The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1911-07-26
Belinda's
Orphan
She Brought Happiness to a Lone
ly Home

By cLARIssA r1AcKIE
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation, 1911.

ser head. I've got my hands fuli
now with chickens and young turkeys
coming on and bees and currant bushes
without bothering with high lying
voungster thaf'll scare the chicks and
get stung by the bees. although they're
warranted sttagless. mind you. and to
trample on my berry bushes. NO,
ma'am-no orphans for meT' This time
Miss Belinda's lips clicked together
with little sound Of inaity.
,Tm sorry. Belinda. because the
home is jest about running over with
'em. was telling the malron TINS
morning that knew there were plenty
Of folks In Little River who could give
good home to some Of those young.
sters If they wasn't 50 mean and
sfinqy. OF course 1 don't mean you
added the local member Of the visiting
committee OF the Riveryew Orphans
home. But sometimes when 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 to sleep In rows crosswise
of the beds pretty soon.@
Il want to knowF' CALCULATED Be-
linda. with a startled glance at Eme-
line Brown. Il think you better stick
10 the truth. Emeline. and not exag-
gerate. Now, honest and true, how
many orphans too many have they got
up thereg'
.Ten.v replied Mrs. Brown fatty.
"Humph!' snorted Belinda.
In and out of the scarlet wool went
her big wooden knitting needles as she
rnpidy constructed shawl to comfort
some shivering shoulders when the
summer was over. Mrs. Brown watch
ed her neighbor expectantly. With
family of seven sons and daughters
under her own rooftree she was safe
iii The condemnation Of the uncrowded
homes Of Little River Here s-as Be
linda Downs. now a handsome. well
preserved spinstcr Of forty-two. Of I'M
dependent means, possessing q snug
home. a tiny income sufficient for her
modest wants. little shaggy pony and
rusty phaeton 10 carry her about the
countryside. There was neither man,
woman nor child 10 call upon Belinda
for service. for she was without rela
riyes. having outlived them all.
Il should think this was just the
place for, an orphan to be happy in"
suggested Mrs. Brown. throwing an
admirlng glance around the small do
main where orchard and garden were
green and thrifty in spring bloom
i've got orphans enough as 1t is"
snapped Belinda shortly.
Mrs. Brown smiled as she saw the
fatheriess and motherless strays which
the lonely woman had gathered about
her. There was lame duck which
Belinda had rescued after hunter had
brought II down With glancing shot;
a carrier pigeon which had dropped
exhausted on her doorstep; mongrel
dog Of many colors which had been
faithfully scrubbed by Miss Belinda
and was now much cleaner If not hap
pier than IN bis soiled state; there was
also fine collection of homeless cats.
Indeed. Miss BeIInda's place might
have been another orphanage. so thick
~ was il populated with waits
Would you rather have a boy or q
grip? asked Mrs. Brown craftily But
Miss Belinda was not TO ne cllrhi
that way.
I'D rather have 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 30 wistful every time a visitor
comes. hoping its somebody to Offer
nome. you'd harness up Dolly this
very instant and go and fetch ono
away"
might as well bring two while
was about it" remarked Miss Bellnds
zronicalIy i've heard it said tha
it's cheaper for two to live than one
Amt you heard fhatT
"No. indeed If that's the case. nin'
people ought to live for nothing. an'
/ know we don't do that" Mrs. Brown
5erked on her sunbonnet. shrugged he
fat shoulders and without anothe
word waddled down the path that lel
to the gate between the two places.
take an orphan, indeed" snine'
Belinda for the hundredth time sine
the RiyerView home had been erected
"Humphr' she ejaculated, also for tn
hundre1th time.
Nevertheless. as soon as dinner wa
over Belinda did harness up shagg
little Dolly. and. climbing into th
phaeton and holding the lines YER
high in her mitted hands. she drov
through the pine woods down to tn
Rlrerview home.
I'D like to look at some orphans.
said Belinda to the matrop when SD
was seated IN the darkened parior Z
fhe home. What Kind have youi
she added. just as II orphans wei
vcretnblcs Of fruit In the market
Airn. HIll smiled Ia spite Of the sun
mer heat that nearly overpowercd h'
bulk u flesh "We have all kinds eve
II we haven't got all colors." she sai'
qhereupon there ensued period
irving ordeals for tender hearted b