'Twas an afternoon in springtime
Folk were happy everywhere
Preparing for a joyous evening
Never dreaming death was near
To a little country schoolhouse
Neighbors thinking they would go
They would have a jolly evening
At the children's little show

You could hear those children singing
Voices ringing clear and sweet
Never dreaming in their joy
Of the fate that they would meet

But their joys all were blighted
They began to scream and rage
When a lantern fell that evening
Streaming fire upon the stage
It was on that fatal evening
They could not control the fire
They madly lashed about for freedom
But they perished in the fire

You could hear those children scremaming
While the flames were rolling high
Daddy, come and get your babies
Will you stand and let us die

All the fathers they were trying
To their little ones to go
But the brave old fellows perished
In the chaos from the show
LIttle children they were trampled
In that mighty rolling flame
Others on that night were screaming
Death was dealing just the same

There's a lonely spot in Cleveland
Nicely fenced around and eired
Ther's a monument erected
Tells the story of the fire