Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1911-09-21
NV . y y
Belinda's
Orphan
She Brought Happiness to Lone
iy Home
BY CLARiSSA r1ACKIE
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation, 1911.
BY cLARIsSA r1ACKIE
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation, 1911.

mo. don't want no orphan. said
Miss Belinda, with decisive shake OF
her head I've got my hands full
NOW with chickens and young turkeys
without bothering with high dying
yonugster that'll scare the chicks and
get stung by the bees. although they're
warranted stingless. mind you, and TO
trample on my berry bushes. No
ma ammo orphans for me- This time
Miss Beinda's lips clicked together
with little sound OF inallty.
I'm sorry. Belinda because the
home is jest about running over with
EN- | was telling the matron this
morning tha, knew there were plenty
of folks in Little River who could give
a good home 10 some or those young
sters If they wasn't so mean and
stingy or course don't mean you
added the local member or the visiting
committee OF the Riverview Orphans
home. But sometimes when | think
Of all the spare beds. all made up
clean and white. In the empty homes
around here II makes my blood bile
to look upon them poor orphans so
crowded for room that Mrs Hill says
they'll nave 10 sleep in rows crosswise
OF the beds pretty soon"
want 10 know" calculated Be-
linda. with startled glance at Eme-
line Brown Il think you better stick
10 the truth. Emeline. and not exag-
eerate Now. honest and true. how
many orphans too many have they got
up there?'
Ten" replied Mrs Brown tiatiy.
"Humph." snorted Belinda.
In and out of the scarlet wool went
her big wooden emitting needles as she
rapidly constructed a shawi To comfort
some shiverinS shoulders when the
summer was over Mrs Brown watch
ed her neighhor expertantly With a
family OF seven sons and daughters
under hes own rooflree she was safe
la the condemnation OF the uncrowded
hpmes ~ little River Here was Be
Hnda Downs. now "A handsome. well
preserved splustrr OF forty TWO of in
dependent meanS, possessing II snug
home II tiny income sufficient for her
modest wants. little shaggy pony and
a rusty phaeton 10 carry her about the
countryside There WAS neither man,
woman nor child 10 can upon Belinda
tor service. foI she was without rela
lives. paving putliypd them all
4 should think TINS was JUST the
place for an urphan 20 pr happy IN.
suggested Mrs Rrown throwing M
udmirug glance around the small do
main where orchard aud garden were
green ana lhuny ~ spring bioum.
I've got orphans enough as It Is.
snapped Belinda shortly
Mrs Brown suited ~ she saw the
fatherlesS aud motherless strayS which
the lonely woman nad gathered about
her rher' wiS y lame duck which
belinda uhd rescued nrter hunter uad
brought II down wlrh glanclng shot.
a cnrriet pigeon whIvn had dropped
exhausted Oh her doorstep; a nongrr
dog or many rOlurS which had been
faithfully scrubbed by Miss Belinda
aud was uuw much cleaner IL uOI nap
pier than IA his SOiled STATE: there was
also a me collection uf homeless eats
Indeed Miss Bcliuua'S plart might
lave been another prphauaSe. 80 thick.
~ was II popuiaird with waffs
Wound sou rathtl have n hoy or
sirlf" asked Mrs Brown crafty But
Miss Belinda was not TO be caught
that way
ia rather have q eat she said
You ought 20 BE- ashamed. Betnda
Downs the way ven do rAlll II you
could see them poor young ones took.
lug so wistful every time visitor
comes, hoping It's somebody 10 ofrer
a nome YOU'D harness up Dolly this
very instant ana go and fetch one
away
Might rs wei bring two while
was about IT," remarked Miss Belinda
ironically i've beard ii SAID that
it's cheaper for two TO i've thau one.
Amt you heard thatr
No. indeed II that's the case. nine
peopi, ought to live for nothing. and
! know we don't do thut" Mrs. Brown
ierked on TIER SuubOunet. shrugged her
tai shoulders ana without another
word wad1lrd down the path that led
io the gate between the two places
Take an orphan. indeed shifted
Belinda tor the huudredtb time since
che Ryervicw home had been erected
"dumpn she CALCULATED, also for the
huudrrdth time
Nevertheless, rs soon as dinner was
over Belinda did harness up shaggy
itle Dolly and climbing into the
yaueton and holding the lines very
high lu uer mitted houds. she drove
Hr1u@h fHr p0e woods down 10 the
avervjev nome
ira nkr o. tpos ut some erphans."
sald Beliuda 90 gbe uatrou when she
wus seated u the darkpuvd parlor OF
the home What Sind nave you?"
She added ius' rs 70 orphans were
vegetables 90 fruit 10 The market.
Mrs uih smUrd To suite VI rhe sum /
mer heat chat ueurly nyerpnwered her
ouk Of flesh We nave aH Kinds. even
u we haven't got aIl roIors. she said +
lhereunon there ensured neriod Of /
IRWIN ..Hsg#.....