The next day was a holiday, and Harry and Kate went earnestly to work. A
hole was dug in the clay floor of the old cabin, and the tree planted
firmly therein. It was very firm, indeed, for a little colored boy named
Josephine's Bobby climbed nearly to the topmost branch, without shaking
it very much. For four or five days the work of decorating the tree went
on. Everybody talked about it, a great many laughed at it, and nearly
everybody seemed inclined to give something to hang upon its branches.
Kate brought a large box containing the decorations of her last
Christmas tree, and she and Harry hung sparkling balls, and golden
stars, and silver fishes, and red and blue paper angels, and candy
swans, and sugar pears, and glittering things of all sorts, shapes, and
sizes upon the boughs. Harry had a step-ladder, and Dick Ford and five
colored boys held it firmly while he stood on it and tied on the
ornaments. Very soon the neighbors began to send in their contributions.
Mrs. Loudon gave a stout woollen dress, which was draped over a lower
branch; while Mr. Loudon, who was not to be diverted from his original
idea, sent an army blanket, which Kate arranged around the root of the
tree, so as to look as much as possible like gray moss. Mr. Darby, who
kept the store, sent a large paper bag of sugar and a small bag of tea,
which were carefully hung on lower branches. Miss Jane Davis thought she
ought to do something, and she contributed a peck of sweet potatoes,
which, each tied to a string, were soon dangling from the branches. Then
Mr. Truly Matthews, who did not wish to be behind his neighbors in
generosity, sent a shoulder of bacon, which looked quite magnificent as
it hung about the middle of the tree. Other people sent bars of soap,
bags of meal, packages of smoking-tobacco, and flannel petticoats. A
pair of shoes was contributed, and several pairs of stockings, which
latter were filled with apples and hickory-nuts by the considerate Kate.
Several of the school children gave sticks of candy; and old Mrs. Sarah
Page, who had nothing else to spare, brought a jug of molasses, which