A key to bear one up the mountain side;
A key to guard where freedom is denied.
The third, oft heard to chatter, ne’er in song.
The fourth beware! ’twill lead to gravest wrong.
This key his master serves, to ride, to work, to wait;
This one, spring-hatched, at Christmas meets his fate.
—Caroline L——
Transcriber’s Notes:
A number of typographical errors have been corrected silently.
Archaic spellings have been retained.