Conscious Ignorance

I’m only ’ist a little girl, An’ w’en I want to play An’ Mamma says don’t go outside Our yard this livelong day, An’ w’en some other girls ’ey come An’ pester me to go, It may be wrong, but I’m so young, How does she s’pose I know?

An’ ’en w’en she goes out sometimes An’ says: “Now go to bed At eight o’clock this very night,” I ’member what she said. But w’en the mantel clock strikes eight An’ I don’t want to go, It may be wrong, but I’m so young, How does she s’pose I know?

An’ w’en she says: “Now, don’t go near The cookie jar this day,” I want some cookies awful much An’ try to stay away. But all the time I’m hungry for Some cookies, an’ I go-- It may be wrong, but I’m so young, How does she s’pose I know?

I’m only ’ist a little girl Not more ’n six years old, An’ my, I always try to do E’zactly as I’m told. But w’en I make ’ist one mistake, My Ma ought not to go An’ punish me, ’cause I’m so young, How does she s’pose I know?