“‘Twas The Night Before Christmas”
Clement Clarke Moore
altereed by December 25, 2017 Douglas van Veelen
‘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.
The children were nestled all snug in their beds, while visions of sugarplums danced in their heads. And mamma in her kerchief, and I in my cap, had just settled our brains for a long winter nap.
When out in the freight 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.
The moon, on the breast of the new-fallen snow, gave a luster of midday to objects below, when, what to my wondering eyes should appear, but a miniature sleigh and eight tiny locos, with a little old driver so lively and quick, I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick!
More rapid than eagles his courses they came, and he whistled and shouted and called them by name:
“Now, 84! Now, 97! Now, 86 and 87! On, 94! On, 95! On, 91 and 89! To the front of the yard the locos all flew and the train from Durango was readied to chAallange the rockies once more.
As dry leaves that before the wild commosion fly, the train was assembled and dispatched to the roof. Cumbres waited for the two 4-loco trains to lift the presents from out west for places back east. The trains bit into the steep grades and were soon at Cumbres with the mandate to combine and continue to the end of the narrow gauge line.
The engines were split for Lobato with care, and delayed the two sections by nary a hair. As I was turning around, I saw that St. Nicholas was in the lead engine. At CumbresI sawh e was dressed all in fur from his head to his foot, and his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot. 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 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 belly 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 filled all the stockings, then turned with a jerk. Laying his finger aside of his nose, and giving a nod, up the chimney he rose. He sprang to 97 and gave a long whistle, and away they all flew east like the down of a thistle. But I heard him exclaim, as he drove out of sight…
“Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!”
I have strange times when a muse hits me and although I was almost asleep, I just had to get this down on paper.
As long as Clemet Moore and I are given credit, please feel free to improve on this alteration.
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Carrie Fisher quotes:
Instant gratification takes too long.
I was street smart, but unfortunately the street was Rodeo Drive.
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Luna Lovelace (Harry Potter):
I sleepwalk you know that's why I wear shoes to bed.
