fiiwiBW^/ii^iiii^ ' "m^JK'-^JS^/^' ^^^-i^^^>ixm:A.w^i^^^*^^ THK (DIHIMitlliii W''"' La OF E^nsifiLii ©miAiiiiLBio NEW YORK: KIGGINS& KELLOGG, 88 JOHN STREET, ^1 ^\ 1 fV-jW*^ '-. - —I- .rUf'i^ r:-^*r lit 1 ' 1 THE CHRISTMAS DREAM OF LITTLE CHARLES. ^ One Christmas eve, little Charles Estahrook hiino- his stocking carefully by the chim- ney corner, and, after saying his prayers, got into bed, and soon fell asleep. Charles was a good little boy ; he was fond of horses, and took pleasnie in feeding them and attending to their wants. On the day pi'e- vious, a traveller came aluncr- his horse was thirsty; so litrle Charles got a pail, filled it with CHRISTMAS DREAM i.i'li i I i|!l< OF LITTLE CHARLES. 6 water, and gave the horse to drink, for which the traveller rewarded him by giving him a shining. But, although so fond of horses, little Charles was not unmindful of the claims of his sister Lizzy, as she was famil- iarly called, and, in pleasant weather, would go out to walk with her. In the engraving opposite, they are on their way to school together, and have stopped that he may tie her shoe, which has become un- fastened. Charles dreamed that he was in bed, peeping at his stock- ing, over the bed-clothes, when he saw a very pleasant-looking old gentleman come down the chimney, on a nice little pony, w 6 CHRISTMAS DREAM precisely like the one named Lightfoot, that his Uncle Ben had promised to give him. It was funny, indeed, to see the pony slide down feet foremost, and Charles could not help laughing ; but he laughed still louder, when he examined Old Nicholas the rider. His hair was made of crackers, and as he came nearer and nearer to the lamp, that stood on the hearth, pop went off one of rhe crackers, then another, and then another. But St. Nicho- las was not a bit frightened ; he only rubbed his ears with his coat-sleeve, patted the pony to keep him quiet, and laughed till he showed the concave of his great moutK full of sugar- phims. OF LITTLE CHARLES. 7 " He was chubby and plump, A right jolly old elf — Charley laughed when he saw him, In spite of himself; While a wink of his eye, A twist of his head, Soon gave him to know He had nothing to dread." Charles was excessively de- lighted, and shouted so loud that his mother thought he had the nightmare. He watched the old gentleman closely, and then looked at his stocking. It hung very conveniently. " He can't put the pony in it," said he to himself; *' that's a pity/' The old gentleman's pock- ets stuck out prodigiously, and he panted and puffed as if he had been cudgelling aii alii gator. 8 CHRISTMAS DREAM ** Well," said he, wiping the perspiration off his face, al- though it was the 25th of De- cember, ^' if this is not hard work. Eighty-five youngsters have 1 called on the last hour. Hark ! St. Michael's sounds loud down the chimney. One, two. I shall have a tough job, from two o'clock till daylight, topping down the chimneys Tom the Battery to the High bridge. I wonder what this OF LITTLE CHARLES. 9 chap would like for a Christ- mas present," continued he, eying the stocking ; then put- ting his arms akimbo, he began to consider. Charles's heart beat. " Good Mr. Nicholas/^ said he to himself, '' if you could only give me that pony." But he kept quite still, for ho saw the old man put his hands into his tremendous pockets. ^' Let me see," said old Nich^ olas, ^*here is a jack-knife that I was to have given Tommy Battle, if he had not quarrelled with his sisters. Open sesa- me !" The stocking opened, and in went the jack-knife. It was the very thing that Charles wanted. One after another the old gentleinan pulled out tops, twine, marbles, dissected maps, 10 CHRISTMAS DREAM picture-books, sugar-plums, be- sides divers other notions, all the while talking to himself. 'sf.'^r " This drum," said he, ^^ is for Tom Barnwell, a clever little fellow wno never tells lies. These pretty little fish-hooks and line Master Troup must have, for his patient care of his father when he was sick. This mask is for Orace Allen ; he must not use it to frighten Httle children, or I shall re- i OF LITTLE CHARLES, 11 member it when Christmas comes again. Let me see, I will give this globe to Joseph Dudley, who is a studious boy, in 12 CHRISTMAS? DREAM and he will make a good use of it. This pretty annual was for William Wiley, but the lad kicked his brother, and called him a bad name, so I will lay it by for George Wilde." Charles thought he could stay for ever to see the old gentleman take out his knick- nacks, and tell who they were for ; but he began to be a little fi'ia-htened for his own stock- ing, when he recollected that he had been remiss in his Latin the last quarter. '' I hope the old cj^ntleman does not under- stand the classics," said Char- ley to himself; but he stopped short, for his queer visiter held up the stocking, saying, ^' I think this lad loves gunpowder by the smell of his stocking." OF LITTI.E CHARLES. 13 He tlien took hold of bis hair, and pulling out crackers by the dozen from his head, tied them up into neat parcels, and threw them into the stockino;. As fast as he pulled them off, new crackers appeared, and hung down over his ears and forehead. " This accounts for the noise we hear on Christ- mas," said Charles ; " I never knew who made all the crack- ers !" and he had to hold his sides for laughing, the old man looked so droll. When the old gentleman stoopc d over the light to put a new supply in the stocking, an unusual number exploded, and the little pony giving a start up the chimney, disappeared. _ Charles awoke ; it was just I^m u CHRISTMAS DREAM daylight. He sprung out of bt^d, roused all the family with his '' Merry Christmas," rau to the stable, and what should he /^ ^ OF LITTLE CHARLES. 15 see, but Uncle Ben's little po- ny, with a baiter on his neck, on which was tied a piece of pa per, written, '* A merry Chi'ist- mas, with the [)ony Liglitfoot, for my nephew Charles !" THE LITTLE COLT. SPOKEN BY A LITTLE R01f. Pray how shall I, a little lad, In speaking make a figure ; You are but jesting, I'm afraid, Do wait till I am bigger. But since you wish to hear my part, And urge me to begin it, I'll strive for praise witb all my art, Tliough small my chance to win it I'll tell a tab; how Farmer John A little roan co't bred, sir. And every night and every morn He watered and he fed, sir. 16 THE LITTLE COLT. Said Neighbor Joe, to Farmer John, *' You surely are a dolt, sir, To spend such daily care upon A little useless colt, sir." The farmer answered wondering Joe, " I bring my Uttle roan up, Not for the good he now can do. But may do when he's grown up." The moral you may plainly see, To keep the tale from spoiling ; The little colt you think is me— I know it by your smiling. I now entreat you to excuse My lisping and my stammers, Aind, since you've learned my parent's views, I'll humbly make my manners. ^Si«*»-v 5 i '^f^m m m m&mmtiimtm B0i 'iT-s --i^fr- fc I KIGGUrS & KELLOGG, I Publisliers, Booksellers, & Stationers, 128'& 125 William St. Also Manufacturers of every description of ACCOUNT BOOKS, MEM0BANDT7MS and F ASS BOOKS, a large Stock of which Is constantly kept on hand. Their Aasortment of SCHOOL AND xlIISCELLANEOUS BOOKS, and of Foreign and Domestic STATIONERY, is very complete, to the inspection of which they would invite Country Merchants before purchasing elsewhere. JUST PUBLISHED,. redj^ieIiD^s toy B00K8> Four Series of Twelve Books each, BEAUTIFULLY ILLUSTRATED, PncA 07ie, Two, Four^ and Si;^ Cents. iil st\ )'.» •Jil --'* •> i