Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1911-07-12

Belinda's"
Orphan
She Brought Happiness 10 . Lone
" Home
BY cLARISSA MACKIE
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation. 1911.

Copyright by American Press Aseo-
citation, 1911

mo, I don't want no orphan" said
Miss Belinda. with q 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 q high flying
youngster that'll scare the chicks and
get stung by the beeA. although they're
warranted sttngless. 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 flnality.
I'm sorry. Belinda. becauss the
home Il Jest about running over with
'em. I 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 II they wasn't 90 mean and
stingy. OF course | 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 II makes my blood bile
to look upon them poor orphans so
crowded for room that Mrs Hill says
they'll have to sleep in rows crosswise
Of the beds pretty soon"
II want to known calculated Be-
linda. with a startled glance at Eme-
line Brown II 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 thereT
Ten" replied Mrs. Brown daily.
~Humph!" snorted Belinda.
In and out of the scarlet wool went
her big wooden knitting needles a. she
rapidly constructed q shawl to comfort
some shivering shoulders when the
summer was over. Mira 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 q handsome. well
preserved spinster Of forty-two. Of In
dependent means, possessing q snug
home. q tiny income SUFFICIENT for her
modest wants. little shaggy pony and
q rusty phaeton to carry her about the
countryside. There was neither man.
woman nor child to call upon Belinda
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 an
admiring glance around the small do
main where orchard and garden were
green and thrifty in spring bloom.
I've got orphans enough as 1t u.s."
snapped Belinda shortly.
Mrs. Brown smiled as she saw the
fatheriess and motherless strays which
the lonely woman had gathered about
her. There was a lame duck which
Belinda had rescued after hunter had
brought it down with glancing shot:
carrier pigeon which had dropped
exhausted on her doorstep: q mopgrel
dog Of many colors which had been
faithfully scrubbed BY Miss Belinda
and was now much cleaner II not hap
pier than In his soiled state: there was
also a One collection of homeless cats.
Indeed. Miss Belinda's place might
have been another orphanage. 80 thick
ly was 1t populated with waits.
Would you rather have a boy or a
grip" asked Mrs. Brown craftily. But
Miss Belinda was not to be caught
that way.
"Pd 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 90 wisttuI every time 4 visitor
comes. hoping it's somebody to offer
a home. you'd harness up Dolly this
very instant and 60 and fetch one
away"
Might a. well bring two while
was about IT," remarked Miss Belinda
ironically. 1--WE heard It said that
it's cheaper for two to i've than one.
Amt you heard thatr'
mo. indeed II that's the case, nine
people ought to 1--we for nothing. and
l know we don't do that" Mr.. Brown
1erked on her sunbonnet. shrugged her
fat shoulders and without another
word waddled down the path that led
to the gate between the two placeA
Take an orphan. fndeed!' shifted
Belinda for the hundredth time since
the Riverview home had been erected
"Humphw she calculated. also for the
hundredrh time.
Nevertheless. a. soon a. 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
through 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 parior Of
the home. what kind have your"
she added. just as II orphans were