The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1877-12-21

was received at Black wall, as if on his re-
turn, and that and the following day were
spent in revelling and feasting.
Christmas was always, however, consid-
cred the commemoration of holy festival,
to be observed with devotion as we'll as
cheerfulpess. The services OF tie church
were attended before the merry -makings
began. But in $40 the fat went forth tha:
there must be no more celebration of
Christmas; people were to go to heaven
after the IA sh ion of the Puritans, with long
faces and short hair. In 1647, some parish
officers were fined and imprisoned for al
lowing ministers 20 preach on Christmas
day and for permitting the adorning of the
church. The parliament, by an order
dated Gath of December, 1862, directed
that no observation shall be had of the
five eand-twentleth day of Dece mber, com
monty called Christmas day nor any So
lemnity used or exercised in churches upon
that day in respect thereof" Evelyn states
in his memoirs that, as he and his wife,
with others, were taking the sacrament on
Christmas day, 1867, the chapel was sur
rounded by soldiers, and the assembly taken
| into custody for celebrating the nativity of
their Saviour against the ordinance of the
commonwealth.
When the ''Merrie Monarch came back
to his good subjects, the revival of the
Christmas festivities was attempted, with
obl III oUCNCSS HC Sl'il ildu Dceu
and could with difficulty be resuscitated
Neither were the court displays as splen-
did as before !; the spirit was wanting there
as elsewhere. But :he -kindschen is
represented by young person dressed IN
white, with gift crown upon the head, a
wand in one hand, and bell in the other,
| whose post is behind the tree, where he or
she is but dimly seen, owing to the glare
of the lights upon it. In other parts of
the country, tie Christ-ohi is never rep
resented A; the children are told that he has
provided the Christmas tree, and knows
through Pelznichel of the conduct of each,
but his existence is an article of faith, not
an ocular demonstration.
AS most of us can testify from early re-
collections, however, st Niklas, or St.
Nicholas, as we call him, is not unk known
to the children of this countIy-snly here
he generally puts his good things in little
stockings hung up for the purpose, instead
of arranging them on a Christmas tree.
Just when this custom of hanging up little
stockings and these visits of the good old
saint began on this side of the Atlantic we
leave to learned antiquarians to decide.
The following jolly description however,
of what little New Yorker Witnessed
about the year 1874, puts beyond doubt
the fact that he used to go his rounds, in
this city at least, long before any of US
ever received
A VISIT FROI ST. NICHOLAS.
Twas the night before Christmas when all
through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;
The stockings were hung by the chimney with
In hopes that ST. Nicholas soon would be there;
The children were nestled all snug in their
beds,
While visions of sugar pIums danced in their
And mamma in her kerchief and | in my cap
Had just settled our brains Tor long winter
when out on the lawn there arose such clat-
l sprang from my bed to see What was the mat
Away to the window l few like a flash.
Tore open the shutters, and threw up the sash.
The moon, on the breast of the new fallen snowt
Gave lustre of midday to objects below;
"hon what TO my wondering eyes should ap-
But miniature sleigh and eight tiny reindeer,
knew in a moment it must be St. NICK!
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came.
And he whistled and shouted AID called them
by name:
Now, Dssher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer
On Comet, on Cupid, on! Domder and Bit
To the top of the porch, to the top of the wall
Now, dash away, ash away, dash away, ALL!
As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the
So up TO the house-top the coursers hey flew,
with the sleigh full of toys-and st. Nicholas
And ther in a twinkling / heard on the roof
The pranciug and paving of each little hoof.
AS | drew in my head ana was turning around,
Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with
bound:
He was dressed all in fur from his head to his
foot.
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes
aud SCOT;
y bundle of toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like Il pedler just opening his
pack.
His es es. how they twinkled his dimples, how
merry
His cheeIs were like roses, his like a
cherry;
lis drOli little mouth was drawn up like bow.
And the beard of his chin was white the
The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like
wreath.
He had uroad face and little round belly
That shook, when he laughed, like a bowl full
OF jelly.
He was chubby and plump pa right jolly old
elf;
A nd laughed when saw him, in spite of my
self.
wink OF his eye an a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know had nothing to dread.
He spoke not word but went straight to his
work
And filled all the stockings; then turned with
jerk,
And, laying his finger aside of his nose,
He sprang TO his Sleigh TO his team he gave
whistle.
And away hey few like the down of a thistIe
But heard him eXclaim as he drove out OF
sight
''Hcppg Christmas to all, and to oil good nigl,t!'
by Clement C. Moore, born in New York,