The Tour Of A Smile

My papa smiled this morning when He came down stairs, you see, At Mamma; and when he smiled, then She turned and smiled at me; And when she smiled at me, I went And smiled at Mary Ann, Out in the kitchen and she lent It to the hired man.

So then he smiled at someone, who He saw, when going by; Who also smiled and ere he knew Had twinkles in his eye; So he went to his office then And smiled right at his clerk, Who put some more ink on his pen And smiled back from his work.

So when his clerk went home he smiled Right at his wife, and she Smiled over at their little child As happy as could be; And then their little child, she took The smile to school, and when She smiled at teacher from her book, Teacher smiled back again.

And then the teacher passed on one To little James McBride, Who couldn’t get his lessons done, No matter how he tried; And Jamesy took it home and told How teacher smiled at him When he was tired and didn’t scold, But said, “Don’t worry, Jim!”

And when I happened to be there That very night to play, His mother had a smile to spare Which came across my way; And then I took it after while Back home, and Mamma said: “Here is that very self-same smile Come back with us to bed!”