The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1884-12-20
The Night Before Christmas.
A French Version of Clement &. MOOre's
Famous Holiday Poem.

1t was Christmas during the night, when
not being even down to a mouse was
promenading itself throughout the whole of
the mansion. The stockings below the
mantel-piece had been suspended carefully,
in the hopes that Saint Nicholas would rem
der visit with speed. The infants had re-
tired themselves to their touches, and all of
them were exceedingly comfortable, during
which period some dreams of the confec-
tiouery made dance within their heads.
The mother with her handkerchief and l
myself having assumed my cap had that
moment arranged our brains in the condi-
ton of sleep of the lengthy winter, when
an excitement so great made itself to be
heard outside within the courtyard, that
from the bottom of my bed [ made spring
in order to ascertain for myself the cause.
TO the window as flash of lightning
myself shot, the shutters pushed with Vi
olence extreme, and the framework raised.
The moon, down upon the bosom of the
snow new-fallen, impaired brightness of
the broad day below the objects, when be-
fore my eyes, lost in the establishment, came
a small sleigh and eight reindeer very little,
with an aged coachman, also very small,
very animated, very jerky, and this man,
| knew it at once, must be Saint Nick.
4han-the eagles a great deal more rapidly
his steeds advanced themselves; he mention
ed how they were called with whistling,
crying out:
"Pusher-on Waltzer! Riser-up-on-
: His-Two-Hind-F eetl Termagantl Come
now! Comet Cupid Thunder and
Lightning Make yourselves to go on to
the roof of the piazza to the portion of the
fence the most elevated! Be in hurry,
be in hurry
As the withered leaves impeded in the
cyclone make for themselves to the skys
height the passage, in the same manner the
reindeer the ridge of the mansion assembled
with celebrity, bearing with them the sleigh
of playthings full, Saint Nicholas with them
going also. Afterward, in the time it takes
ones eye to be winked, upon the roof [
discerned of each small hoof the scrape, the
gambol also
As my head to the interior Of the apart
mcnt l had brought, and was of myself
making the turn, ST. Nicholas bounded
himself down into the fireplace of the Chin
ney. From his head even down to his
feet in the fur he was clothed, and upon
him the ashes and SCOT ny as thick COW
ering, furnishing him; on his back great
abundance of the playthings he had cast
and, in fact, the resemblance of him to
peddler was very close. His eyes blinked,
he possessed joyous dimples His cheeks
were as the roses; his nose possessed the
appearance of a cherry! His small mouth
was puckered up as the bow; his beard was
white, suggesting similarity to the snow;
a short pipe, of which the smoke engar
landed his head, was between his teeth.
He possessed broad visage; a circular
stomach, also. When he laughed, the lat
ter was agitated as the jelly which is placed
in the bowl. Round, corpulent, excessively
hilarious, he caused me to burst out laugh
ing in spite of my serious efforts at the
control of myself. His winking eye and
twisted head Immediately gave me to know
he was harmless. Silently he inaugurated
his task, filling with the playthings the
stockings; then he himself turned, along
side of his nose his finger placed and, Civ
ing to me of politeness the salution, took
again the chimney.
Within his sleigh he cast himself, whistl-
ing, and as a feather flew his team. New
ertheless, heard him to exclaim, immedi-
ately in the advance of MS driving afar off
"To everybody the Happy Christmas and
the goodnight ~