"But my birdie gay ought to be clean," persisted Susy, who was often
very positive. "Mrs. Mason says so--the lady that gave him to me. I told
her he wouldn't bathe, and she said then I must bathe him."

Susy went to the range, and, dipping some hot water from the boiler,
cooled it with fresh water, till she found, by putting in her fingers,
that it was of a proper temperature, according to her own judgment. Then
she plunged the timid little canary into the bowl, in spite of his
fluttering. Such a wee young thing as he was too! He seemed to be afraid
of the water, and struggled against it with all his small strength.

"O, Dandy, darling," said Susy, in a cooing voice, as if she were
talking to a baby; "be a little man, Dandy; hold up his head, and let
Susy wash it all cleany! O, he's Susie's birdie gay!--What makes him
roll up his eyes?"

"Take him out quick, Susan," said grandma Read; "he will strangle."

A few seconds more and all would have been over with birdie gay. He
curled down very languidly on the floor of the cage, and seemed to wish
to be let alone.

"He acts so every morning when I bathe him," said Susy, who would not
give up the point; "but Mrs. Mason told me to do it! Dotty always cried
when she was washed, till she was ever so old."

"I think," said Mrs. Parlin, who had just entered the kitchen, "I must
ask Mrs. Mason if she is very sure it is proper to treat little birds in
that way."