LITTLE CHINCHILLA.

She wears the shortest skirts,
And shows the whitest frilling;
She looks, as Queen of Flirts,
Miraculously killing!
She'll skim the thinnest ice,
As light as Queen Camilla;
She looks supremely nice—
My little pet Chinchilla!

Oh, should the gracious fates
But deign to be propitious,
I strap her fairy skates
On furry boots delicious;
Her willing hand I take,
In spite of Aunt Priscilla,
Then speed I o'er the lake
With little love Chinchilla!

The sleekest otter cuffs,
The rosiest of real skin, 
The sablle-est of muffs,
The softest gloves of seal-skin,
The quaintest hose with "clocks,"
A "cloud" like a mantilla,
The velvetest of frocks—
Wears little sweet Chinchilla!

The warmth of her regard
I take as sort of token;
Although 'tis freezing hard.
Our social ice is broken!
Coquettish in her furs,
She minds not my Manilla;
Ah! what a glance is hers,
My little dear Chinchilla!

She'll figure, glide, and twirl,
And worry the officials;
She'll cut out ev'ry girl
As easy as initials!
Oh, I could skate for miles,
Or dance a seguidilla,
Cheered by the sunny smiles
Of little smart Chinchilla!

Had I enough a year
To find my sweet in sable;
To wrap my dainty dear
In ermine were I able;
Had I a longer purse,
A neat suburban villa—
For better or for worse
I'd take my pet Chinchilla!

....from Harper's Bazaar 1872