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No. 3. Double Word Enigma
In “pine-clad hill,”
In “harvest home,”
In “cider mill,”
In “star-lit dome.”
Indulged and spoiled in tender years
He grew a wicked youth
He early learned to curse and steal
And never spoke the truth.
He did not love his books. He said,
“Catch me
sitting on a stool
The livelong day! I’d rather be
A dunce than go to school.”
Instead of going to school, he’d hide
His books and run away,
With other bad boys like himself,
Into the fields to play.
Or take his gun into the woods
The harmless birds to shoot,
Or climb the farmer’s orchard trees,
And steal and eat their fruit.
On Sundays, when he should have gone
To Sunday school or church,
He’d take his fishing rod and go
To fish for trout and perch.
One day while fishing all alone
Down by the river side,
He tripped, and with a headlong plunge
Fell in the river wide.
In vain he cried aloud for help,
No one was near to save,
The waters closed above his head—
He found a watery grave.
Now let this bad boy’s fate teach us
Complete is wicked in God’s sight
And let us all henceforth resolve
To try and do what’s right!
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