Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. Excerpt from book: Major Stafford Comes HomeII fllHE end of that Christmas was better JL than the beginning. Major Stafford justified Bob's confidence. The holiday was not quite over when one evening Major Stafford galloped up to the gate through the mist, his black horse, Ajax, splashed with mud to his ear-tips. He had ridden him seventy miles that day to keep that tryst. The Major soon heard all about the little ones' disappointment at not receiving any new presents. " Santa Tlaus didn' turn this Trismas, but he's tummin' textit{next Trismas," said Evelyn, looking wisely up at him, that evening, from the rug, where she was vainly trying tomake her doll's head stick on her broken shoulders. " And why did he not come this Christmas, Miss Wisdom ? " laughed her father, touching her caressingly with the toe of his boot. '' Tause the Yankees wouldn't let him," said she, gravely, holding her doll up and looking at it pensively, her head on one side. "And why, then, should he come next year ?" "Tans God's goin' to make him." She turned the mutilated baby around and examined it gravely, with her shining head still set on the other side. " There's faith for you," said Mrs. Stafford. Her husband asked the child: " How do you know this ? " "Tause God told me," answered Evelyn, still busy with her inspection. "He did? When?" " 'Tother night when I saw him." " You saw him !" " Um—hm "—nodding her head cheerfully. " Well! I knew she was an angel," said Major Stafford in an aside to his wife ; " but —What did He say Santa Glaus is going to bring you ? " he asked. The little mite sprang to her feet. " He's goin' to bring me—a—great—big—dolly —with real, sure-'nough hair, and blue eyes that will go to sleep, and her name's Miss Please-Ma'am." Her face was aglow, and she stretched her plump hands wi...