The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1884-12-26
THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS.
FRENCH VERSION OF CLEMENT @. MOORE
FAMOUS HOLIDAY POEM.

1t was Christmas during the night, when not
being even down to mouse was promenad-
ing itself throughout the whole of the man
sion. The stockings below the mantel-piece
had been suspended carefully. in the hopes
that Saint Nicholas would render visit with
speed. The infants had retired themselves to
their couches, and all of them were exceeding
~ comfortable, during. which period some
dreams of the confectionery made dance
within their heads. The mother with her
handkerchief and myself having assumed my
cap had that moment arranged our brains in
the condition 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 a flash of lightning l myself shot,
the shutters pushed with violence extreme,
and the framework raised The moon, down
upon the bosom of the snow new-fallen, i'm
parted brightness of the broad day below the
objects, when before my eyes, lost in the as
constituent, came small sleigh and eight rein
deer very little, with an aged coachman, also
very small, very animated, very jerky. and this
man, knew it at once, must be Saint Nick.
Than the eagles great deal more rapidly his
steeds advanced themselves; he mentioned
how they were called, with whistlng, crying
out:
'Pusher-on Walter! Riser-up-on-His-
Two-Hind-Feet! Termagant 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 p
AS the withered leaves impeded in the cy-
clone make for themselves to the sky's height
the passage, in the same manner the reindeer
the ridge of the mansion assembled with
celebrity, bearing with them the sleigh OF play
things 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 apartment
had brought, and was of myself making the
turn, St. Nicholas bounded himself down into
the fireplace of the chimney. From his head
even down to his feet in the fur he was
clothed, and upon him the ashes and SCOT lay
as thick covering, furnishing him; on his
back great abundance of the playthiDgs he
had cast and, in fact, the resemblance of him
to peddler was very close. His eyes bhnked;
he possessed joyous dimples His cheeks were
as the roses; his nose possessed the appear
ance of cherry His small mouth was puck
cred up as the bow; his beard was white sug-
costing similarity to the snow; short pipe,
of which the smoke engarlanded his head, was
between his teeth. He possessed a broad Wis
age; circular stomach, also. When he
laughed, the latter was agitated as the jelly
which is placed in the bowl. Round, corpu-
lent, excessively hilarious, he caused me to
burst out laughing 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 inaugu-
rated his task, filling with the playthings the
stockings; then he himself turned, alongside
of his nose his finger placed and, giving to me
of politeness the salutation, took again the
chimney.
Within his sleigh he cast himself, whistling
and as a feather flew his team. Nevertheless,
l heard him 10 exclaim, Immediately in the ad-
vance of his driving afar off 'To everybody
the Happy Christmas and the goodnight "'