Clarion Defender_1971-12-23

•• ·= • . .. ·.:.. ••• ••••• '"" J • ,.._. ·.•"!': .••.·. ... . · .· .. • ·; .. ··:... . .: . . . . . :· .· . · .. ' . ·· ·X . I . ~ . .: ~ ·.:.. 't .:....~· ......... ~ft .. ..... . ·:·~· .. ··".~ .. ~ - ~~ . _. *. .. J.. • I '*j•:.:· ~ . : . • ·: • I : • I . • ~;.: . • ], · .·:*: ·.~·:.lc' .:· • .• •.• 'T. ·~ I • • ' • • ·. it "' . . of • •. J. .... , •• . .. . . .·· ·t.· . . .. .... .... " ..... ..... . ;: . ~ .. . ... p ........ .... "- ... ·· THE NORTHWEST'S OLDEST BLACK NEWSPAPER Published Weekly 319 N. E. Wygant Portland, Oregon 97211 Phone: 284-1289 11th Year No. 346 De cember 2 3, 197 AN. WOa'r.l'r ·TwAs TI-l~ NIGI-IT BEFORE CHRISTMAS ":f WAS the night ~fore Christmas when all thru the house Not a creature was stirring not even a mouse. The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, In the hopes that Saint Nicholas soon would ~ there. The children were nestled all snug in their beds, While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads, And mamma in her 'kerchief and I in 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 my ~d to see what was the matter. Away to the window I flew like a flash, Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash. The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow, Gave a lustre of mid-day 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 ~ 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 :>f the porch, to the top of the wall! Now, dash away, dash away, dash away all!" As dry leaves that ~fore the wild hurricane fly, When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky, So up to the house-top the coursers they ~ew With the slei~h full of toys,-nd St. Nicht;las, too. And then in a twinkle, 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 was dressed all in fur, from his head to his fOol, And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot; A bundle of toys he had flung on his back, And he looked like a peddler just opening hi. 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 ~ard on 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 ~lly That shook, when he laughed, like a bowl full of jelly. 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; He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work, And 611ed all the stockings, then turned with a jerk. And laying his 6nger 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 on a th:stle: But I heard him uclaim ere he drove out of sight, "Happy Christmas to all and to all a good nir 1 ~-" -CLEMENT C. MOORE.