The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1911-06-23

:Belinda'S:
Orphan
She Brought Happiness to Lone
ly Home
By CLARISSA MACKIE
Copyright by American Press Asso- (
citation. 1911.
By cLARISSA MACKIE
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
coming on and bees and currant bushes
without bothering with a high flying
youngster 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'am-no orphans for mel" This time
Miss Belinda's lips clicked together
with little sound Of Hnality.
r''I'm sorry, Belinda. because the
home IS jest about running over with
EN-. 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. or course don't mean you,
added the local member Of the visiting
committee Of the Riverview Orphans
home. But sometimes when I think
Of all the spare beds. all made up
clean and white. in the empty homes
around here 1t makes my blood bile
to look upon them poor orphans so
crowded for room that Mrs Hill says
they'll have 10 sleep In rows crosswise
of the beds pretty soon."
II want to known calculated Be.
linda. with 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.
"Humph" snorted Belinda.
In and out of the scarlet wool went
her big wooden knitting needles as she
rapidly constructed sha wi to comfort
some shivering shoulders when the
summer was over. Mrs. Brown watch
ed her neighbour expectantly. With a
family OF seven sons and daughters
under her own roOftrce 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 snug
home, a tiny income sufficient for her
modest wants. a little shaggy pony and
rusty phaetOn To carry her about the
countryside There was neither man.
woman nor child 10 call upon Belinda
for service. for she was without reia
dives. having outlived them all.
II should think this was just rhe
place for an orphan to be happy in"
suggested Mrs Brown. throwing an
admiring glance around the small do
main whore orchard aud garden were
green aud thrifty In spring bloom
i've got orphans enough as II is"
snapped Belinda shortly.
Mrs. Brown smiled as she saw the
fatherless and motherless strays which
the lonely woman had gathered abOur
bel. here was lame duck which
Belinda had rescued after a hunter had
brought 1t down with giancing shot
a carrier pigeon which had dropped
exhausted on her doorstep: a mongre
dog OF many colors which had been
faithfully scrubbed by Miss Belinda
and was now much CLEANER If not hap
pier than IN his soiIed state; there was
also tne collection of homeless cats
Indeed. Miss Belinda's place might
have been another orphanage. so thick
ly was II populated with waits.
81 Would you rather have a boy or a
grip asked Mrs. Brown craftily. But
Miss Belinda was not to be caught
that way.
I'D rather have a cat" she said.
''you ought to be ASHAMED. Belinda
Downs. the way you do talk! II you
could see them poor young ones look
ing SO wistful every time visitor
comes. hoping it's somebody to offer
"a home. you'd harness up Dolly this
very instant and go and fetch one
away" ff
Might rs we'll bring two while l
was about It," remarked Miss Belinda
Ironically. i've heard 1t said that
it's cheaper for two 10 i've than one.
Amt you heard tbatr
mo. indeed ir that's the case, nine
people ought to live for nothing. and
4 hnOW wv uOu uO tudt. MtS. DTOWu
jerkpd on her sunbOnnet, shrugged her
fat shoulders and without another
word waddled down the path that led
10 the gate between the two places.
Take an orphan. indeedv' shifted
Belinda for the hundredth time since
the Riverview home had been erected.
"Humph" she calculated, also for the
time.
Nevertheless. as soon as dinner was
over Belinda did harness up shaggy
little Dolly, and. climbing into the
phaeton and holding the lines very
high In her mitted hands. she drove
the pine woods down to the
Riverview home.
I'D like To look at some orphans
said Belinda TO the matron when she
was seated in the darkened parlor Of
the home. What kind have your"
she added. just IA II orphans were
vegetables or fruit In the market.
Mrs. Hill smiled in spite OF the sum
mer heat that nearly overpowered her
bulk of flesh. I'VE nave all kinds. even
II we haven't got all colors." she said
Thereupon there ensued period of