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!