Alas! My Pups.

Te Aroha News, Volume XXVII, Issue 43367, 3 September 1908, Page 2

Alas! My Pups.

■ A LAMENT.

Alas ray pups, ray puppies, 011 1 Alas, alas, alas! That I should live to suffer so ! That you should from me pass 1

When you were born I hovered near, I caught your first faint yelps ; From every foe that puppies fear, I guarded well ray whelps.

Your merry gambols I would share, When you could frisk and frolic ; I nursed you with a mother’s care, When you had wind or colic.

I watched at night beside the bitch When you weic ill at ease, I scratched the spots that seemed to itch, And caught the nimble fleas.

I ever marked your puppy graces, Your naughty ways as well ; I knew you by your tails or faces, And even by your smell 1

In litters six, and seven and eight, With time your numbers grew ; Nor would I check your breeding rate Whilst I could shelter you.

Your numbers grew to ten times seven, Your breeds to ninety-nine ; My house became a canine Heaven And all its joys were mine.

Whene’er abroad my course I bore By canine pets attended, To right, to left, behind, before, My dog array extended.

But malice on my steps awaited And envy’s eyes glowed green. O .i him may plagues light unabated, Who called my dogs unclean.

By vile aspersions thus deceived The nuisance man assailed ; The Mayor and Clerk the tale be' lieved And all the people railed,

Upon my house they turned the hose, Ten billion fleas were drowned; Revolver shots and stockwhip blows, Did through the kennels sound.

At last the fiendish work was done, The corpses lay around; I felt their pulses one by one, No living pup I found.

Alas my pups, my pnppu s, oh ! Alas, alas, alas ! That I should live to suffer so ! That you should from me pass ! Tiih Pork Pie Max.