Tweaked Santa Klaus' nose. Santa woke with a jump, Sat up in his sleigh, Rubbed his nose-- And I don't suppose Understands to this day-- And gazing around he took in the plight, He seized his reins in the funniest fright, And down he came in the snowy midnight All rosy and bright-- The great, merry elf, Just like himself, Bluster and noise, nonsense and fun, With gifts for the children, everyone; While, soft and far, every bell Chimed "Twelve o' the clock and all's well!" And the slumbering world might have heard The great white wide-winged story-book bird A-calling "Merry Christmas!" forth in glee As he flew up to his Cloudland tree. And the Owl never told--I alone knew-- So don't you tell, whatever you do. How near the world came to a disaster most shocking, Waking Christmas morning without a filled stocking! HOLLY TREE By Paul H. Hayne. _("Hie on the holly tree!"--Old Ballad.)_ |THE firelight danced and wavered In elvish, twinkling glee On the leaves and crimson berries Of the great green Christmas-Tree; And the children who gathered round it Beheld, with marvelling eyes, Pendant from trunk and branches How many a precious prize, From the shimmer of gold and silver Through a purse's cunning net, To the coils of a rippling necklace That quivered with beads of jet! But chiefly they gazed in wonder Where flickered strangely through The topmost leaves of the holly, The sheen of a silken shoe! And the eldest spake to her father: "I have seen--yes, year by year, On the crown of our Christmas hollies, That small shoe glittering clear; "But you never have told who owned it, Nor why, so loftily set, It shines though the fadeless verdure-- You never have told us yet!" ' Twas then that the museful father In slow sad accents said, While the firelight hovered eerily About his downcast head: "My children.... you had a sister; (It was long, long, long ago,) She came like an Eden rosebud 'Mid the dreariest winter snow, "And for four sweet seasons blossomed To cheer our hearts and hearth, When the song of the Bethlehem angels Lured her away from earth-- "A little before she left us, We had deftly raised to view, On the topmost branch of the holly, Yon glimmering, tiny shoe; "For again 'twas the time of Christmas, As she lay with laboring breath; But.... our minds were blinded strangely, And we did not dream of death.