Apprentices as well with pleasure hail
Their holidays--_O, may they never fail!_
These are too often spent in idleness,
Or such sad courses as brings them distress.
This is the case when grog-shops they frequent;
For ruin follows time and means ill spent.
Pause, O, ye youths! before you yet begin
A course that may lead you to every sin!
Restrain your feet from entering those _holes_
Which prove the ruin of so many souls.
Would ye not pause, if right across your path
There lay a monstrous serpent, full of wrath?
Would we, fool-hardy, rush into his jaws
To certain death? or would ye rather pause?
Youths, ye have cause, yea, weighty cause, to dread
This horrid serpent, on strong liquor fed,
Which lurks in every place where _Rum_ is sold,
Though they may be all covered o'er with gold--
They often are; nor deem it hard of faith--
The way to present and eternal death!

God does by His most holy Book declare,
"Into God's kingdom none shall enter there,
Who liquor drink till drunkards they become!"
Yet, day by day, some meet this awful doom.
Oh, warning take! Flee from this dreadful crime!
Pause and consider, while you yet have time!

Listen the story which to you I tell;