TIP:
Dear Mistress, plainly I must speak;
For _he_, who should be dumb and meek,
The simple truth would never say
And his own foolish act betray betray--
BOUNCE (_interrupting pleadingly_):
Oh, do not heed her, Mistress dear;
Think how I love you, guard you, cheer!
TIP (_proceeds with withering disregard_):
When all we creatures were assigned
Our places with your human kind,
('Twas long ago) while some became
Your slaves--as spiritless as tame,
We two, as friends, beneath your roof
Were lodged, because we each gave proof proof--
BOUNCE (_licking Old Servant's hand_):
Yes, yes--I of my faithfulness--
Man calls on me in all distress!
TIP (_severely_):
You blundering, careless beast, be still!
My cleanliness, my grace, my skill,
Did, quite as much myself commend!
That we should live, not slave, but friend
To Master Man was then agreed:
But since of caution there is need,
We asked a written document;
To which our Master did consent.
Puffed up with confidence and pride,
_He_ took the document to hide.
[_Extends her paw towards Bounce, who winces
and buries his nose deeper under old Servant's
hand_
He hid it in his old bone-cave;
And then, no further thought he gave
The precious charter of our rights--
Engaged in noisy bouts and fights!
Bounce (_excitedly_):
There was foul play, O Mistress mine--
The other creatures did combine!
TIP:
Hush! 'twas your carelessness, in chief,
That gave the chance to knave and thief!
The jealous Ox and Horse conspired,
And then, the villain Rat they hired
To delve in darkness underground
Till he the precious charter found,
And brought the Horse and Ox, who thought
Their liberty could thus be bought,--
The tiresome creatures! To this day
They drudge and drudge, the same old way!
The Ox, the Ass, the Horse--these all
Divided with the Rat their stall,
And from their mangers grain they gave--
Such price they paid the thievish knave!
What loss was ours, we scarce can know--
The charter we could never show!
I might have had a dais spread
With crimson velvet, and been fed
On golden finches every day;
But, as for _him_ (_indicating Bounce_), he's naught to say
(He lost the charter of our rights)--
When flogged, or chained on moonlight nights!
Upon one subject, only, we
Can always heartily agree,
[_gracefully waving her paw_,
You, careless Dogs, we, careful Cats--
Our common enemy--
BOUNCE:
Yes, Rats!
[_Joyously embracing opportunity to reinstate
himself_
Old Servant (_starting up suddenly_):
Ah, who said "Rats!" just now--and where?
And why cannot you two play fair?
[_At this, Tip is seen to be occupying her own
corner of the hearth, and Bounce to be sound asleep,
his nose deeply buried between his forepaws. Old
Servant rubs her eyes, then smiles thoughtfully,
and settles back in easy-chair_