THE KEY-NOTE.

WHERE are the songs I used to know,

WHERE

Where are the notes I used to sing?

I have forgotten everything

I used to know so long ago;

Summer has followed after Spring;
Now Autumn is so shrunk and sere,

I scarcely think a sadder thing
Can be the Winter of my year.

Yet Robin sings through Winter's rest,
When bushes put their berries on;
While they their ruddy jewels don,
He sings out of a ruddy breast;
The hips and haws and ruddy breast

Make one spot warm where snowflakes lie

They break and cheer the unlovely rest

Of Winter's pause- and why not I?

Various Flowers, Fruits, etc.

Scene: A COTTAGE WITH ITS GROUNDS.

[A room in a large comfortable cottage; a fire burning on the hearth; a table on which the breakfast things have been left standing. January discovered seated by the fire.]

JANUARY.

COLD the day and cold the drifted snow,
Dim the day until the cold dark night.

[Stirs the fire.

Crackle, sparkle, fagot; embers glow :

Some one may be plodding through the snow
Longing for a light,

For the light that you and I can show.

If no one else should come,

Here Robin Redbreast's welcome to a crumb,

And never troublesome :

Robin, why don't you come and fetch

your

crumb?

Here 's butter for my hunch of bread,

And sugar for your crumb;

Here's room upon the hearthrug,

If you'll only come.

In your scarlet waistcoat,

With your keen bright eye,

Where are you loitering?

Wings were made to fly !

Make haste to breakfast,

Come and fetch your crumb,

For I'm as glad to see you

As you are glad to come.

[Two Robin Redbreasts are seen tapping with their beaks at the lattice, which January opens. The birds flutter in, hop about the floor, and peck up the crumbs and sugar