As long as lure o' placer gold Brings North the best ye breed,
As long as tales of camps and trails Are planted with your seed,
As long as red blood courses thru And warms adventure's sons,
They'll sally forth, bound for the North, Misfortune's chosen ones.
As long as snow slides claim their toll And glaciers split and rend,
And sweepers turn the flimsy craft And trails come to an end;
As long as flashing Northern Lights Flame in the Arctic sky,
Your boldest ones, your bravest sons Come North to win or die.
As long as lust of wealth obtains And gold will buy all things,
And bank accounts but mark the line 'Twixt shovel stiffs and kings;
As long as fancy rides free reined And distant fields seem fair,
They'll seek the ship and make the trip To the land of Do and Dare.
As long as birds mate in the spring And moose run in the fall,
And widows win the college youth And hold his heart in thrall;
As long as chance for fortune's smile Can be centered in one throw,
This is the truth, the Nation's youth Will hear the call and go.
As long as water runs down hill And smoke goes up from fire;
As long as pleasure precedes pain And women love for hire;
As long as Klondike widows Trail thru Outside
Some one must stick on the lonesome creek For there's ever the "him" that pays.
As long as "huskies" curse the moon And creeks remain unnamed;
As long as quicksands mask the bar And there's placer ground unclaimed;
As long as "pay" is found and staked By some deep-sea-going Swede,
That gypsy trace that marks our race Will out, then we stampede.
