Only two more days and Christmas would be here!
It had been snowing hard, and Johnny was standing at the window, looking at the
soft, white snow which covered the ground half a foot deep. Presently he heard
the noise of wheels coming up the road, and a wagon turned in at the gate and
came past the window. Johnny was very curious to know what the wagon could be
bringing. He pressed his little nose close to the cold window pane, and to his
great surprise, saw two large Christmas-trees. Johnny wondered why there were
TWO trees, and turned quickly to run and tell mamma all about it; but then
remembered that mamma was not at home. She had gone to the city to buy some
Christmas presents and would not return until quite late.
Johnny began to feel
that his toes and fingers had grown quite cold from standing at the window so
long; so he drew his own little chair up to the cheerful grate fire and sat
there quietly thinking. Pussy, who had been curled up like a little bundle of
wool, in the very warmest corner, jumped up, and, going to Johnny, rubbed her
head against his knee to attract his attention. He patted her gently and began
to talk to her about what was in his thoughts.
He
had been puzzling over the TWO trees which had come, and at last had made up his
mind about them. "I know now, Pussy," said he, "why there are two trees. This
morning when I kissed Papa good-bye at the gate he said he was going to buy one
for me, and mamma, who was busy in the house, did not hear him say so; and I am
sure she must have bought the other. But what shall we do with two
Christmas-trees?"
Pussy jumped into his lap and purred and purred. A plan
suddenly
flashed into Johnny's mind. "Would you like to have one, Pussy?" Pussy purred
more loudly, and it seemed almost as though she had said yes.
"Oh! I will, I will! if mamma will let me. I'll have a
Christmas-tree
out in the bam for you, Pussy, and for all the pets; and then you'll
all be as happy as I shall be with my tree in the parlor."
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
full he went back to the barn. He found three "lovely" bones with plenty of meat
on them; these he tied together to another branch of the tree, for Rover, his
big black dog. Under the tree he placed the big wooden bowl, and filled it well
with potato parings, rice, and meat, left from yesterday's dinner; this was the
"full and tempting trough" for
Piggywig. Near this he placed a bowl of milk for Pussy, on one plate
the salt for the pet lamb, and on another the cornmeal for the dear
little chickens. On the top of the tree he tied a basket of nuts; these
were for his pet squirrel; and I had almost forgotten to tell you of
the bunch of carrots tied very low down where soft white Bunny could
reach them.
When all was done, Johnny stood off a little way to look at
this
wonderful Christmas-tree. Clapping his hands with delight, he ran to
call papa and mamma and Annie, and they laughed aloud when they saw what he had
done. It was the funniest Christmas-tree they had ever
seen. They were sure the pets would like the presents Johnny had chosen.
Then there was a busy time in the barn. Papa and mamma and
Annie helped about bringing in the animals, and before long, Brownie, White
Face, Spotty, Rover, Piggywig, Pussy, Lambkin, the chickens, the squirrel and
Bunny, the rabbit, had been led each to his own Christmas breakfast on and under
the tree. What a funny sight it was to see them all standing around looking
happy and contented, eating and drinking with such an appetite!
While watching them Johnny had another thought, and he ran
quickly to the house, and brought out the new trumpet which papa had given him
for Christmas. By this time the animals had all finished their breakfast and
Johnny gave a little toot on his trumpet as a signal that the tree festival was
over. Brownie went, neighing and prancing, to her stall, White Face walked
demurely off with a bellow, which Spotty, the calf, running at her heels, tried
to imitate; the little lamb skipped
bleating away; Piggywig walked off with a grunt; Pussy jumped on the
fence with a mew; the squirrel still sat up in the tree cracking her
nuts; Bunny hopped to her snug little quarters; while Rover, barking
loudly, chased the chickens back to their coop. Such a hubbub of
noises! Mamma said it sounded as if they were trying to say "Merry
Christmas to you, Johnny! Merry Christmas to all."
