mount to the
sky,
So up to the house top, the coursers they hsw,
With d sleigh 1uil OF toys and st. Nicholas too;
And then, in u tw!nkllng, heard on the r cot,
The prsnciDg and paving OF each title hoo!.
SO l drew in ny hesd and was turGiug =! ound
Down the chimney ct. ->!ehtlas came with u
bound.
He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his
foot,
Aud MS clothes were all furnished with ashes
And SCOT;
A bundle of toys he had flu lg on his back,
And he looked like u pedisr just opening his
psck
His eyes, how they twink!el, his dimples, how
merry;
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like q cherry.
dis DIR ii little mouth Was drawu up ike u bow,
And the beard on MS chin was as white as the
snow.
The stump Of 3 pipe he held tight in his teeth,
Ard the smoke, it encrcleu his head like a
wreath.
He had "A broad face, and 3 little round belly.
Which shook whom ne laughel like u bowl full
ofJelly
He WAS chubby and plump, r right Jolly old elf,
And l laughed when l saw him IN spite OF my
self
A wink of his eve sd a twist Of his head,
Soon gave me W know l mai nothing t. broad.
he spoke not a word, but went straight to his
work.
and filed sl the s.ockings-then turned with g
Jerk.
And laying his fingers aside Of his nose.
And giving q noo up the chimney he rose.
lie sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a
WHISTLE.
And away they ali few like the down of q
thistle.
But | heard him exclaim. ere he drove out Of
sight, :,
"A1Merry Christmas to all, and te s'l Good
Nightl"
CHrRcH SERVICES a., To MORROW
CHRIST CHURCH Service st IL u. m. and Il p.
M. by Lev Mr. DAM.
ST. PAUL's CHURcH-Service at II q. M. by
Rev DR. Norton
GRACE CHuEoa-Morning service, with ser
mon, at ii o'c,ock afternoon service, WITHOUT
sermon, ut 3.3l; prescl ing Che Moody and
SarNey hymns will DO used at THIS servlcej ST
10 All line pnws in this church re tree.
81. MAKY's CHUECH-Mass 1T I snd Ii a. m.
VaSuers It 4 T.. III.
UNION Presently. CHUncH First church,
Service l., the morning ard 1t n,ght by heV.
Or. Bullock. By Request, the subject at night
Nj! b. lhe "1n>pir:ti n OF tns ~cl"tates'
SECOND PKESBYTER1AN uURcu-Ser
mnrni,g an n:sut bv Rev. Dir Diuwiddie.
METH. EPIs. CHURcH-ocrvice 81 ii a. M.
ana = y. II. by Kew Dr. b,.ds"e.
METH. ErIs. CHURCH SoUrH-SeTvice st IL
ar und D. m . b, t,v. j. II W.u3b.
NxTu. PRor. CA~uKcn--Service in tn" morn
Ing sd rtn,ght by 'sev Or. Nscnots.
BAPTIST CHURCH-Service in the morning
ana ). Il ga b. itev. w. :. Penick
WHARF MISSION CH~ArEL-Services at o.'J
pm
by rev. Ar r e>k"nsLnln.
You've MEN's CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION
"a day prayer meeting in the Balti:t
Church NJ 4 y m. Aims t,ouse a. "a p m. jan
1T 2 y. N Union pr yer mating TUESDAY
niglt in the y Pres Church at u O'Clock.