Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1877-12-24
The Night Before Christmas.


Twas the night before Christmas, when all
through the house
Not creature was stirring, not even mouse !;
The stockings were hung by the chimney with
care.
In hope that St. Nicholas soon would be there
While visions of sugar plums danced IN tLelr
heads;
And mamma in her 'kerchie and ! in my cap
Had settled our brains for a long winter nap
When out on the lawn there rose such CHATTER
sprang from the bed to sec what was tie mat
ter.
Away to the window I flew like flash, -,
Tore opcn the shutters and threw up the sasuI
The moon on the breast OF the new i halow
Gave the lustre of midday to oyects peloT
Rut min;ature sleigh with eight tiny reindeer,
With q little old driver, so lvely ana 9aiek'
7 knew in moment it must be Saint NICK.
More rapid than eagles his courserS they came,
And he whistlcd and shouted and called them
by name:
Now DashcrI now, Dancer now, Prsncer
On, Comet on, Cupid on, Dunder and B;ixen
To the top Of the porch, to the top Of the wall
Now dash away, dash away, dash away sll ~
AS dry lesves that before ths wild hurricane hy,
When they meet with an obstacle mount up to
the sky,
So up to the house top the coursors they flew.
With sleigh full Ct toys-and st. Nicholas too,
And then in y twinkling I heard on the root
The prancing and paving OF each little hoof.
AS drew in my head and was turning around
Down the chimney st. Nicholas came with a
lie was dressed all in fur from his lead to his
foot,
And his clothes we're all furnished with ashes
and SCOT.
A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like u pedsr just opening his
pack.
His eyes. how they twinkiedl his dimples, how
merry
His checks wero like roses his no 90 like cherry
His droll little mouth was drawn up like y bow,
And the beard on his chin Wal rs white as tho
snow;
The stump Ct pipe no held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like q wreath.
He had broad face, and 8 little round belly
That shook when he laughed ike a bowl tull CT
He was chubby and plump-a right joll y old elf,
And laughed when saw him IN sp'' Oh my
A wink Of his eye. spd "a twist of his head,
Soon gave n o to know had nothing to dread
He spoke not !, word, but went straight To his
work
And filled all tho stockings; then turned, with
q JERK
And laying his finger aside Of his nose.
And giving a nod, up III chimney ko rose.
Ho spra1g to his sleigh To his tesm gave \
whistle.
And away they all flow Xix tho down of athistie;
But heard him oxclaim, zero he drove out of
sight.
merry Christians to all! AMI to sll good
nightP'
ESY" HOsTETTER' S ALMANAC The edition
for 1878 Of the sterling Medical Annual known
AS Hostetters Almanac, is now ready, and may
be obtained, freq Of cost. Of druggists and gener
III country dealers in all part5 of the United
States and British America. and indeed In every
civilized portion Of the Western Hemisphere It
combines, with the soundess practical advice for
the preservation and restoration OF health,
large amount of Interesting and amusing light
reading, and the calendar astronomical calcula,
tons, chronological items, &c, arc prepared
with great care, and will DO found entirely nc.
curate. The Issue of Hoststtels Almanac for
1878. in the English, Germsn, French, Welsh,
Norwegian. Swedish Holland, Bohemian and
Spanish languages, will, in al probability, DO
the largest edition of q medical work ever pub
lsbed in any country. The proprietors. Messrs
Hostetter & Smith. Pittsburgh, Pa, on receipt
of q two cent stamp will forward copy oy mall
to any person who cannot procure one In his
neighborhood. dec 2i-co''