And said Bob, “Be true to me, be true to me;

Kick your slipper, kick your slipper;[2]

Be true to me—old Nick’s the whipper!”

And over the pond, on bending cat-tails,

The red-shouldered Black-birds were piping their gales,

As they swung to and fro with a blithe “Con-quer-ee,”

And their mates made reply—“O’er-the-lea, come-to-me!”

From the Meadow-lark’s throat came a livelier strain,

“All hail to the bridegroom and those in his train;

“And greet the fair bride in her gay-feathered veil,