The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1877-06-14
OUR JUVENILES.
The Naughty Little Egyptian


Long, longag in Egypt land,
Where the lazy lotus grew,
And the pyramids, though vast and grand,
Were rather fresh and new,
There dwelt an honored family,
Called Scarabeus Phlat,
Whose duty It was all faithfully
To tend the sacred cat.
They brought the water of the Nile
To battle its precious feet il
They gave it oil and camomile
Whenever it deigned to eat.
With gold and precious emeralds
Its temple sparkled DER,
And golden mats lay thick upon
The consecrated floor.
And scsrabeus Phlat himself
A man of cheerful mood
Held not his trust from love of pelf,
For he was very good.
He thought the cat catamount
In strength and majesty;
And ever on his bronzed face
He wore look of glee.
And Mrs. Scarabeus Phlat
Was smiling, bright, and good,
For she, too, loved the sacred cat,
As it was meet she should.
Never grumpy syllable
Came from this joyous pair,
And all the neighbors envied them
Their very jolly air.
When Scarabeus went to find
The sacred cat it's store,
The pretty wife he left behind
Stood smiling at the door.
He knew that sweetly, smilingly
She'd welcome his return,
And brightly on the altar stone
The tended fame would burn.
The sacred cat was different quite;
No jollity he knew;
But, spoiled and petted day and night,
Only the crosser grew.
Yet still they served him faithfully,
And thought his snarling sweet;
And still they fed him lusciously,
And bathed his sacred feet,
So far, 30 good. But hear the rest:
This couple had child,
A little boy, not of the best
Ramesis, he was styled.
This little boy was beautiful,
But soon he grew to be
So like the cat in manners-ohi
Twas wonderful to see!
He might have copied Papa Phlat,
Or Mamma Phlat, well;
And why he didn't this or that
No mortal soul could tell.
1t wasn't want of discipline,
Nor lack of good advice,
But just because he didn't care
To be the least bit nice.
Besides, he noticed day by day
How i'll the cat behaved,
And how (whatever they might say
His parents were enslaved;
And how they worshiped silently
The naughty sacred cat.
Said he, They'll do the same by me,
If 1 but act like that"
At first the parents said: 90 How blest
Are we to find the cat
GLOW, humanIzed, within the breast
Of Scarabeus Phlat ~
But soon the neignbors, pitying,
Whispered: "'Tis very sad
There's no mistake-that little one
Of Phlat's is very bad!
He snarled, he squalled from night till morn,
And scratched his mothers eyes.
The sacred cat, himself. looked on
In undisguised surprise.
And here the record suddenly
Breaks off. No more we know,
Excepting this: That happy pair
Soon wore look of woe.
Yes, then, and ever afterward,
look Of pain they wore.
No more the wife stood smilingly
Awaiting at the door.
No more did Scarabeus Phlat
Display jolly face;
But on his brow such sadness sat
1t gloomied all the place.
So, children, take the lesson in,
And due attention give:
No matter when, or where, or how,
Mothers and fathers live;
No matter be they Brown or Jones,
Or Scarabeus Phlat,
1t grieves their hearts to see their child
Act like naughty cat.
And sacred cats are well enough
To those who hold them so;
Butch, take warning of the boy
In Egypt long ago!
Joel Stacy, in ST. Nicholas for June.