Delaware journal., 1827-11-27
From the Providence Gazette.
THE FROGS OF WINUEFANr.

II" Oto Co'ohy 1hte-.J0nhden on 1dct.
WHEN these free states were colonies
Unto the mother nation,
And in Connecticut the good
Old Blue Laws were in fashion,
A circumstance which there occur'd
And much the mind surprises
Upon rehecton) then gave rise
To many strange surmises.
You all have seen, as presume,
Or had chance to see
These strange amphibious quadrupeds,
Call'd Bull-Frogs commonly
Well, in Connecticut 'ts said
By those who make pretensions
To truth, these creatures often grow
To marvellous dimensions.
One night in July '5s
They left their home behind 'cm,
Which was an oak and chesnut swamp
About FIVE miles from Windham.
The cause was this the summers sun
Had dried their pond away there
So shallow, that, TO save their souls,
The Bull-Frogs could not stay there.
SO, in regiment they hoppd,
With many curious antic,
Along the road which led unto
The river Minnomantic.
Soon they in sight of Windham came,
All in high perspration,
And held their course tow'rd the same
With loud vociferation.
You know such kind Of creatures are
By nature quite voracious
Thus they, compell'd by hunger, were
Remarkably loquacious.
Up flew the windows one and all,
And then with ears erected,
From every easement gaping rows
Ofnight-cap'd heads projected.
The children cried, the women scream'd,
60 Lord have mercy on us
The French have come to burn us out,
And now are close upon u.s."
A few, upon the first alarm,
Then armed themselves TO go forth
Against the foe, with guns and belts,
Shot, Powder-horns, and so forth.
Soon all were running here and there,
In mighty CONSERVATION,
Resolved of the town to make
quick evacuation.
Away they went across the lots,
Hats, caps and wigs were scatter'd,
And heads were broke, and shoes were lost,
Shins bruis'tl and noses batter'd.
Thus, having gain'd mile or two,
These men ofsteady habits,
All snug behind an old stone wall,
Lay like nest of rabbits.
And in this state, for half an hour,
With Jaws an inch assunder,
They thought upon their goods at home,
Expos'd to lawess punder.
They thought upon their helpless wives,
Their meeting house and cattle,
And then resolved to sally forth
And give the Frenchmen battle.
Among the property which they
Had bro't with them to saveit,
Were found two trumpets and drum,
Just as good luck would have it.
Fifteen or twenty iewsharps then
Were found in good condition,
And all the longest winded men
Were put in requlslton.
Straichtway, in long and loud alarm,
Said instruments were clang-ed,
And the good old one hundredth psalm
From nose and jewsharp twang-ed.
Such as we're armed in order ranged,
The music in the centre,
Declar'd they would not run away,
But on the French would venture.
There might have been among them all
Say twenty guns or over
How many pitch-forks, scythes and Halls
never could discover.
The rest agreed to close the rear,
After some intercesson-
And all together made queer
And curious procession.
Some were persuaded that they saw
The band of French maranders,
And not few declared they heard
The officers give orders.
These words could be distinguished then,
Dyer Hellerkln, and Fete ) ;,
And when they heard the last, they though
The French desired treaty
Co three GOOD sober minded men