unplumb'd, salt, estranging sea. deg. deg.24

KAISER DEAD deg.

_April_ 6, 1887

What, Kaiser dead? The heavy news
Post-haste to Cobham deg. calls the Muse, deg.2
From where in Farringford deg. she brews deg.3
The ode sublime,
Or with Pen-bryn's bold bard deg. pursues deg.5
A rival rhyme.

Kai's bracelet tail, Kai's busy feet,
Were known to all the village-street.
"What, poor Kai dead?" say all I meet;
"A loss indeed!" 10
O for the croon pathetic, sweet,
Of Robin's reed deg.! deg.12

Six years ago I brought him down,
A baby dog, from London town;
Round his small throat of black and brown 15
A ribbon blue,
And vouch'd by glorious renown
A dachshound true.

His mother, most majestic dame,
Of blood-unmix'd, from Potsdam deg. came; deg.20
And Kaiser's race we deem'd the same--
No lineage higher.
And so he bore the imperial name.
But ah, his sire!

Soon, soon the days conviction bring. 25
The collie hair, the collie swing,
The tail's indomitable ring,
The eye's unrest--
The case was clear; a mongrel thing
Kai stood confest. 30

But all those virtues, which commend
The humbler sort who serve and tend,
Were thine in store, thou faithful friend.
What sense, what cheer!
To us, declining tow'rds our end, 35
A mate how dear!

For Max, thy brother-dog, began
To flag, and feel his narrowing span.
And cold, besides, his blue blood ran,
Since, 'gainst the classes, 40
He heard, of late, the Grand Old Man deg. deg.41
Incite the masses.

Yes, Max and we grew slow and sad;
But Kai, a tireless shepherd-lad,
Teeming with plans, alert, and glad 45
In work or play,
Like sunshine went and came, and bade
Live out the day!

Still, still I see the figure smart--
Trophy in mouth, agog deg. to start, deg.50
Then, home return'd, once more depart;
Or prest together
Against thy mistress, loving heart,
In wint