The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1901-08-06
BELINDA ANN.
A Story of a Ride In an
Automobile.
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.

It was all because the street car COM
pany charged two fares. Belinda Ann
hadn't expected any such extortion. Con
sequently she was not prepared for it.
Besides this, Belinda Ann was proud. If
she hadn't been proud, she would have
said to the conductor, "You will excuse
my ignorance, sir, but the fact is | was
not aware that you demanded a second
fare for this end Of the line, and as
am not prepared to meet the additional
call upon my finances / am obliged to
ask you to put me of" Belinda Ann
could have explained it in quite as good
style as this and in much more condens-
ed form. But there were other passengers
on the car, and Belinda felt they were all
watching her in a manner that plainly
meant, 1--WE don't believe for one moment
that the redheaded child over there I'M
der the purple COW advertisement has
another nickel to her name" And so,
with delightfully."- nonchalant air, she
dropped her last nickel in the conductors
hand and was from that moment bank
rupt.
For Belinda Ann made it a solemn
practice never to carry with her any more
money than she really needed. Possibly
she was influenced in this course by the
fact that she always took all she had.
And so on this occasion she paid in her
last nickel and coolly rode to the end of
the line and then alighted with the grim
fact confronting her that she was ten
miles from home and with no means be-
yond her somewhat spare though wiry
legs of getting there.
But Belinda was not easily daunted or
discouraged. She couldn't help admit
ting that she was in rather unpleasant
position, but she was not at all frighten-
ed. 1t was only 8 o'clock in the after
noon, and nobody would worry about her
before 6. She had come out to gather as
many specimens of the flowers of May as
she could find and at the same time learn
something about the habits Of the birds
of the suburbs. Her teacher had suggest
ed this In a general sort of way, and as
this was Saturday afternoon Belinda was
putting the advice into practical shape.
She looked about her as she alightad
from the car, but there were no flowers to
be seen, and she heard no birds. Then
she decided that it might be a good
scheme IL she wandered down the road in
the direction of home while she pursued
her botanizing and her bird investigating.
So she started along the highway, her
bright eyes wide open and her ears alert.
She had walked perhaps two miles in
this way and her feet were feeling the eff
fects Of the tramp when peculiar sight
drew her attention from both flowers and
birds. A strange looking vehicle was
halted by the wayside, and on the ground
beneath it and between the huge wheels
lay the body of a man. Belinda Ann
knew the vehicle was an automobile, but
she knew nothing about the man.
Belinda stopped short.
SIS anybody hurt7" she called.
"No," came a muffied voice from be-
meath the running gear.
II couldn't tell by your legs" said Be
linda. "You might be run over higher
up, you know"
mot by this internal machine" said
the mufied voice. ut couldn't be hired
to run over anybody"
II guess it's like grandfather's clock"
said Belinda-"stopped short never to
go again."
you're wrong" said the muffled voice.
s1've fixed itP'
There was a moments pause, and then
the legs Of the recumbent man began to
wriggle forward. Presently the entire
individual came into sight.
He was tall young man with fair
mustache and a pleasant smile. He let
this pleasant smile beam on Belinda Ann
as he took his big fat cap from the auto
mobile seat and then assumed a pair Of
eyeglasses.
His smile deepened as he surveyed the
quaint little figure on the fire hydrant.
"How do you do?" he politely inquired
es he lifted the fat cap.
II am quite WELL" replied Belinda Ann
as she bobbed the roses on her hat
Gust little tired maybe, but able to sit
up and look around" She gazed at the
young man with quizzical expression.
you are really much handsomer than
s'posed you'd be, judgin by your legs"
she said.
The young man slightly blushed.
II am glad" he laughed, that you find
my attractions Of the cumulative sort.
And now may / ask II can help you
along the way you desire to go?" And be
pointed to the seat of the automobile.
Belinda Ann clapped her hands.
'That would be Just splendidP she
cried. II really never believed I'd ever
do horseless stunt. It's awfully kind of
you. But excuse me, please. There's a
dreadful smudge on your nose. Stoop
down little. can't your"
And Belinda Ann drew a neatly folded
handkerchief from her belt, spread 1t out
and carefully removed the CRIME from
the young mans shapely nose as he bent
above her. "It's such a sooty city," she
said. You just ought to see our parlor
curtains after they've been up week"
Then the young man waved his hand
toward the seat and. assisting Belinda
Ann into 1t. took the place beside her.
"Oh," gasped the child as the machine
shot ahead, "ain't this great only wish
our Sunday school class could see me
now. But do you know I feel just like
loolxin over the dashboard to see what
become of the horses"
The young man laughed and increased
the speed little, and Belinda AIMS roses
noddad mOrs wildly than ever.