O' winder-curtains over there
An' says, "_Hide quick, er you're too late!--
Them bells is stoppin' at the gate!--
Git back o' them-'air chairs an' hide_,

[Illustration]

[Illustration]

_'Cause I hear Santy's voice outside_!"
An' _Bang! bang! bang!_ we heerd the door--
Nen it flewed open, an' the floor
Blowed full o' snow--that's _first_ we saw,

Till little Lee-Bob shriek' at Ma
"_There's Santy Claus!--I know him by
His big white mufftash!_"--an' ist cry
An' laugh an' _squeal_ an' dance an' _yell_--
Till, when he quiet down a spell,
Old Santy bow an' th'ow a kiss
To him--an' one to me an' Sis--
An' nen go _clos't_ to Ma an' stoop
An' kiss her--An' nen give a whoop
That _fainted_ her!--'Cause when he bent
An' kiss her, he ist backed an' went
Wite 'ginst the Chris'mus-Tree ist where

[Illustration]

[Illustration]

The candle's at Lee-Bob lit there!--
An' set his white-fur belt afire--
An' blaze streaked roun' his waist an' higher
Wite up his old white beard an' th'oat!--

Nen Uncle grabs th' old overcoat
An' flops it over Santy's head,
An' swing the door wide back an' said,
"Come out, old man!--an' _quick_ about
It!--I've ist _got_ to put you out!"
An' out he sprawled him in the snow--
"Now _roll_!" he says--"_Hi-roll-ee-O_!"--
An' Santy, sputter'n' "_Ouch! Gee-whiz!_"
Ist roll an' roll fer all they is!
An' Trip he's out there, too,--I know,
'Cause I could hear him yappin' so--
An' I heerd Santy, wunst er twic't,

[Illustration]

[Illustration]

Say, as he's rollin', "_Drat the fice't_!"
Nen Uncle come back in, an' shake
Ma up, an' say, "Fer mercy-sake!--
He hain't hurt none!" An' nen he said,--

"You youngsters h'ist up-stairs to bed!--
Here! kiss yer Ma 'Good-night,' an' me,--
We'll he'p old Santy fix the Tree--
An' all yer whistles, horns an' drums
I'll he'p you toot when morning comes!"

* * * * *

It's long while 'fore we go to sleep,--
'Cause down-stairs, all-time somepin' keep
A-kindo' scufflin' roun' the floors--
An' openin' doors, an' _shettin'_ doors--
An' could hear Trip a-whinin', too,
Like he don't know ist _what_ to do--

[Illustration]

[Illustration]

An' tongs a-clankin' down _k'thump_!--
Nen some one squonkin' the old pump--
An' _Wooh!_ how cold it soun' out there!
I could ist _see_ the pump-spout where

It's got ic