THE TEA-TABLE TABBY TOM'S TRAGIC TALE: Being a companion to that excellent song of "The Wig, the Hat, and the Cane." To the tune of "Away with Those Queer Married Fellows," in the "Gay Deceivers" by Mr. Bannister.
One eve, as an old maiden lady, At table, at tea-time, she sat. On her right was her pussy, call'd Sadi; On her left was her Tabby Tom-cat. She anxious expected her lover To tea, and have scandalous chat. He brought with him his little dog Rover, Who wasn't too fond of a cat.
That he might not lose sight of his fair, Her humpy friend opposite sat. Little Rover slunk under the chair, For fear of the Tabby Tom-cat. Nine cups drank the humpy-back lover. He thought he had long enough sat, So the crumbs of the table got Rover; The milk got the Tabby Tom-cat.
Poor Sadi no longer could bear it. To quarrel he set about pat. The milk he thought then he should share it Along with the Tabby Tom-cat. The cats they both swore a deep bass. Little Rover growl'd deeper than that, Till, at last, a good scratch on the face He receiv'd from the Tabby Tom-cat.
In the fight, the tea-table turn'd over, And the things on the floor they fell flat. The groats were spilt over the lover, The urn on the Tabby Tom-cat. This fight made a great consternation. The lovers got both in a pet, And a final and sad separation Was caus'd by the Tabby Tom-cat.