The Dissipated Frog

                   I.

The bull frog on the old mill log

     Croaks loud his morning call;

And tells about his jug o’ rum,

     From spring to ‘arly fall.

‘Tis all he does from noon till night,

     Calls loudly for his grog;

Cries gruffly for his “jug o’ rum”,

     That dissipated frog.

                   II

“Jug o’ rum, jug o’ rum” is all he says

     “Jug o’ rum” the live long day;

“Jug o’ rum, jug o’ rum, why don’t it come?”

     Is all that he can say.

“Jug o’ rum, jug o’ rum,” the echo brings,

     From every stump and bog;

Till all the neighbors far and near

     Know the dissipated frog.

                   III

O bull-frog on the old mill log,

     Shame on you evermore;

Why will you not embrace reform,

     And quickly come ashore?

Give up your love for jugs o’ rum,

     Or folks will think you green;

But the stern old frog upon the log

     Is far too shrewd, I ween.

                   IV

“Pull my leg, pull my leg,” he cries aloud,

     “Pull my leg,” he makes reply.

“I’m not so green as I’m sometimes seen,”

     And he slyly winks his eye.

And so he sits day after day

     Upon the old mill log;

Still waiting for his “jug o’ rum”,

     That dissipated frog.

March 29, 1903