The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1884-12-24
ST. NICHOLAS.

ST. NICHOLAS.
"Hol there at the wicket who pounds at tn
door,
Such din in Olympus was ne'er heard be
would sleep-get We gone-rm ailing-fn
sick,
What the deuee-there again-who is call
ing, St. Nick ?"
Arouse We, Arouse vel It's dawnin.
again.
The Star that once beamed over Bethlehem
plain
The star of the Magi, that shone on tn,
When earth's blessed Savior, the Christ child
was born p
'sHo. Ho! Is it so2 Then I'll up and away
| As soon as the COLLINS can harness my
sleigh"
Then he reared such laugh as he sprane
out of bed,
Ii startled the stars in the sky overhead.
And they winked at each other as much a:
to say:
There is something gore wrong and Old
Nick is to pay.
II took but moment to jump in his boots
To wrap himself up in the best of fur suits
To run to the closet and drag out his pack.
Which he swung with chuckle across his
broad back;
Then Off to the stable he dashed through the
snow,
Where the reindeer were prancing, all ready
TO go.
He was up in jiff,y, and, cracking his whip,
With Hi, there my hearties ~ he let the
rein slip.
Straight down through the welkin they sped
like the light;
Without pause or turn to the left or the
right
The CLOUDS dragged their skirts to get off Of
the track,
The winds shrank alarmed-all quite taken
aback.
Fen the moon drew in haste veil DER her
face.
So quick cracked the whip and so fast was
the pace;
And be pealed out laugh 50 jocund and
gay
That aurora woke up long before it was day.
oh, never such a sleigh-ride was ridden be-
fore
AS that Of St. Nick with his rich Christmas
store
Far down in the distance Earth rolled fast
asleep,
Dark night having wrapped it in silence so
deep
That the children, tucked closein their snug
little beds,
Whence nothing peeped out save their cher
ubim heads,
Werefdreamlng.of fairies, of frolic and fun,
And other stern facts of the life Just begun.
1t was three by the clock when out on the
roof
That tinkle Of sleigh bell and taps of hoof
Made their little hearts bound and flash
round the Earth
A smile such as welcomed the Lamb at its
birth;
But they woke not Oh, no. Old Nick is
so sly
He fastens paddock on each prying eye.
With Whoa, there, my pretties,n he stops
with jerk,
Lights his pipe, swings his pack, then away
to his work,
Over steeples and house tops, in windows,
down flues,
So fleet you would think he had wings to
his shoes.
In pantries he peers and through bedrooms
he whirls,
Now pinching the babies, now kissing the
girls,
Filling up all their stockings with goodies
and toys,
Nor forgetting the switch, always left for
bad boys,
Then on through the play rooms to plant
those great trees,
Where grow doIlies and drums with exqui-
site ease.
What jolly fat fellow so little and spry,
With round dimpled cheeks and a fine fash
ing eye,
Hair jeweled with hail-stones, and such a
red nose,
1t lights up the pathway wherever he goes I.
Then his rich, merry laush-ah never,
fear,
Will music so sweet again gladden. the year.
But time flies apace. Even now faint ray
Struggles up through the East as the herald
Of day
The winds wakei.in protest and scatter the
snow;
Now listen! the signal hear the cock
crow.
"Ho! hoF' cries Old Nick, with his cheer
lest warning.
Merry Christmas to all and to all good
morning" E. {. HIicges.