"Mother! Mother!" cried little Mary, running into the [house]. "Mr.
Clover says he doesn't need this [lamb]--it's extra--and I may have it
for my very own!" Yes, now it was Mary's little lamb--and how they
loved each other! They went together everywhere--in the [house] and
the [barn], and over to Grandfathers, to play with little Aunt Hannah.
Mary's Aunt Hannah was only three years older than [Mary] herself and
they played together all the time. The two little [girls] thought the
[lamb] was beautiful, but it was not very clean. "I don't want a
dirty, dusty little lamb," said Mary; "I want a nice, clean, white
lamb." "Then we must wash it." said little [Aunt Hannah]. "Father
washes all his [sheep] in the [river] every spring." Out by the [barn]
stood the [faucet] with the big wooden [trough] where the [cows]
drank. The [trough] was full of water, standing in the [sun]. Mary
leaned over the edge and dipped her [hand]. "It's nice and warm," she
said. "Now, dear little [lamb] jump right in!" But the lamb wouldn't
jump--so Mary and little Aunt Hannah lifted him, and dropped him into
the [trough]. Then they rubbed him with [soap], and squeezed his [fur]
with their [hands]. The poor little lamb didn't like it, and kept
trying to get out--till, as [Mary] tried to hold him her [foot]
slipped and in she fell, [head] first! Oh, how she screamed! And [Aunt
Hannah] screamed, too, and the [lamb] cried "Ba-a-a!" as loud as he
could. Little Aunt Hannah's mother came running from the [house]
fished them out of the water, and carried them into her [living room]
one under each [arm]. There she rubbed them dry, wrapped them both in
[towels] and set them by the [fireplace], to get warm.
[Illustration: HOW THEY FED HIM.]
[Illustration: MARY'S LITTLE LAMB.]