There was once a poor boy

And he left his country home

And he came to the city to look for work

He promised his ma and pa

He would lead a civilized life

And always shun the fatal curse of drink

Once in the city

He got a situation in a quarry

And there he made the acquaintance of some college students

He little thought they were demons

For they wore the best of clothes

But the clothes do not always make the gentleman

They tempted him to drink

And they said he was a cow'rd

And at last he took the fatal glass of beer

When he'd found what he'd done

He dashed the glass upon the floor

And he staggered through the door with delerium tremens

Once upon the sidewalk

He met a Salvation Army girl

And wickedly he broke her tambourine

All she said was, "Heaven bless you"

And placed a mark upon his brow

With a kick she'd learned before she had been saved

Now, as a moral to young men

Who come down to the city

Don't go 'round breaking people's tambourines

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