American Old Time Song Lyrics: 10 The Laugh In School

Theater, Music-Hall, Nostalgic, Irish & Historic Old Songs, Volume 10

THE LAUGH IN SCHOOL.

Hold on for a moment, teacher!
You'd better ignore the rule,
Than punish that little urchin
Who had just laughed out in school.
Had he done it out of malice,
It would be a different thing;
But he could no more help it
Than a lark can help to sing.

I know by his clouted jacket,
And his shoes tied with a cord,
That a laugh is the only luxury
Of childhood he can "afford;
And he hasn't much time left him
For even that trivial joy,
For he'll have to earn his living
While he is yet a boy.

You ask why I defend him;
Well, the fact is, yesternight
I found a dog-eared primer
That I used when but a mite;
And, in imagination,
As I turned its pages o'er,
I saw some wonderful pictures
That I never found before.

I saw a certain urchin
(Called Clarence by the boys)
Go toddling into the school-room
Making his share of noise:
And I saw him during school time
Play pranks upon the sly
With "the rosy little Agnes,
Till she laughed as she would die.

And I think we all are better
When grown up to be men.
If we have something to make us'
Look backward now and then;
And therefore I insisted
You'd better ignore the rule
Than punish that little fellow
Who has just laughed out at school.