Now dart away! dart away! dart away all!"

As bats flying when scared,

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

So up to the house-top the creatures flew,

With the sleigh full of candy, and Death’s Spirit too.

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof

The swagger and bang of each claw.

As I drew in my hand, and was turning around,

Down the chimney Death’s Spirit came with a vault.

He was dressed all in black, from his head to his foot,

And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;

A bundle of candy he had flung on his back,

And he looked like a beggar just opening his pack.

His eyes – they where missing! His face missing too!

No cheeks like roses or nose like a cherry!

It’s faceless encounter all covered with hood,

And the smell of death lingering around;

His voice was like underground screams,

And the smoke encircled his head like a chain;

He had a long skeleton body it seemed to me,

That shook, when he talked like a bowlful of blood.

He was scary and thin, a right creepy old death,

And I cried when I saw him, in spite of myself;

A command from his finger and a twist of his head,

Soon gave me to know I had everything to dread;

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,

And filled all the jack-o-lanterns; then turned with a jerk,

And laying his finger aside of his nose,

And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose;

He sprang to his carriage, to his team gave a whistle,

And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.

But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight,

"Happy Halloween to all, and to all a bad-night."