Ephrum Kept Three Dogs

Ephrum Eels he had to scratch durned hard to

keep ahead,

--But he always kept three dogs.

He couldn’t keep a dollar bill to save his life,

they said,

--But he always kept three dogs.

He said he might have been some one if he’d

had half a chance,

But getting grub from day to day giv’ Ephrum

such a dance,

He never got where he could shed the patches

off his pants;

--But he always kept three dogs.

Ephrum’s young ones never looked as though

they was half-fed,

--But he always kept three dogs.

The house would be so cold his folks would

have to go to bed;

--But Ephrum kept three dogs.

One was sort of setter dog and two of ’em was

houn’s,

Their skins was full of Satan; they was always

on their roun’s,

Till people durned their pictures in half a dozen

towns,

--But Ephrum kept his dogs.

They ’bated Ephrum’s poll-tax’cause he was too

poor to pay,

--But Ephrum kept his dogs.

How he scraped up cash to license ’em it ain’t

in me to say,

--But I know he kept his dogs.

And when a suff’rin’ neighbor ambuscaded ’em,

Eph swore--

Then in a kind of homesick way he hustled

round for more;

He struck a lucky bargain and, by thunder, he

bought four!

--Jest kept on a-keepin’ dogs.