A VISIT FJtOM ST. NICHOLAS,
nr rnorKssrtit Moons.
'Twha the night before Christmas when, oil thro'
tlvo house,
Not o crcattlro Waislirri'pg, n6t even a mouse;
Tho stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that Su Nicholas soon would be there ;
The children Wcro nestled all snug in their beds,
AVhilo visions of sugar-plums danced 'tlirough their
licads;
And mamma in her 'kerchief, and I in ny cap,
Had just nestled our brains for n long winter's nap:
When out on tho lawn there aroso such a clatter,
I sprahg from tho bcd.to see what was tho matter i
Away to tho window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and throw up tho sash.
Tlicfiioon, on tho breast of tho new fallen snow,
Gavo "the lustro of mid-day to objects below,
"When, wliat to my wondering eyes should appear,
IS ut a miniature, sleigh, and eight tiny rein-deer,
With a little old driver, so lively and'fuicV,
I knew in a moment it must be St. Jtfick.
Moro rapid than eagles. his coursers tlSy'tfame,
And he wliistlcd and shouted, and called them by
name:
".Now, Dasher t now, Dancer 1 now,'Francer ! now,
vixen I ,. . ,
On ! Comet, on ! Cupid, on! Dondcr and Blixcn ;
t o the top ot the porch I to tho top ot the wall !
Now, dash away, dash away, dash away all 1"
As leaves that before ho wild hurricane fly,
. "When they meet with an obstacle, mount to tho sky,
oo np to the lipuso-top the coursers they flew,
With the sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas too.
And trfen,in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
Tho prancing and pawing of each littlo hoof,
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St. Nicholas camo with a bound,
He Was dressed all in fur, from IiU head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and
soot;
A bundle oftoys ho had flung ori his back,
And he look'd lik'6 a pedlar just opening his pack,
Mis eyes how they tinkled; his dimples, how
merry 1
His ch'ceks Were like roses, liis noso 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
Tho stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke, it encircled his head like 'a wrcaln;
lie had abroad face, and a little round belly,
That shook, when he laugh'd, like a bowl full of
, jelly.
He was chubbv and nlumn : a rinht iollv old elf;
And 1 laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself,
A wink ot his eye, and a twist of his head,
Soon gavo mo to know I had nothing to dread.
He spojee hot a word but went straight to his work.
And filled nil tho stockings ; then turned with ajerk.
And laying his iingerB asido of his nose,
And nivincr a nod. un tho chimnev he rose.
'He .sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle.
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle :
But I heard him exclaim, ere ho drove out of sight.
"Happy Christmas to all, and Id all a good night
From the Furget-me-Not for 1838.
THE l'HHEXOLOGIST.
ST It". SIIElAoiT J1ACKT.XZ1E, 1. L.
Rabelais, that truest of all true liislori
"an'3, relates that Gargantua, when a youth
found employment in setting bows to catel
hares, in carrying water in sieves, in fish
ing for whales in tea-cups, in shoing gos
lings, in hunting for needles in haystacks
and such profitable and pleasant occupa.
lions. What Gu'argantua did in youth
Professor Richer) of the University of Hoi
delborg; pursued iii age lhat is, his pur
suits, if not exactly the same, were of
similar business-like and philosophical na
lure. A great man was the Professor!
Ilowhe became Pi ofessor no one knew
how he continued in that capacity every
bnc wondered. His duties consisted in the
receipt of a handsome income, paid quar
terly. It was necessary, in 1817, that the
students should have, certificates of atten
dance on his lectures on the Philosophy
'of the Human Mind, as part of their carri
tulum; So they paid tho fees and did not
liear the lectures. Thus tho Professor had
a sinecllre.
A venerable youth was lie on the shady
"side of seventy;. lie knew no language
but his own', ami that not very well;' but
his essays in the Heidleberg Mertury were
well sprinkled with Greek & Latin extracts
conveyed from a huge "Dictionary of Quo -tatlonsi"
lie had commended life, as a
spectacle:makcr ; but skill he had none, so
Tie turned Professor; He ever had some
hobby: now, lie would give a lecture oit
swimming, to tho effect that little boys
should practice on dry land, by aping the
motions of frogs, and not go into the wa
ter till they had adequate skill, nor even
then unless they wore" eork-jackets of his
town invention! anon he would wnx garru
lous, if not eloquent, upon tho mystery of
making a 'top spin on a clean pip to for half
an hour at a time! Thus scientific and
practical were all his experiments. Of late
lie had been seized with a passion for Phre
nology, which at tho tihie above indicated,
was becoming popular in Germany After
twclvo months' rnuding and muddling, (for
he was rather a damp soul) he hit upon
tho wonderful idea that) as tho character
and condudt of human beings depended
upon tho size of the bumps of their respec
tive alid respectable skull?, the character
could bo fixed, and tho conduct mainly gui
ded, by elevating or dopressirig) bringing
forward of reducing,1 tho nccosaary "or-
gnnsjj; .lliSffiuca was that thoy. "might
bc"'rc4uccd'by:6mpressioh anddcycTppcd
by sdVh a simple "method as 1lio creation of
vacuum by an air-pump, Accordingly, he
had a compress made of cold, vltich. when
he could get a suitable subiccVho resolved
.to fix on tho head by a band, and sccuro by
a tourniquet. This apparatus was intended
by him to remain on the head day and night;
and, by giving tho tourniquet a.slight turn
each morning, When the cranium is most
complianl,ho trusted that in a short time
lie could 'compress any organ to what ho
conceived to be its desiderated moral size.
The 'use of a portable air-pump would cre
ate a vacuum in a vessel of strong flint-
glass, which, if placed over any bump not
adequately developed, would, ho was confi
dent, cause its'gradual emcrgement from the
skull. The person operated upon would
have only to wear the compress and tourni
quet day and night for twelve months, and
remain at and for the same period under
the air pump, to effect all that the Profes
sor's mighty wisdom anticipated. Unfor
tunately, as yet he had not met with any
one willing to make tho experiment!
Had I the art of drawing portraits with
my pen, I should certainly attempt that .of
Caroline von Pichlefj us pretty a German
maiden as ever, when a lover spoke parti
cularly) blushed tho "Yes," which her lips
would not utter at once. When I mention
German beauty, you think, I daro say, of
tho importations who annoy our sight with
bronzed faces, mob-caps, thick legs, and
chum-waists, and who makes music for our
cars with "Buy a broom" discords. No;
such is not German beauty. Walk down
the Kohlmarkt, (the Regent Street of Vien
na,) and you will see a thousand brilliancies
of female beauty. Now you are justled in
that thronged thorough-fare and the finest
form in tho world flits by you and the
most speaking eyes flash their bright apol
ogies for the accident. A moment ere
you have time to regret the sweet vision
you meet another, and another and anoth
er. Thoy are frequent as the flowers in
June, or the stars in midnight. They are
varied, too, in their brightness and their
clime. The radiant freshness of the Eng
lish features'; the beaming intellect of the
Italian face; the sweet pathos which forms
the expression of Polish beauty; the Asiat
ic cast of the Hungarian aspect; the classic
contour of the Grecian outline all are there
but among them none is fairer than tllo ear
nest loveliness of tho German. After such
a preface, how can I describe Caroline von
Pichlei!
Fancy a lovely, loving, and loveablc
maiden, of bright nineteen, and you may
have a thought of Caroline. Then like
Cardelia's,
her voice was over soft,
Gentle, and low: an excellent thing in woman;
In fine, botii in person arid miiid, she
was a delightful specimen of womanhood
in its earliest prime well educated, too,
though of this she was not proud good
tempered, in spite of the vinegar disposi
tion of Madame Amettc von Pichlcr, a
crossgraiued old maid, her aunt and guar
dian. When Madame scolded, which, to
do her justice) was only five minutes out
of every ten Caroline flew to painting, or
to music. Or, if these did not please her,
sue new to prepare net lessons lor ner pri
vate tutor, Ernst Manheim.
Ernst was young, not yet five-and-twen-ty.
He was handsome Caroline, some
how Or other, always identifying him with
the Apollo Belvedere! Poor girl! she was
not the first by thousands who had raised a
mortal into an id6l, making her own heart
tho shrine!"
For twelve months Ernst Manheim had
been visiting tutor to Caroline von Pichlcr.
Much did he teach her, in language and
sciences, and lie also taught her ore, which
is the life of life
A great crime, Ernst had been absent
six whole days, and had only sent a for
mal apology to Madame, that lie was com
pelled by business to quit Vienna for a
weoki Poor Caroline! she, appropriated"
the note.from her aunt's table, and carried
it next to her heart. What odd fancies
Love has!
She reclinetl upon the sofa in tho library,
dull, dlstraile; and languid. lie! whose
step is lhat? It is outside, in tho street, and
yet she can distinguish it among every foot
fall in Vienna:
Oh, lover's eyes are quick to scd,
And lovers) cars are quick hi hearing!
She had intended something likes reproach
the scholar to scold the mastcfl but,
when ho cntorod) tho' intention vanished,
So they sate down to vend; hut Ernst was,
almost silent," and his ebunicna'neo had h
very gravc.cxprcssion. ' ' " I T
"You aro dull to-day ,"Ernst," said Caro
line, in the 'sweetest voice and with the
brightest smile in the world. "What has
annoyed you? why arc you sad?"
"For you, Caroline," said lie, tuking her
while soft hand from tho table on which it
rested. Site blushed, but did not withdraw
that hand.
"I liavo discovered how it matters not
that your excellent aunt has bargained to
marry you to Professor Richer, Your for
tune, as she knows, is a thing of doubt; for
there is a male hear somewhere, and if he
claim it you aro penniless. Therefore, as
she has lately received notice that this long
missing heir is alive and at hand, she
would marry you to the Professor, to secure
you against want;"
"All this is new to me," said Caroline,
in a trembling tone;
"I do hot wonder that it is so. Your
grandfather, the Count von Fugger, of
Augsburg, left you his estates, if your cou
sin, then in the Bavarian army, and suppo
sed to have been slain at the battle of Lcip
zig, did not appear to claim them within
five years. The time has nearly elapsed,
and your cousin has made lias claim. Our
good Emperor Francis could scarcely re
fuse him speedy justice, for there is an her
editary right on the part of tho head of your
house, to claim a boom The Emperor
Charles V., to support the war against the
majority of the Princes of Germany-, bor
rowed a million florins from one of your an
ccstors, a merchant. He returned through
Augsburg victorious, and his creditors not
only entertained him and his retinuo for
two days in the most sumptuous manner,
but before lie departed burnt in a fire of cin
namont made lor tho purpose, the umpc-
roi's bond. In return for this generosity,
he was made a Count of the Empire, and
received lands fiefs in perpetuity for him
self and his descendants. Your cousin's
claim has been made, has been admitted
by the Emperor; and, to day, if ho will,
may take possession of your lands, your
wealth. But of this enough. Are you incli
ned to marry, and to marry tho Profes
sor?"
There fell no accent of reply from the
ripe lips of Caroline, but Ernst saw her
cheek pale, and then grow rosy as witli a
fever-flush, and he felt her hand tremble
within his.
"Your intended will be here to day, you
are to marry him to-mortow."
"Caroline raised her eyes, and looked
earnestly inlb his: still she spoke no word.
There was such a silence for two minutes
that lie could hear her heart-beats. Then
he gently pressed her hand, again she
blushed, but her eyes did not now rnect
his;
"You would avoid this marriage? Car:
oline, you love another?"
She did not speak, but silcnco is often
more eloquent than spoken words.
"Love him deeply) and havo loved him
long?"
"Alas! yes," she cried, "too deeply, but
knew not until now that I loved him!"
"Dearest Caroline!" And here", as if by
magnetic attraction, their lips touched. It
was the first, fond kiss of love! Let the
prude blame them) if she will, (we know
the fable of "sour grapes,") but for my
own part; I think with old Stapylton, "it
is all human nature."
1 he soft talk winch ensued must bo la
belled "strictly privato and cdiifidential.'
I here were gentle confessions, lender
words, sweet as honey, soft promises; wel
come as fairy-favours hearted smllcis, and
joyful tears. As Keats says of Endyinion
and Diana,
they were to happy too bo glad.
At last Ernst began to talk common
sense. "I havo been absent," said he
"for a week. I had heard of this intended
marriage, and went to Heidelberg lo sco
my learned rival. Such an exhibition
On tho strength of his approaching happi
ncss, ho has assumed tho airs and dress of
apelit'mailre. Fancy a man old cnougl
to be my grandfather, dressed like a mod
ern exquisite, with ltyperioiu curls, his
own by purchase; as fresh a bloom upon
his cheeks as carmine can bestow; ti thin
white moustacho, dyed to tho colour o
Tiis peruke; a framo bending beneath the
burden of seventy winters, yot decked ou
like the juvenility of onc-andUwenly in a
word, dearest Caroline, the dotago of did ago
garmented in the. vanity of boyhood. Such
is yonr intended)
",Wu must avoid this, nYarriage!" said the
martletr, witli a smile "
"77ia I. havo arranged,, lady-bird! I
;iav6 seen him, spoken to liinf, and he
seems to make you tho victim of his great
experiment in pihenology."
"Phrenology! and wli.nl is that?
"Nabonnc et belle Caroline, it means
the knowing what is in the head from mere
ly looking at Ihc outside. A Phrenologist
thinks that the mind is in tho brain, so that
there is no uso for the heart, except to
send out blood through the arteries and get
it back through tho veins. He does not
believe, as you and 1 do, that hearts Were
made "
"For what, Ernst?"
"For love, dearest Caroline,"
The morrow came, and with itscamo the
Professor. Ernst was also there giving
Caroline her lesson, as if nothing was to
occur! Madame Annette, at breakfast had
told her niece that it was full time to be
married and Caroline said it was; The
Madame praised her own discretion, and
saulsnc had cnoscn rroicssor Kicncr as
fit and proper ncphew-in-law and Caro
line smiled. Then Madame told her all
tho wedding clothes were ready and Car
oline thanked Jicr. Lastly, Madame bade
her take her last lesson from Ernst, "for she
was to be wedded that night and Caro
line; like a dutiful niece, went.
A loud crack of the postillion's whip, :
raltle of a caniage in the court yard. The
Professor had arrived. What a scientific
man! He had brought twenty volumes of
the Heidelberg Mercury, containing all his
essays, he had brought a box full of cork
jackets, in case lhat ho should go boating;
and ho had brought a magnificent spinning
top. Nor was this, all ho had brought a
collection of skulls and casts to teach phrc
nology to his bride; and the gold compress
for reducing, and the portable airpump for
developing, the pumps on tho human era
nium, forntcd part of his luggage.
Wonderful things! But himself, to uso
Coleridge's quotation, was the " voonder
of voonders!" One might have thought he
was turned out of a bandbox, ho was made
up so well. Tho moustaches had received
a fresh application of "Turkish dye' he
had mounted a new peruke he had put
pearl-powder as well as rougd upon his
cheeks lie was quite a modernized art
tiquc!
-Having been shown into tho library, he
saluted the fair Caroline, and expressed his
delight at renewing his acquaintance with
Ernst. Then Madame Annette came in
sadly discomposed, for one of tho boxes
of skulls had been broken, and the relics of
mortality were rolling around tho hall.
Then they all rctlied to luncheon, and the
Professor divided his attentions between the
champagne and darolino. Then they re
turned to the library;
Madame Annette introduced the subject
of their meeting, and announced that the
marriage would take place that evening.
The Professor, with a grave air, said that
Caroline must first submit to a Phrenologi
cal examination.
"A Phicn what ?" said Madame who
never heard of the sciendc.
"An examination, my dear madame, of
her head," blandly replied the professor.
But Madame appeared to disrelish the
idea, so the Professor continued : " Wo
take a scull, such as this, for installed
drawing one from his huge pocket " on
which the situation of tho organs is mapped
out. Wc see how tho brain is disposed In
the living subject, by comparing it with
these organs, and thus we judge of the
character, tho intellect, the disposition of
tho 'person. You will find it all in ono of
my essays in tho thirteenth volumo of the
Heidelberg Mercury, page 157. 1 have
brought the whole twenty volumes, to
amuse Caroline during the honey moon !"
" Nonsense !" muttered Madame, in an
under-growl. '
"If the yotlng lady will sit down," con
tinued the sago, 'I shall proceed witli the
examination,"
Accordingly) Ernst, givllig her a nod,
Caroline sat down. Tho Professor placed
the scull on the table, and was about com
mencing alas; ho had forgotton his specta
cles at Heidelberg ! But Ernst volunteer
ed his aid, rind the Professor accepted it.
So the examination commenced.
The parties were placed, as Mrs. Soyf
farth had placed thorn. The ci dctfanl
jetine homme, was behind j Caroline under
the hands of Ernst j Madame leaning over
her chair, in an ill temper at what she con
sidered the folly of the Professor, and Bet
iile, Caroline's tire-woman, standing a lit-
tic way off, nursing a pet lap dog, and look
ing askance with a fearful feeling ut tho scull
upon the. table.
"JNow, said mo rroicssor, "begin with
tho affective organs'. Let mo judge what
sort of a wife she will make."
But it was not Ernst's game to speak of
them as they actually Wore, he thus cata
logued them : Comba'tlivcncss, largo De-
iitructivcncss, lull Amativeness, small
Philoprogcnittvcness, none ! . ,
Hold 1 cried tho l'rolessor ; ' tins will
never answer. wc must subject her to
my experiment. 'This,' said hc.tuniingjq.
Madame Annette, 'this is only applying my
compress and tourniquet to reduce Dcstruc
tiveness and Combativcncss, and using my
portable air pump and exhausted receiver
to devclopc Amativeness and the other mat
rimonial organs. The double apparatus
does not weigh moro than forty pounds',
and she will have to wear it, day and night,
for no more than a twelve-month." Wc may
as well apply them at once Madame, will
you cut off your nfcice's hair, to facilitate
the de'vclopciricrit arid depression !"
Madame Antmette von Pichlcr, unfortu
nately for the advancement of science, no
soonor comprehended tho nature of his pro
position than she quietly threw the mapped
scull through the window and, calling up
her servants, gave such decided orders for
the house to be cleared of all ' the rubbish,'
(as she irreverently called the Professor and
his cargo,) that this eminent man ran out of
the domicile, rind made the best of his way
back to Heidelberg, where he might bo seen
to this day, if had not died on the 1st of
April, 1818 the anniversary of his birtlu
'There!' exclaimed Madame Annette,
there ! the man is mad, and I had rather
you had lost forty fortunes than gain such
a loss as that-old creature. Never mind,
Caroline , though your cousin has turned
up, and takes your fortune from you, there
is enough left of mine for both of us. But,
oh, that beautiful wedding dinner! that will
be all spoiled.1'
'Suppose we prevent it, Madame. If
you read this order from the Emperor, you
will sec that I; whom you have known as
Ernst Maillieim; am the very cousiii who
was to rob Caroline of licrfortune. If I do,
it is only td make her mistress of it, and give
lier tho title of Countess von Fugger.'
To so sensible a proposition, involving
the certainty that the dinner would, after
all, bo consumed by a wedding party, Ma
damo Annette could ofler no objection.
The wedding took place that evening.
Ernst had given invitations to all his friends,
and before supper sketched for his bride and
Ihem tho mdst striking incidents of his life.
Wc regret ttiat these "moving incidents by
flood and field," arc much too long to give
at-preserit.
From the Chroniclo of tho Church.
HYMN 1'OK THE NATIVITY.
JIT NATHAN L FOSTr.Il.
'Bchold, I bring you good tidings' of great joy,
which shall bo to all people. For unto you is born
thU day, in the city of David, a Saviour, who is
CiiuibT the Lord," Luke ii. 10, 11.
I s!ng the exalted Saviouii'b birth:
What loftier theme exists on earth,
Or wakes tho sons in Heaven 1
Let ransomed man take up tho song,
And swell tho chorus loud and long,
For Death's btrong bars arc riven;
Infliiito Mercy formed the plan,
Thus to redeem rebellious man ;
For this was Jesus born;
His heavenly Father to obey,
Ho left the ladiant realms of day;
On this auspicious morn;
Oh ! could we catch the thrilling strain;
That, (bating o'er Judea's plain,
Announced Iswavuei's birth;
When the blost star o'er Bethlehem stood;
Ami poured in living light its flood,
To bless tho sons of earth.
Let tho loud anthem pierco tho sky
'All glory bo to God on high,
And peace pervado the earth;"
Let our glad voices join tho strain
Which echoed through tho seraph train)
Who sang tho Saviour's birth,
0 may this consecrated hour
Drcatho in our souls devotions power,
And oh, thou Heavenly Dove,
Ktcrnal Spirit 1 tiro each heart,
To bear an liumblo fervent part,
in Hymning justs love,
5
'Please sir, I dont thiilk Mr. Dosom takes
his physic reg'lar,' said a Doctor's boy tiie
other day to his employer.
'Why so ?'
' Cause, vy he's getting veil so precious
fast ?'
Two rheii are exhibiting themselves in
New York, ono of whom' is so tall that he
does not know when his toes get cold, and
tho other so Bhott that ho cannot button his
own jackot.