“I too had never ceased being glad that the grocer had sold me to the Morrises, for I was sure that life would not have been so comfortable for me in the back part of a country store, inhaling the odors from fish barrels and molasses kegs, and with the dreary outlook afforded by shelves full of canned vegetables and cracker boxes.  The only point in favor of a life at the grocery was that I would have been nearer to the woods; but if I could not be in the woods, of what avail was that?  The Morrises were people of elegance and refinement, and their home expressed their culture.  I had made a pleasant exchange, and I felt it was wise to be as contented as possible.

“August slowly passed, and Johnny came back.  The big house that had been so quiet for four weeks was suddenly wakened as from a sleep.  His noisy, joyous voice rang through the halls, and from cellar to garret.

“’Bless the b’y! he’s that plazed to git back, it does one’s sowl good to hear him,’ said the housemaid.

“Mrs. Morris was so busy for the first day or two that she saw little of Johnny.  He was sent on several errands, and took his own time in returning, but every one had too much to do to inquire what kept him so long.

“‘Can’t I shine up Bessie’s and the admiral’s cages?’ he asked his mother after dinner the second day.

“Mrs. Morris was delighted with her son’s thoughtfulness.  ’Why, Johnny,’ she said, ‘I’ll be so glad to have you do it.’

“So master Johnny wiped and dusted our cages till we felt very clean, although I own I did not enjoy having him work about me with his brush and dust cloth.  Just as he had finished and put us back in our places the doorbell sounded, and presently we heard children’s voices in the hall asking the maid if Johnny Morris was at home.

“‘It is some one to see you,’ said Mrs. Morris.  But Johnny did not reply.  He was nowhere to be seen.  At the first sound he had quietly slipped out of the room and I could now see him hiding behind the curtains in the library.  Soon Sarah came ushering three or four little barefooted children into the parlor.

“‘They’ve come to Johnny’s party, ma’am,’ she explained to Mrs. Morris, who looked up from her work as the children entered.

“‘How do you do, my dears?’ said Mrs. Morris sweetly, though I could see she was greatly surprised.  ’I believe I don’t know your names, so you will have to introduce yourselves.’

“The children looked bashful, and made no reply.

“‘You are not Johnny Morris’ schoolmates, are you?’ she questioned.

“‘No, ma’am,’ answered the tallest girl, as she gazed about the handsome room with wide-open eyes, I could see that she was not accustomed to such beautiful things.

“Where did you get acquainted with him, then?’ went on Mrs. Morris kindly.

“’We hain’t acquainted at all, ma’am; but he seed us on the street this morning, and said for us to come to his party to-day.  He thought as how maybe they’d be ice-cream to eat, and he told us where he lived, and so we are here.’