“Methinks I see her pretty paws— “As gracefully she paced along; “I hear her voice, so shrill, among “The chimney rows! I see her claws, “While, like a Tyger, she pursued “Undauntedly the pilf’ring race; “I see her lovely whisker’d face “When she her nimble prey subdued! “And then, how she would frisk, and play, “And purr the Evening hours away: “Now stretch’d beside the social fire; “Now on the sunny lawn, at noon, “Watching the vagrant Birds that flew, “Across the scene of varied hue, “To peck the Fruit. Or when the Moon “Stole o’er the hills, in silv’ry suit, “How would she chaunt her lovelorn Tale “Soft as the wild Eolian Lyre! “’Till ev’ry brute, on hill, in dale, “Listen’d with wonder mute!” “O! Cease!” exclaim’d DAME GURTON, straight, “Has my poor Puss been torn away? “Alas! how cruel is my fate, “How shall I pass the tedious day? “Where can her mourning mistress find “So sweet a Cat? so meek! so kind! “So keen a mouser, such a beauty, “So orderly, so fond, so true, “That every gentle task of duty “The dear, domestic creature knew! “Hers, was the mildest tend’rest heart! “She knew no little _cattish_ art; “Not cross, like _fav’rite Cats_, was she “But seem’d the queen of Cats to be! “I cannot live—since doom’d, alas! to part “From poor GRIMALKIN kind, the darling of my heart!” And now DAME GURTON, bath’d in tears, With a black top-knot vast, appears: Some say that a black gown she wore, As many oft have done before, For Beings, valued less, I ween, Than this, of Tabby Cats, the fav’rite Queen! But lo! soon after, one fair day, Puss, who had only been a roving— Across the pent-house took her way, To see her Dame, so sad, and loving; Eager to greet the mourning fair She enter’d by a window, where A China bowl of luscious cream Was quiv’ring in the sunny beam. Puss, who was somewhat tired and dry, And somewhat fond of bev’rage sweet; Beholding such a tempting treat, Resolved its depth to try. She saw the warm and dazzling ray Upon the spotless surface play: She purr’d around its circle wide, And gazed, and long’d, and mew’d and sigh’d! But Fate, unfriendly, did that hour controul, She overset the cream, and smash’d the gilded bowl!