'tis One By One - The Father Counts

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'Tis One by One - the Father counts -
And then a Tract between
Set Cypherless - to teach the Eye
The Value of its Ten -

Until the peevish Student
Acquire the Quick of Skill -
Then Numerals are dowered back -
Adorning all the Rule -

'Tis mostly Slate and Pencil -
And Darkness on the School
Distracts the Children's fingers -
Still the Eternal Rule

Regards least Cypherer alike
With Leader of the Band -
And every separate Urchin's Sum -
Is fashioned for his hand -