THE YEAR OF HARDSHIPS.

January,

Bitter, very!

February damp, Sir;

March blows

On April's nose,

May has caught the cramp, Sir;

June,

Without a sun or moon!

July, August,

Many a raw gust;

September, October, November, December,

Ten times worse than I ever remember.

No apples, or hay, or honey, or corn;

I'm sure it wasn't a fat year.

Whenever you and I were born,

Good-luck it wasn't in that year!