away,
and their old mother left alone. When they were little I gave them all
the time I could spare from my work and now they leave me by myself.
They think because I have a girl to cook and wash I don't need them."

Mary Rose did not understand and she stood there, just beyond the
threshold, uncertainly. But if she did not understand why Mrs.
Schuneman's daughters did not stay in the room with the red tug, she
realized that Mrs. Schuneman was lonely.

"It's too bad you haven't a pet," she suggested. "A dog or a cat is a
lot of company. Why--" a sudden thought came to her. "Just wait a
minute. I'll be right back," she called as she ran out of the room.

Before Mrs. Schuneman fairly realized that she had gone she was back
with Jenny Lind in her cage.

"I thought perhaps you might like to have Jenny Lind spend the day with
you," she said breathlessly. "She isn't just the same as a grown up
daughter, but she's lots of company and she sings--she sings," she was
rather at a loss to tell how well Jenny Lind could sing, "like a
seraphim! They sing in the Bible and sound so grand I've always wanted
to hear one though I know there isn't a seraphim that could sing
sweeter than Jenny Lind. You can put the cage in that window. She
loves the sunshine and she'll sing and sing until you forget you are
lonely."

"My gracious me!" murmured Mrs. Schuneman, staring from the eager face
to the sleek yellow bird. "I haven't had a canary since I was a girl
in my father's house."

"Uncle Larry said the law doesn't say you can't have birds here. It's
cats and dogs and children."

"Yes, yes. I know." Mrs. Schuneman walked up to the cage and looked
at Jenny Lind, who looked at her with her bright bead-like eyes before
she burst into joyous song. "Now, why didn't I think of a canary?"
Mrs. Schuneman demanded sharply. "There isn't any reason why I
shouldn't have one."

"You're perfectly welcome to Jenny Lind until you get one of your own."
Mary Rose was delighted to have Jenny Lind received so cordially.
"She'll be glad to spend the day with you. She's a very friendly bird."

"I'll be glad to have her. Perhaps you'll stay, too." Mrs. Schuneman
surprised herself more than she did Mary Rose by the invitation that
popped so suddenly from her mouth. She had never asked anyone in the
Washington to spend the day with her before. "Tell me where you came
from and what's your name and how old you are?"

"I came from Mifflin