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Speaker 1: Twas the night before Christmas A visit from Saint Nicholas

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by Clement Seymour. Twas the night before Christmas, when all

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through the house not a creature was stirring, not even

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a mouse. The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,

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in hopes that Saint Nicholas soon would be there. The

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children were nestled, all snug in their beds, while visions

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of sugar plums danced in their heads. And Mamma in

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her kerchief and I in my cap, had just settled

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our brains for a long winter's nap, when out on

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the lawn there arose such a clatter. I sprang from

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the bed to see what was the matter. Away to

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the window, I flew, like a flashed or open the

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shutters and threw up the sash. The moon on the

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breast of the new fallen snow gave the luster of

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midday to objects below. When what to my wandering eyes

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should appear but a miniature sleigh and eight tiny reindeer,

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with the little old driver so lively and quick I

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knew in a moment it must be Saint Nick. More

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rapid than eagles, his coursers. They came and he whistled

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and shouted and called them by name, Now Dasher, now Dancer,

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now Brancer, and Vixen, on Comet, on Cupid, on Donder

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and Blitzen. To the top of the porch, to the

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top of the wall. Now dash away, dash away, dash away,

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all as dry leaves that before the wild hurriganan fly.

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When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky.

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So up to the house top the courses they flew

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with a sleigh full of toys, and Saint Nicholas too,

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And then twinkling, I heard on the roof the brancing

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and pawing of each little hoof. As I drew in

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my head and was turning round down the chimney, Saint

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Nicholas came with a bound. He was dressed all in

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fur from his head to his foot, and his clothes

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were all tarnished with ashes and soot. A bundle of

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toys he had flung on his back, and he looked

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like a peddler just opening his pack. His eyes, how

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they twinkled, his dimples, how merry, his cheeks were like roses,

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his nose like a cherry. His droll little mouth was

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drawn up like a bow, and the beard of his

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chin was as white as the snow. The stump of

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a pipe he held tight in his teeth, and the

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snow at encircled his head like a wreath. He had

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a broad face and a little round belly that shook

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when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly. He was

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chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf. And I

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laughed when I saw him in spite of myself. A

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wink of his eye and a twist of his head

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soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.

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He spoke not a word, but went straight to his

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work and filled all the stockings. Then turned with a jerk,

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and laying his finger aside of his nose, and giving

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a nod up the chimney, he rose. He sprang to

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his sleigh, to his teem, gave a whistle, and away

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they all flew like the down of a thistle. But

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I heard him exclaim ere he drove out of sight,

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Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night,

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And of twas the night before Christmas.