“Mittens”

                                            

I have the cutest pussy cat

     That ever you did see;

She’s two or four or six months old,

     And black as she can be.

And such a name you never heard,

     We call her “Mittens” ‘cause

Upon her feet in front she has

     Such very monstrous paws.

It looks so odd to see her wash

     Her face from day to day;

She rubs her mittens everywhere

     In such a funny way.

O dear! I hope she’ll never have

     Nice baby kitties, ‘cause

Just think how much it would hurt if she

     Should box them with her paws.

June 12, 1908