Smyrna times., 1911-07-19
N'V'0VVSNVV SSVN'U'0N
:Belinda'S|
Orphan
! She Brought Happiness to a Lone
> ly Home
BY CLARISSA MACKIE
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation, 1911.
By cLARIssA MAcKIE
Copyright by American Press .Asso-
citation, 1911.

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mo, 1 don't want no orphan" said |
Miss Belinda, with a decisive shake of |
her head. I've got my hands full |
now with chickens and young turkeys |
coming on and bees and currant bushes
without bothering with a high flying
youngster that'n 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'am-no orphans for me!' This time
Miss Belinda's lips clicked together
with a little sound of finality.
"I'm sorry, Belinda, because the
home is jest about running over with
'em. l was telling the matrOn this
morning that knew there were plenty
of folks in Little River who could give
a good home to some of those young
sters if they wasn't so mean and
stingy. OF course l don't mean yOu,"
added the local member of the visiting
committee of the Riverview Orphans
home But sometimes when l think
of all the spare beds. all made up
clean and white, in the empty homes
around here it makes my blood bile
to look upon them poor orphans so
crowded for room that Mrs. EIill says
they'll have to sleep in rows crOsswise
of the beds pretty sOOn."
81 want to know calculated Be-
linda. with a startled glance at Eme-
line Brown. Il think you better stick
to the truth, Emeline. and not exag-
gerate. Now, honest and true, how
many orphans too many have they got
up there?"
"Ten," replied Mrs. Brown fatty.
"Humphr' snorted Belinda.
In and out Of the scarlet wool went
her big wooden knitting needles as she
rapidly constructed a shawl to comfort
some shivering shoulders when the
! SUMMER was over. Mrs. Brown watch
ed her neighbor expectantly. With a
family of seven sons and daughters
under her own rooftree she was safe
in the condemnation of the uncrowded
homes of Little River. Here was Be-
linda Downs. now a handsome, well
preserved spinster of forty-two, Of in.
dependent means, possessing a snug
home. tiny income sufficient for hel
modest wants. little shaggy pony and
a rusty phaetOn to carry her about the
countryside. There was neither man
woman nor child to call upon Belinds
for service, for she was without rela
tives, having outlived them all.
Il should think this was just the
place for an orphan to be happy in
suggested Mrs. Brown, throwing al
admiring glance around the small do
main where orchard and garden wer'
green and thrifty in spring bloom.
1--WE got orphans enough as 1t is
snapped Belinda shortly.
Mrs. Brown smiled as she saw tn
fatherless and motherless strays whicl
the lonely woman had gathered abou
her There was a lame duck whicl
Belinda had rescued after a huLter hat
brought it down with a glancing shot
a carrier pigeon which had drOppet
exhausted on her doorstep; a mongre
dog of many colors which had bee
faithfully scrubbed by Miss Behind
and was now much cleaner if not haI
pier than in his soiled state; there wa
, also a fine collection of homeless eats
Indeed. Miss Belinda's place Nigh
have been another orphanage, so thicl
ly was it populated with waits.
}. would you rather have a boy or
\ girl?" asked Mrs. Brown craftily. Blu
Miss Belinda was not to be caugh
that way.
- "Td rather have a cat" she said
"You ought to be ashamed. Behind
D Downs, the way you do talk! If 20
Z could see them poor young ones lOol
! ing so wistful every time a visitC
comes, hoping it's somebody to offe
a home, you'd harness up Dolly thl
5 very instant and go and fetch on
away"
. might as well bring two while
3 was about it," remarked Miss Behind
Z ironically. "I've heard it said ths
s it's cheaper for two to liz than on
Amt you heard that?"
mo, indeed. If that's the case. mir
people ought to live for nothing, an
p know we don't do that" Mrs. Brow
- | JeIkcu Ou ueI SuuOOuuCl, n'
! fat shoulders and without anoth'
word waddled down the path that lt
4 to the gate between the two places.
z '"Take an orphan, indeed!' snifft
4 Belinda for the hundredth time sin'
the Riverview home had been erecte
2 "HumphP' she calculated, also for Il
y hundredth time.
Nevertheless. as soon as dinner W;
over Belinda did harness up shagl
little Dolly. and. climbing into Il
= phaeton and holding the lines vel
81 high in her mitted hands. she dro'
" through the pine woods down to Il
- Riverview home.
"A "Pd like to look at some orphans
said Belinda to the matron when 81
was seated in the darkened parlor
the home. What kind have you
she added. just as IL orphans we
vegetables or fruit in the market.
Mrs. Hill smiled in spite Of the SUI
mer heat that nearly OyerpOWered h