ssy, and for all the pets; and then you'll
all be as happy as I shall be with my tree in the parlour."

By this time it had grown quite late. There was a ring at the door-bell;
and quick as a flash Johnny ran, with happy, smiling face, to meet papa
and mamma and gave them each a loving kiss. During the evening he told
them all that he had done that day and also about the two big trees
which the man had brought. It was just as Johnny had thought. Papa and
mamma had each bought one, and as it was so near Christmas they thought
they would not send either of them back. Johnny was very glad of this,
and told them of the happy plan he had made and asked if he might have
the extra tree. Papa and mamma smiled a little as Johnny explained his
plan but they said he might have the tree, and Johnny went to bed
feeling very happy.

That night his papa fastened the tree into a block of wood so that it
would stand firmly and then set it in the middle of the barn floor. The
next day when Johnny had finished his lessons he went to the kitchen,
and asked Annie, the cook, if she would save the bones and potato
parings and all other leavings from the day's meals and give them to him
the following morning. He also begged her to give him several cupfuls of
salt and cornmeal, which she did, putting them in paper bags for him.
Then she gave him the dishes he asked for--a few chipped ones not good
enough to be used at table--and an old wooden bowl. Annie wanted to know
what Johnny intended to do with all these things, but he only said:
"Wait until to-morrow, then you shall see." He gathered up all the
things which the cook had given him and carried them to the barn,
placing them on a shelf in one corner, where he was sure no one would
touch them and where they would be all ready for him to use the next
morning.

Christmas morning came, and, as soon as he could, Johnny hurried out to
the barn, where stood the Christmas-tree which he was going to trim for
all his pets. The first thing he did was to get a paper bag of oats;
this he tied to one of the branches of the tree, for Brownie the mare.
Then he made up several bundles of hay and tied these on the other side
of the tree, not quite so high up, where White Face, the cow, could
reach them; and on the lowest branches some more hay for Spotty, the
calf.

Next Johnny hurried to the kitchen to get the things Annie had promised
to save for him. She had plenty to give. With his arms and hands ful