Page 15 - Among the camps, or, Young people's stories of the war

“ Tausc God told m e/1 answered Evelyn, still busy with
her inspection,

(1 He did ? W hat Is Santa Claus goitig to bring' you ?”
The little mite sprang to her feet. 41 H e's go In1 to bring
me— a— great— big— dolly— with real sure 'nough hair., and
blue eyes that will go to sleep/' E-fer face was aglow, and
she stretched her hands wide apart to give the size,

“ Shs has dreamt it,” said the Major, in an undertone, to
her mother. “ There is not such a doll as that in the South­
ern Confederacy," he continued.
The child caught his meaning. “ Yes, he is,1’ she insisted,

" ’cnuse I asked him an’ he said he would ; and Charlie------11
Just then that youngster himself burst into the room, a
small whirlwind in petticoats. As soon as his cyclonic ten­
dencies could be curbed, his father asked him :
‘'W ell, what did you ask Santa Claus for, young man ?"
" F o r a pair of breeches and a sword,” answered the boy,

promptly, striking an attitude.
" Wellj upon my w o rd !" laughed his father, eying the
erect little figure and the steady, dear eyes which looked
proudly up at him. “ 1 had no idea what a young Achilles

we had here. You shall have them,"
T he boy nodded gravely, “ All right. When I get to
be a man I won't let anybody make my mamma cry*" He
advanced a step, with head up, the very picture of spirit.
“ A h 1 you w on't?" said his father, with a gesture to
prevent his wife interrupting.