Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-10-15
Mr. Austin'S Car And Annabel.
By CECILY ALLEN.
Copyrighted, 1907, by Homer Sprague.

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 "Annabel," shouted the superintend- ent of the Clarendon Home For Or phans in his crisp, sharp tone, you take these five children down to MT. Frederick Austin's car-the man with the gray coat-no, behind you, the dull green car! Quick, now; we shan't get started till noon at this rate"
 Annabel marshaled her quintet of ex- cited flag carrying children and pushed them ahead of her toward the big dull green touring car.
 'Is this MT. Austin's car?" she fn- quired, restraining five wriggling chil- dren who just yearned to spring through the open door.
 The young man who had been loung- ing with one hand on the steering wheel sat up at attention as Annabel's charming voice reached his ear. Every one, from the irrita ble, overworked superintendent to the dull witted help CT in the laundry, loved Annabel's voice. and 1t was not remarkable that this good looking young chap in the gray coat and disfguring goggles should think it the finest music he had ever heard. He sprang to the side walk and swung the children into the car and then extended a helping hand to the slender girl in her simple shirt waist suit of striped chambray, which reminded him of the delft fingered nurse who had taken care of him after his first motoring accident.
 Gee but she is corker! But her hair will look just like gypsy's when we get to going some"
 That was what the young man said to himself. What he said to Annabel was:
 Are you afraid to go fast? I'd like to give these kiddies the run of their life, but if we're going to do that you had best take off your hat and tie on this veil"
 He whipped long gray automobile veil from a convenient hamper.
 "A guest left it in the car night be- 1 fore last It looks quite new. Perhaps ] you would not mind"-
 Not at all," interrupted Annabel, with a smile that he instantly decided matched her voice. Deftly she tucked her hat into the hamper, tied the veil under her chin in bewitching bow ] and leaning back in the big car, smiled | happily at her young charges.
 The young man watched the smile i 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 1 the orphanage official.
 Going to have a fine run, imag- ine,' he said, with most interested infection. The superintendent glanced back in some surprise. This annual 1 trip to Van Orden Beach, given by the big automobile club for the orphans, was not without its thorns for the su- ] perintendent. Most of the owners of machines sent their chauffeurs, who either acted bored and disagreeable or leased the children or flirted with the i young women attendants. At the gen ial greeting in the quiet, cultured voice the superintendent felt almost grate- full.
 ] T hope it will be a good run and 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 a call farther down the line. The young man turned on the power with certain grim lines forming around his mouth, though be- hind the goggles his eyes twinkled. : Away went the long. flashing line of many colored automobiles and their burden of shouting. hurrahing chil- dren in pink and white and blue and white checked gingham.
 Annabel was so grateful that she had graduated to stripes. There had been 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 a popular roadhouse q mile beyond Van Orden's. but Mir. Austin 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 a ride on the mer- ry-go-round. while Mir. Austin himself held the youngest girl on the wild looking ostrich she had chosen as her Steed. And Annabel watched them from the unsightly green benches. her eyes dancing with sympathetic pleas ure. and g score of fascinating brown tendriIls escaping from beneath the soft gray veil. Annabel felt a bit guilty about that veil. She could have taken 1t or and resumed her hat di- rectly they reached the beach. but those yards and yards of filmy chiffon felt so soft and aristOcratic to her fas- tidlOus touch.
 After the merry -gO-round ride came trip through the old mill. and then there were bags of peanuts to feed the monkeys. a fOTIorn group in a more foTlorn cage. Each kiddie had a ride fin the donkey carts. too. and a sack of salt water taffy. At noon lunch was served to the orphans by a caterer provided by the club. and after the