Dashes of American Humour

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Piper Brothers and Company, 1852 - American wit and humor - 248 pages

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Page 242 - 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 care, In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there...
Page 242 - As I drew in my head and was turning around, Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound. He was dressed all in fur from his head to his foot, And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot...
Page 242 - Gave a lustre of midday to objects below; When what to my wondering eyes should appear But a miniature sleigh and eight tiny reindeer, With a little old driver, so lively and quick, I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick! More rapid than eagles his coursers they came, And he whistled and shouted and called them by name: "Now, Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen! On, Comet! on, Cupid! on, Donder and Blitzen! To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall! Now dash away! dash away! dash away,...
Page 242 - As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly, When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky; So up to the house-top the coursers they flew, With the sleigh full of Toys, and St. Nicholas too. And then in a twinkling, I heard on the roof, The prancing and pawing of each little hoof — As I drew in my head, and was turning around, Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound. He...
Page 242 - Nick ; More rapid than eagles his coursers they came And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name. "Now, Dasher, now Dancer! now Prancer and Vixen! On Comet! on Cupid! on Donder and Blitzen! To the top of the porch, to the top of the wall ; Now dash away, dash away, dash away all!
Page 242 - His eyes — how they twinkled; his dimples, how merry! His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry! His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow, And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow; The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth, And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath; He had a broad face and a little round belly That shook, when he laughed, like a bowl full of jelly.
Page 242 - kerchief, and I in my cap, Had just settled our brains for a long winter's nap,— When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter, I sprang from my bed to see what was the matter. Away to the window I flew like a flash, Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.
Page 242 - He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf, And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself. A wink of his eye and a twist of his head Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.
Page 242 - And filled all the stockings, then turned with a jerk, And laying his finger aside of his nose, And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose. He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle, And away they all flew like the down of a thistle ; But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight, " Happy Christmas to all, and to all a goodnight !
Page 115 - THE Sea, the sea, the open sea, The blue, the fresh, the ever free : Without a mark, without a bound, It runneth the earth's wide regions round : It plays with the clouds, it mocks the skies, Or like a cradled creature lies.

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