The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1911-07-26

Won can take out full papers OF adop-
ton IL you wish to. Miss Brown.
II guess III want 10 do that" said
Miss Belinda as she arose to 20.
"Ween will Bessie be readys" she ASA
ed, with n delightful sense Of owner
shin IN the dainty morsel Of babyhooG
before her.
"This afternoon" said Mrs. Hin.
"You won't find her much trouble.
She's a quiet little thing and speaks OF
her mother and the little baby that
died. and. strangely enough. she asks
for her father. Where's your father.
Bessie. dearg' asked the matron. bend
ing down.
"Hell be back in a little while" said
Bessie running TO the window. "A
guess better leo1 for him. hadn't ~
quaint. isn't shes whispered lrs.
HiIl as she let Miss Belinda out.
..Very nice little girl" said Miss Be
linda. trying to keep the happy SPAR
kles out Of her eyes. for It did not
seem right TO grasp so much happiness
as was promised in the possession OF
little Bessie Carson. ''I'll drive down
after Bessie just before supper.
All the rest of the day she was very
busy preparing for her orphan visitor.
There was a small bed TO drag down
from the attic and place beside her
own. and it bad to be made up with
All the miniature bedcothing which
she had used as a child. There We're
old fashioned dolls and other toys 70
be resurrected from hair trunks ana
brushed and reburnished. and there
was batch OF delicious ginger cookies
to be made so that she might fashion
a dozen gingerbread men and elephants
with currant eyes for the delectation
OF little Bessie.
At last when all was in readiness
and the little girl bad been happily
transferred TO the phaeton and allowed
TO drive the gentle pony home there
was never such unalloyed bliss as
shone in the faces of Miss Belinda and
her little orphan The child loved Miss
Belinda and clung 10 her with affec-
ton when she had a chance. and Miss
Belinda was almost ashamed OF the op-
portunlties she afforded Bessie for
showing her affection
1T certainly can't harm anybody 70
enjoy being loved. protested Miss Be
linda to her sterner self as she brush
ed away a tear
rs you crying. Miss LindaT asked
Bessie wistfully. 4
Just a teenty bit, dear. because you
love me SO much" smiled Belinda,
bending to kiss her charge.
Il smile when you love me-" con-
fided Bessie. 1t makes me feel so
good here. She placed a tiny hand
on her heart. Miss Belinda kissed her
again,
That happened after Bessie had been
there three months. The adoption
papers mad all been maaN cuf and
fiIed and Bessie Carson naG become
Bessie Downs when one aftera1on the
gate latch clicked sharply. and a tai
man strobe up the path oAd looked
strangely down at little B,ssie playing
with her dolls at Miss Belnda's feet
From her chair on the veranda Miss
Belinda arose with sjnking feeling
at her heart. This man was not from
the home. although there was
strange familiarity in his tall. leaI
figure. his tanned cheeks. with th'
firm, beardless lips and chin. he dix
not look at Miss Belinda, but he push
ed back his hat anG held out hi
hands to little Bessie.
.sBess. Darling little Bess! Don
you know daddy he asked hoarsely
With startled cry the child Iooke'
at him earnestly and then ran straign
to bis arms with the unfailing instinc
Of the Child for its parent.
Then the nun looked up and saS
Miss Belinda standing. white an
shaking, before him, I'm sorry
ma'am. but it's my little girl. and
Mercy! linda Downs. what are 20
doing here with my gessiew
In the long. cool twilight there wa
time to relate how James Stearns Ia
married the girl he had been engage
to when Belinda Downs met him I
the west so many years ago and the
had both fallen In love In spite {
his previous engagement. but he ha
been true to his promise and Marie
the girl who had been Bessie's mott
er; how one OF the devastating nooc
Of the west had had seif,eaasi seif,eaasisa ted the Att
family for months. and at last II
wife and child had gone east in II
hope Of finding some Of Mrs. Stearn
relatives. She had been taken III
New York. registered by mistake u
der the name Of Carson. bad died an
left the homeless little Bessie to u
care of stranger hands.
In the meantime the distracted +
ther had been hunting high and 10
for his family. He bad traced the
to New York. bad proof Of bis wife
death and now bad come to Lit
River to find that an all wise PROV
9 dence had brought bis little daughu
( into the empty. longing arms Of 4
Z one woman III the world who could
2 his wife now.
When Emeline Brown heard Of
\ she chuckled audibly. "Don't new
II rnfT af nrnhaue again Beiinf