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

faced damssl Of 6ve ysars. with scft
mop Of golden brown hair and pair
II eyes like brown velvet pansies msh-
ed thickiy with black. Belinda's heart
was humping rapidly while she inter
viewed the little girl for the last mo
ment before giving her decision. The
child was shy and gave timid. breath
less little whispering answers. and Be-
linda loved her the more.
Her name 10 Bessie Carson. Her
mother died In the city hospital last
March, and their records say that the
child's father IL dead. You can keep
her for awhile. and II you are satisfied
you can take out full papers Of adop-
ton II you wish to. Miss Brown"
II guess I'll want to do that" SAID
Miss Belinda a. she arose to 60.
when will Bessie b ready r she ask
ed. with a delightful sense OF owner
ship In the dainty morsel Of babyhood
before her.
This afternoon" said Mrs. Hill.
''You won't nnd her much trouble.
she's 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. dearr' asked the matron- bend.
Ing down.
He'll be back In q little WHILE" said
Bessie. running to the window. u
guess better look for him. hadn't II
"Quaint. isn't sher' whispered Mrs.
Hill a. she let Miss Belinda out.
Every nice little girl" said Miss Be
linda. trying to keep the happy spar
kles out Of her eyes. for 1t 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 had to be made up with
all the miniature bedclothing which
she had used 40 a child. There were
old fashioned dolls and other toys to
be resurrected from hair trunks and
brushed and reburnished. and there
was q batch Of delicious ginger cookies
| to be made 20 that she might fashion
4 dozen gingerbread men and elephants
with currant eyes for the DEDICATION
Of little Bessie.
| At last when all was in readiness
and the little girl had been happily
transferred to the phaeton and allowed
to drive the gentle pony homo there
was never such unalloyed bliss ~
shone in the faces of Miss Belinda and
her little orphan. The child loved Mtss
| Belinda and chung to her with a6ec-
tion when she had q chance. and Miss
Belinda was almost ashamed Of the op-
portunities she afforded Bessie for
showing her affection.
1T certainly can't harm anybody TO
enjoy being loved" protested Miss Be-
| linda to her sterner self a. she brush
ed away a tear.
lis you crying. Miss Lindar' asked
Bessie wistfully.
"Just teenty bit. dear. because you
love me so much" smiled Belinda.
bending to kiss her charge.
II smile when you love me-" con-
fided Bessie. 1T makes me feel 30
good here" She placed tiny hand
on her heart. Miss Belinda kissed Der
again.
That happened after Bessie had been
there three months. The adoption
papers had all been made out and
fled and Bessie Carson had become
Bessie Downs when one afternoon the
gate latch clicked sharply. and a tall
man STROBE up the path and looked
strangely down at little Bessie playing
with her dolls at. Miss Beiinda's feet
From her chair on the veranda Miss
Belinda arose with sinking feeling
at her heart. This man was not from
the home. although there wns q
strange familiarity In his tall. lean
figure. his tanned cheeks. with the
arm. beardless Ups and chin. He did
ed back his hat and held out mis-
hands to little Bessie.
"Bess. Darling little Bess. Don't
you know daddy" ne asked hoarseiy
With a startled cry the child looked
at him earnestly and then ran straight
to his arms with the unfailing instinct
Of the child for its parent.
Then the man looked up and saw
Miss Belinda standing. white and
shaking. before him. I'm sorry
ma'am. but IFS my little girl. and
Mercy. Linda Downs. what are you
doing here with my Bessie~
In the long. cool twilight there was
time to relate how James Stearns mad
married the girl be had been engaged
to when Belinda Downs met MIN In
the west 80 many years ago and they
had both fallen In love In spite OF
his previous engagement. but be had
been true to bis promise and married
the girl who had been Bessie's moth.
er; how one Of the devastating foods
Of the west had separated the little