little tags so they can fix up real Christmassy presents to
give away."

"Patty, you're a wonder," said Nan, looking affectionately at the girl
beside her. "How do you think of all these things?"

"Common sense and general gumption," returned Patty. "Very useful
traits, _I_ find 'em. And here we are at our first shopping place."

Assisted by Patty's common sense and expeditious judgment, they
accomplished a great deal that morning, and returned home with their
lists considerably shortened.

"It does seem funny," said Patty, that same afternoon, "to be tying up
these things almost two weeks ahead of time. But with all the
newspapers and magazines urging you to do your shopping early, and
send off your parcels early, you can't really do otherwise."

Patty was surrounded by presents of all sorts, boxes of all sizes,
pieces of ribbon, and all sorts of cards and tags.

"I'm sick and tired of holly ribbon and red ribbon," she said, as she
deftly tied up her parcels. "So, this year, I'm using white satin
ribbon and gilt cord. It's an awfully pretty combination, and these
little green and gilt tags are lovely, don't you think?"

Her audience, which consisted of Elise and Mona, were watching her
work with admiration. They had offered to help, but after an
ineffectual attempt to meet Patty's idea of how a box should be tied
up, they abandoned the effort, and sat watching her nimble fingers
fly.

"You ought to get a position in some shop where they advertise, 'only
experienced parcel wrappers need apply,'" said Elise. "I never saw
such neat parcels."

"You're evidently going to be an old maid," said Mona, "you're so
fussy and tidy."

"I do like things tidy," admitted Patty, "and if that interferes with
my having a husband, why, of course I'll have to give him up. For I
can't stand not having things neat about me."

"Do you call this room neat?" asked Elise, smiling as she looked about
at the scattered boxes and papers, cut strings, and little piles of
shredded tissue.

"Yes, I do," declared Patty, stoutly. "This kind of stuff can be
picked up in a jiffy, and then the room is all in order. This is
temporary, you see. By untidiness, I mean dirt and dust, and bureau
drawers in a mess, and desks in disorder."

"That's me," confessed Mona, cheerfully. "Not the dirt and dust,
perhaps,--the maids look after that. But I just _can't_ keep my
belongings in their places."

"Neither can I," said Elise. "I don't see how you