 | Poems by Miss H. F. Gould |  |
176
THE TWO THIEVES.
A lady, they called her Miss Mouse,
In a slate-colored dress, like a Quaker,
Once lived in a snug little house,
Of which she herself was the maker.
In a slate-colored dress, like a Quaker,
Once lived in a snug little house,
Of which she herself was the maker.
There lived in another, close by,
A dame, whom they called Lady Kitty;
But that she was stationed so nigh,
Miss Mouse often thought a great pity.
A dame, whom they called Lady Kitty;
But that she was stationed so nigh,
Miss Mouse often thought a great pity.
For she, though so soberly clad,
And never inclined to ill-speaking,
Had often a fancy to gad,
Or more than her own might be seeking.
And never inclined to ill-speaking,
Had often a fancy to gad,
Or more than her own might be seeking.
She did not then like to be scanned,
Or questioned, respecting her duty,
When some little theft she had planned,
Or seen coming home with her booty.
Or questioned, respecting her duty,
When some little theft she had planned,
Or seen coming home with her booty.
So modest she was, and so shy,
Although an inveterate sinner,
She 'd nip out her part of the pie
Before it was brought up to dinner.
Although an inveterate sinner,
She 'd nip out her part of the pie
Before it was brought up to dinner.
She held that 't was folly to ask
For what her own wits would allow her;
And, making her way through the cask,
She helped herself well to the flour.
For what her own wits would allow her;
And, making her way through the cask,
She helped herself well to the flour.
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The candles she scraped to their wicks,
And, mischievous in her invention,
Would do many more naughty tricks,
Which I, as her friend, cannot mention.
And, mischievous in her invention,
Would do many more naughty tricks,
Which I, as her friend, cannot mention.
Kit, too, had her living to make,
And yet, she was so above toiling,
She 'd sooner attack the beaf-steak,
When the cook had prepared it for broiling.
And yet, she was so above toiling,
She 'd sooner attack the beaf-steak,
When the cook had prepared it for broiling.
And so, near a dish of warm toast,
She often most patiently lingered,
To seize her first chance; yet, could boast
That none ever called her light-fingered.
She often most patiently lingered,
To seize her first chance; yet, could boast
That none ever called her light-fingered.
But mending, or minding herself,
She thought would be quite too much labor,
And so peeped about on the shelf,
To spy out the faults of her neighbor.
She thought would be quite too much labor,
And so peeped about on the shelf,
To spy out the faults of her neighbor.
For Mouse loved to peditate there!
While Kit would watch close to waylay her;
And once, in the midst of her fare,
Up bounded Miss Kitty to slay her!
While Kit would watch close to waylay her;
And once, in the midst of her fare,
Up bounded Miss Kitty to slay her!
But this was as luckless a jump
As ever Kit made, with the clatter
Of knife, skimmer, spoon, and a thump,
Which she got, as she threw down the platter.
As ever Kit made, with the clatter
Of knife, skimmer, spoon, and a thump,
Which she got, as she threw down the platter.
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While Mouse glided under a dish,
Escaping the mortal disaster,
Miss Kitty turned off to a fish,
The breakfast elect for her master.
Escaping the mortal disaster,
Miss Kitty turned off to a fish,
The breakfast elect for her master.
Said she to herself, “'t is clear gain,—
This rarity, fresh from the water,
Will save my white mittens the stain,
And me from the trouble of slaughter!”
This rarity, fresh from the water,
Will save my white mittens the stain,
And me from the trouble of slaughter!”
But her racket, she found to her cost,
The plot had most fatally thickened;
And all hope of mercy was lost,
As Jack's coming footstep was quickened.
The plot had most fatally thickened;
And all hope of mercy was lost,
As Jack's coming footstep was quickened.
He seized her, and binding her fast,
Declared he could never forgive her;
So Kitty was sentenced, and cast,
With a stone at her neck, in the river!
Declared he could never forgive her;
So Kitty was sentenced, and cast,
With a stone at her neck, in the river!
But Mouse still continued to thieve;
And often, alone in her dwelling,
Would silently laugh in her sleeve,
At the scene in the tale I've been telling.
And often, alone in her dwelling,
Would silently laugh in her sleeve,
At the scene in the tale I've been telling.
Till once, by a fatal mishap,
The little unfortunate rover
Perceived herself close in a trap,
And felt that her race was now over.
The little unfortunate rover
Perceived herself close in a trap,
And felt that her race was now over.
She knew she must leave all behind;
And thus, in the midst of her terrors,
As every thing rushed to her mind,
Began her confession of errors:
And thus, in the midst of her terrors,
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Began her confession of errors:
“You'll find, on the word of a Mouse,
Whom hope has forever forsaken,
The following things in my house,
Which I have unlawfully taken:—
Whom hope has forever forsaken,
The following things in my house,
Which I have unlawfully taken:—
“A cork, that was soaked in the beer,
Which I nibbled until I was merry;
Some kernels of corn from the ear,
The skin and the stone of a cherry:
Which I nibbled until I was merry;
Some kernels of corn from the ear,
The skin and the stone of a cherry:
“Some hemp-seed I took from the bird,
And found most deliciously tasted,
While safe in my covert, I heard
Its owner complain that 't was wasted:
And found most deliciously tasted,
While safe in my covert, I heard
Its owner complain that 't was wasted:
“You'll find a few cucumber seeds,
Which I thought, if they could but be hollowed,
Would answer to string out for beads;
So the inside of all I have swallowed:
Which I thought, if they could but be hollowed,
Would answer to string out for beads;
So the inside of all I have swallowed:
“A few crumbs of biscuit and cheese,
Which I thought might a long time supply me
With luncheon—some rice and split peas,
Which seemed well prepared to keep by me:
Which I thought might a long time supply me
With luncheon—some rice and split peas,
Which seemed well prepared to keep by me:
“A cluster of curls, which I stole
At night from a young lady's toilet,
And made me a bed of it whole,
As tearing it open would spoil it;
At night from a young lady's toilet,
And made me a bed of it whole,
As tearing it open would spoil it;
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“And as, in a long, summer day
I 'd time both for reading and spelling,
I gnawed up the whole of a play,
And carried it home to my dwelling.
I 'd time both for reading and spelling,
I gnawed up the whole of a play,
And carried it home to my dwelling.
“I wish you 'd set fire to my place,
And pray you at once to despatch me,
That none of my enemy's race,
In the form of Miss Kitty, may catch me!”
And pray you at once to despatch me,
That none of my enemy's race,
In the form of Miss Kitty, may catch me!”
Disgrace thus will follow on vice,
Although for a while it be hidden;
When children, or kittens, or mice,
Will do what they know is forbidden.
Although for a while it be hidden;
When children, or kittens, or mice,
Will do what they know is forbidden.
| Poems by Miss H. F. Gould | |