How Long?

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 Cafes

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.