ORIGINAL POETRY.

Southland Times, Issue 953, 18 May 1868, Page 3

ORIGINAL POETRY.

THE BACHELOR'S CAT. r Bt John G. Smith. The bachelor's, cat -was merled wi' the hue That dapples the east when the mornin' is new ; Her c'en were the leme o' the bricht risin' day, An r her breast was as white as the braid milky ■way : Her maik was aye comlie and fair to see, Wi' a bryndeon her back, an' a brent on her bree ; There was something about her — I dindn'a ken what, That garr'd a' body glow'r at the bachelor's cat. The bachelor's cat, you will richtly suppose, Was fed on gude beef and " Auld Scotland's kail brose ;" And whiles for a change, she wad grip a wee mouse, That harried and reived the puir bachelor's house ; She lived like a leddy o' noble degree, And yet neither pridefu' or pauchtie was she j Oh! dule on the cur or the wicked wee brat Wha wad tease or be rude to the bachelor's cat. The bachelor's cat was o' true gipsy breed, To bring grist to her am water-mill was her creed; She cam' like our chiefs o' an Auld Border line, Whase 'forbears were thieves in the days o' lang syne, An' she shawed her descent, like a tiger she'd spring At a mouse i' the neuk, or a bird on the wing ; Yet she ne'er was content wi' the prey that she gat, Oh ! a thievin' we© jaud was the bachelor's cat. Yet the bachelor's cat she wad pur wi' great glee, When she'd climb on his ahouther or lie on his knee : She wad play wi' his haffits, or rub at his cheek Wi' her braid whiskered face and her sides saft an' sleek ; And then she wad sing and nod her wee pow To the shinunerin' gleid or the flichterin' lowe. Oh, deep were the thochts an' the visions, I wat, That cam' into the head 6' the bachelor's cat. But alake and alake ! for this warld's aye the same, An' Fortune has aye been a queer, fickle dame : Ac day she's a' sunshine, the neist she's a' cluds ; She cleids ub wi' braws, an' then rives them to duds. Nse mair pussie lies on the bachelor's knee, But neglecHt she thrums wi' a tear in her e'e ; For a winsome young wife now sits whar she sat, An' she's dautit as ance was the bachelor's cat.