It was a night before Christmas, and all through the house not a creature was stirring.

Not even a mouse.

The stalkings were hung by the chimney with care in hopes

that St. Nicholas soon would be there. The children were nestled, all snug in their beds,

well visions of sugar plums danced in their heads, and Mama and her kerchief and I and my cap

had just settled down for a long winter's nap. When out on the lawn, there arose such a

clatter, I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter. Away to the window, I flew in a flash,

and tore open the shutters, and threw up the sash. The moon on the breast of new fallen snow

gave the luster of midday objects below. 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 e as courte as they came, and he whistled and shouted,

call 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,

dash away, dash away all.

As dry leaves before the wild hurricane fly when they meet with an obstacle mount to the sky,

so up to the housetop his courses they flew, with a slave full of toys in 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 hand and was turning around down the chimney st nicholas came with a bound he was all dressed in fur from his head to his foot and his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot a bundle of toys he had flung on his back, and he looked just like

a peddler opening his pack. 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 white as the snow. The stump of a pipe, he held tight in his a bow and the beard of his chin was white as the snow.

The stump of a pipe, he held tight in his teeth, and the smoke it had circled his head

like a wreath.

He had a broad face and a round little belly that shook when he laughed like a bowlful of jelly.

...