SIX little culprits
Stood before Judge Ive;
One went to Lancaster
And then there were five.
FIVE little culprits
Robbed a candy store;
One went to Hudson Farm
And then there were four.
FOUR little culprits
Up for truancy;
One went to Boys’ School
And then there were three.
THREE little culprits,
Mighty bad ones too;
One was paroled to me
And then there were two.
TWO little culprits
Killed a dog for fun;
One got a “paddling,” friend,
And then there was one.
ONE little culprit,
Innocent was he;
Judge smiled and shook his hand,
And then he was free.
* * * * *
Now friends, this little rhyme
Would but a moral preach
To every man that has
A heart and soul to reach.
These little culprits six,
You see them every day.
’Tis not alone their due—
The penalty they pay.
The home, the church, the school—
They teach not wrong from right;
And when the child must choose
HIS is a sorry plight.
To him the wrong doth seem
But childish prank and fun,
And then we punish him
Though harm he meant to none.
Some few there are, ’tis true
By intuition bad
Exceptions to the rule
Unlike the normal lad.
But take them all as one—
The boy is born for good,
And if you teach aright
Will do the things he should.
Six little children, friend,
Were stamped with sign of shame;
All innocent they were
And ours alone the blame.
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Footnote 1: