you can
come to me for them."

"But, Mother, where are all my presents, and my pretty things? That is
too bad! I have always kept them so nicely in those drawers!" said
Hatty, hastily.

Mrs. Lee did not speak for a moment; she opened a door leading into a
large lighted closet, and then said, "Here, my darling, you will have a
place for all you want to keep particularly nice; see, I have put your
presents in this drawer, and your books are there above, on the shelf. I
have put a little table here for your Bible, and you must not forget to
'enter into your closet,' to pray to Him who seeth in secret."

"O, Mother, you are so very kind and I am so very hasty," exclaimed
Hatty; "I will not forget to do as you say, for indeed I need it. You
will have to be very patient with me, Mother, for I am afraid I shall
have hard work to keep my resolutions."

"Trust in God for help to struggle against your faults, and in the end
you will conquer," said the mother, with an affectionate kiss, and then
she left her little daughter alone.

Hatty had led an easy, quiet life with her grandmother for the last
three months, and had had but little temptation to give way to her hasty
temper. Now she began to realize that it would be quite another thing,
where at almost every moment she was called on to give up her own will
and pleasure for that of others; but she was not disheartened. God has
promised to give his strength to those who really wish to serve Him, and
on this promise little Hatty relied. In her closet she knelt and asked
the blessing of Heaven on her poor efforts, and she rose cheerful and
happy.

III.

When Hatty had arranged her clothes once more neatly in her own room,
she began to wonder what had become of Marcus, and she concluded to go
in search of him; she met him in the hall. He seemed much excited, and
said, "O Hatty, what beautiful bantams! I have put them in a barrel, and
carried all the packages grandma sent, to the kitchen, and now I want to
know where we shall keep them?"

Hatty was not quite pleased that Marcus should take the bantams so
immediately under his protection, though she had brought them as a
present to him. She checked the feeling of annoyance, and said
pleasantly, "They are yours, Marcus, so you can plan for them as you
think best; but perhaps you could manage to make a coop, as you do not
go to school to-day."

Marcus was delighted with the presents, and resolved to set to work
imme