Nan flashed a smile at Patty, entirely unmoved by this criticism; for she knew that she was vacillating and sometimes undecided, as compared to Patty's quick-witted grasp of a subject and instantaneous decision. "Have I told you," said Patty, "what we're going to do next Saturday afternoon? I do think it's going to be lovely. And I do hope it won't make the girls mad, but I don't think it will. You know, Nan, what an awful lot of things we all get every Christmas that we don't want and can't use, although they're awfully pretty and nice. We just lay them away in cupboards, and there they stay. Well, on Saturday, we're going to take a lot of these things and give them to people." "For Christmas presents? Why, Christmas is two weeks off yet." "That's just it! Not for presents to themselves, but presents for them to give to other people." "Oh, I begin to see." "Yes; it isn't the least bit _charity_, you see. Why, one of the people I'm going to give things to, is Christine. With her work, and being engaged and all, she hasn't any time to make things, or even to go shopping, and she can't afford to buy much, anyway. So I'm going to give her one or two beautiful silk bags that were given to me two or three years ago. They're perfectly fresh, never been out of their boxes. And I'm going to give her one or two beautiful, fine handkerchiefs in boxes, and two or three lovely books, and two or three pieces of bric-a-brac, and a Japanese ivory carving. Don't you see, Nan, she can give these to her friends for Christmas, and it will save her a lot of trouble and expense. And dear knows, _I_ don't want them! My rooms are chock-a-block with just such things, now. And I know she won't feel offended, when I tell her about it straightforwardly." "Of course she won't be offended with you, Patty; and I think the idea is lovely. I've a lot of things put away I'll give you. I never thought of such a thing before." "The girls thought at first that maybe it might not work, but I talked them around and now they're all in for it. I'm going to take some things to Mrs. Greene. I've quite a lot for her, and I'll tell her she can give them all away, or keep some herself, just as she likes. And I've things for Rosy, that freckled-faced boy, you know. I have games and picture-puzzles and books that I used to have myself. Of course they're all perfectly new. I wouldn't give anything that had been used at all. And we're going Saturday afternoon to take these things around. Mona has lovely things, and so has Elise. You see, we get so many Christmas and birthday presents, and card party prizes, and such things, and I do think it's sensible to make use of them for somebody's pleasure instead of sticking them away in dark cupboards. And, Nan, what do you think?--with each lot of things we're going to give a dozen sheets of white tissue paper and a bolt of holly ribbon and some little tags so they can fix up real Christmassy presents to give away."