FIND THE FAVORITE

Our three cats is Maltese cats,

An' they's two that's white,—

An' bofe of 'em's deef—an' that's

'Cause their eyes ain't right.—

Uncle say that Huxley say

Eyes of white Maltese—

When they don't match thataway—

They're deef as you please!

Girls, they like our white cats best,

'Cause they're white as snow,

Yes, an' look the stylishest—

But they're deef, you know!

They don't know their names, an' don't

Hear us when we call

"Come in, Nick an' Finn!"—they won't

Come fer us at all!

But our other cat, he knows

Mister Nick an' Finn,—

Mowg's his name,—an' when he goes

Fer 'em, they come in!

Mowgli's all his name—the same

Me an' Muvver took

Like the Wolf-Child's other name,

In "The Jungul Book."

I bet Mowg's the smartest cat

In the world!—He's not

White, but mousy-plush, with that

Smoky gloss he's got!

All's got little bells to ring,

Round their neck; but none

Only Mowg knows anything—

He's the only one!

I ist 'spect sometimes he hate

White cats' stupid ways:—

He won't hardly 'sociate

With 'em, lots o' days!

Mowg wants in where we air,—well,

He'll ist take his paw

An' ist ring an' ring his bell

There till me er Ma

Er somebody lets him in

Nen an' shuts the door.—

An', when he wants out ag'in,

Nen he'll ring some more.

Ort to hear our Katy tell!

She sleeps 'way up-stairs;

An' last night she hear Mowg's bell

Ringin' round somewheres...

Trees grows by her winder.—So,

She lean out an' see

Mowg up there, 'way out, you know,

In the clingstone-tree;—

An'-sir! he ist hint an' ring,—

Till she ketch an' plat

Them limbs;—nen he crawl an' spring

In where Katy's at!