Mrs. E. S. R.
PUSS AND HER THREE KITTENS.
Our old cat has kittens three;
What do you think their names should be?
One is a tabby with emerald eyes,
And a tail that's long and slender;
But into a temper she quickly flies,
If you ever by chance offend her.
I think we shall call her this—
I think we shall call her that;
Now, don't you fancy "Pepper-pot"
A nice name for a cat?
One is black, with a frill of white,
And her feet are all white fur, too;
If you stroke her, she carries her tail upright,
And quickly begins to purr, too.
I think we shall call her this—
I think we shall call her that;
Now, don't you fancy "Sootikin"
A nice name for a cat?
One is a tortoise-shell, yellow and black,
With a lot of white about him:
If you tease him, at once he sets up his back:
He's a quarrelsome Tom, ne'er doubt him!
I think we shall call him this—
I think we shall call him that;
Now, don't you fancy "Scratchaway"
A nice name for a cat?
Our old cat has kittens three,
And I fancy these their names will be:
"Pepper-pot," "Sootikin," "Scratchaway,"—there!
Were there ever kittens with these to compare?
And we call the old mother—now, what do you think?
"Tabitha Longclaws Tiddleywink."
Thomas Hood.
THE LITTLE RECRUIT.
There had been an insurrection in Dolldom. Insurrection is a big word: what does it mean, I wonder? I will tell you: it means an uprising, a rebellion. If a number of persons should refuse to obey the law, and rise up in arms to resist it, they would be guilty of an insurrection.
Now, it happened (according to Tommy's story) that all the dolls in the house, headed by a naughty male doll of African descent, and known as "Dandy Jim," rose in insurrection against their lawful queen, Lucy the First, whose brother, Duke Tommy, was commander-in-chief of her Majesty's forces.