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.