PATTY'S CHRISTMAS STOCKING:

A WORD FOR THE NEW YEAR.

Ir seemed a very long day,_that twenty-fourth of December, for Patty had finished packing all her little Christmas-boxes quite early in the day; some even had gone to the post the evening before to little brothers and sisters, for Patty was away from home, and was living with a kind, loving aunt in the country.

The stocking had been ready since early morning, two strong tapes stitched to it, that it may safely hang at the foot of her bed, and hold all the good things she expected would find their way into it by Christmas morning.

The long day closed at last, and Patty went to bed. For a long time her little blue eyes were wide open, and she kept trying to guess what good gifts would be hers. "Would papa and mamma remember her?"

"What could that parcel be that uncle brought from town and hid away from her?" "What was it aunty hid away so quickly that day, when she had run in unexpectedly from the garden?" But it was no use guessing. Patty knew that whatever she should find in her stocking would be nice and good, for all gifts were planned by very loving hearts and prepared by very loving hands. And at last, full of trust, she went to sleep, and did not awake till the Christmas bells were ringing and the Christmas sun was peeping in at the window, giving just light enough to reveal the size to which the stocking was stretched with the abundance of good things it contained.

With a bounding heart Patty seized the stocking, and having first felt it all over, began to take out one gift after another.

I dare say some of my readers could guess at many of the things

Patty found in the stocking, but there were some things they could not easily guess. Sealed up in an envelope was a card with a beautifully illuminated border; written on it was a list of all the lessons Patty would have to learn before the next Christmas. She thought how very difficult it would be to learn so much, but at the bottom of the card she found written, "As thy day so shall thy strength be," and she remembered her Heavenly Friend would always be with her to help and comfort her. There was a curiouslooking bag, with gold letters on it forming the words "the game of patience." There was a small mahogany box, containing a number of very pretty small dolls, dressed as members of a family-father, mother, brother, and sisters, and servant: this was from the children at home. Then there was another small plainlooking box, very carefully wrapped up, and with it a key. Patty could

not guess what this was, but on examining the box very closely she found a small hole like that in her uncle's watch, and she fitted the key in it and turned it a few times, when, to her great surprise and joy, the most lovely sounds came pouring forth like the warbling of the nightingale, and soon she distinguished the tune, "Home, sweet Home."

She lay still and listened, almost afraid to breathe, lest the sweet sounds should cease. They did cease at last, and then Patty, searching on, found a pretty morocco purse, in which was a yellow halfsovereign and five bright shillings. This was a gift which caused the greatest joy of all, for down the lane there lived with an old grandfather a family of orphan children, and Patty had so longed to give some Christmas gift to them, and shed around their darkness some joy. This money would get all she wanted, and enable her to help them many times afterwards. How could papa have

known exactly what I wanted," said Patty to herself; "I cannot make it out."

This little child and her Christmas stocking make a new year's parable.

On this first day of the new year we are all like little Patty, only it will take us much longer to come to the bottom of our stocking. With infinite love our heavenly Father has filled it; all in secret, for "eye hath not seen nor ear heard, neither hath entered the heart of man what God hath prepared for them that love Him." Some things we shall find we may not at first like, for we have need of patience, and many a hard lesson we must learn. And even the plain-looking little box, which seems of no use, when we learn how to use the key, will ring out heavenly music.

And if there are paths of love and charity prepared for us to walk in, we shall find the means provided in little secret stores which our Father