The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-09-09
The EVENING STORY
Mr.. Austtn,s Car-and Annano
DIV Cecily Allen.l


"Annabei," shouted the superintend-
ent of the Clarendon Home for Or
phans, in his crisp, sharp tones, you
take these hve children down to Mr-
| the gray coat-no. behind you-tne
| dull green car. Quick now; we shan
| get started till noon at this rate"
Annabel marshaled her quintet OF
| excited. f1ag-carrying children anu
pushed them ahead of her toward the
big dull green touring car.
rs this Mr.. AusIinS carr" she IN
CURED, restraining five wriggling Gnu Gnu
dren who just yearned TO spflns
through the open door.
The young man who had peen
lounging with one hand on the steer
ing wheel sat up at attention as Anna
Defs charming voice reached ms go
Every one. from the irrltaoie' oHG Ii
worked superintendent to the ou.,
Witted helper in the laundry, ioNeo -
nabeI's voice, and it was not reHaI n
BILE that this good-looking young CHAP
in the gray coat and dlsngurlns soS
giles should think it the nnesI hAuS1S
ne had ever heard. He Sprang 70 tlto
sidewalk and swung the children INTO
the car and then extended a nelpins
hand to the slender girl in Simple SIill
waist suit of striped champrey, MnIct
| reminded him of the oeII-nns -. %
after his first motoring accident.
"Gee-but she is a corker! BuI heF
hair will look just like gypsy's Wnen
we get to going some.
That was what the young man salo
to himself What he said to Annabei
"Are you afraid to go fast? I'd like
to give these Riddles the run or their
life, but if we're going to do that, you
had best take off your hat and tie on
this veil"
He whipped a long gray automobile
veil from a convenient hamper.
"A guest left it in the car night be-
fore last. 1t looks quite neW-pernaps
Won would not mind
mot at ALL interrupted Annabel,
with a smile that he instantly decided
matched her voice. Deity she tucked
her hat into the hamper, tied the veil
under her chin in a bewitcing bow,
and leaning back in the big car, smiled
happily at her young charges
The young man watched the smile
from behind his goggles, and when the
superintendent of the asylum hurried
up to make sure that these, the last of
his big family, were properly cared for,
the young man fairly beamed on the
orphanage official
"Going to have a fine run, mag
ine'' he said with a most interested In
Election. The superintendent glanced
back in some surprise. This annual
trip to Van Orden bea CHI. given by the
big automobile club for the orphans,
was not without its thorns for the sup
erintendent Most of the owners of
machines sent their chauffeurs, who
either acted bored and disagreeable,
or teased the children or f1irted with
the young women attendants. At the
genial greeting in the quiet, cultured
voice, the superintendent felt almost
grateful.
At hope it will be a good run and a
pleasant day. I'm sure it is very kind
of you club members to take per-
sonal interest in the children
The young man started to say some
thing in reply, but the superintendent
had to answer call further down the
line. The young man turned on the
power, with certain grim lines forming
around his mouth, though behind the
goggles his eyes twinkled
Away went the long, flashing line OF
MANY coIored automobiles and their
burden of shouting, hurrahing children
in pink and white, and blue and white
checked bingham.
Annabel was 80 grateful that she
had graduated to stripes. There had
been a time when, to her, pink or blue
checks were almost synonymous with
prison stripes, but after all, she had
decided, things might have been much
worse with her.
At the beach the children tumbled
out of the cars and made wild rushes
for the surf. Most of the chauffeurs
or car owners hurried back to town
or ran into popular road mousse a
mile beyond Van Orden's, but Mr.. Aus
lin had evidently started out to give
his carload of orphans the time of
their lives. He did not squander
money, but each of the five had ride
on the merry-go-round, while Mr..
Austin himself held the youngest girl
on the Withholding ostrich she had
chosen as her steed. And Annabel
watched them from the unsightly
green benches, her eyes dancing with
sympathetic pleasure an a score of
fascinating brown tendrils escaping
from beneath the soft gray veil. An
mabel felt bit guilty about that veil.
She could have taken it off and re-
snmed her hat, directly they reached
the beach, but those yards and yards
of filnly chiffon felt SO soft and aris-
tocratic to her fastidious touch.
After the merry-go-round ride, came
a trip through the Old Mill. and then
there were bags of peanuts to feed the
monkeys, a for1orn group in a more
forlorn cage. Each kiddie had a ride
in the darkness, too, and sack of salt
water taffy. At noon, lunch was
served to the orphans by a caterer
provided by the club, and after the
children were seated, Annabel found
the watchful Mr.. Austin at her elbow.
won't you come over to the Occi-
dental with me? 1 think you'll find
the cooking rather better than this"
Annabel walked away with him as
in a daze. The Occidental! Why, that
was where Mrs. Ashton, one of the
richest patrons of the home always
snent her summers. 1t must be a very
smart place. And what If she, the
humble assistant governess from the
home should meet its rich patron face
10 face? Well, she would take the
chance. And soon she forgot her fear
in listening to the order for lunch. He
seemed to know just the things she
had always wanted to taste. And how
polite the walters were! Annabel
touched her hair anxiously as the
MANY young women with carefully
MARCHED coiffures passed her table,
little dreaming she, how they envied
her the saucy tendrils of hair around
1,ar -ain11aDt faPa