The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1908-01-16
Mr.. Austin's Car
And Annabel.
By CECILY ALLEN.


Annabei," shouted the superinteud-
ent Of the Clarendon Home For Or
phans In his crisp, sharp tone. ayou
take these five children down to Mr.
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 nag carrying children and pushed
them ahead Of her toward the big dull
green touring car.
lis this Mr.. Austin's carr" she in.
quired, restraining five wriggling chill
dren who just yearned to spring
through the open door.
The young man who had been loupg-
ing with one hand on the steering
wheel sat up at attention as Annabels
charming voice reached his ear. Every
one, from the irritable. everworked
superintendent to the dull witted help
'er In the laundry, loved Annabel's
Svoice, and 1t was not rema rkable that
sthis good looking young chap in the
igray coat aud disfgurhlg goggles
should think 1t the finest IN usic he had
ever heard. lie sprang to the side
walk and swung the children into tho
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 deft 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 Ann abel
was:
"Are you afraid to 60 fast? I'd like
: to give these kiddies the run of Il ,elr
life. but II we're going to do that 'ou
had best take off your hat and tie on
this VEIL"
He whipped hong gray automoh 10
E. veil from convenient hamper.
"A guest left 1t In the car night b y
: fore last 1t looks quite new. Perhap )
you would not mind
: "Not at ALL" Interrupted Annabel
with a smile that he instantly decided
matched her voice. Deity she tucked
hsr hat into the hamper, tied the veil
under her chin in a bewitching 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 fine run, 1 image
ine," he said, with a most interested
infection. The superintendent glanced.
back In some surprise. This annual
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
tteased the children or flirted with the
young women attendants. At the gen.
iial greeting in the quiet, cultured voice
THE superintendent felt almost CRATE
fnl
~ hope 1t will be a good run and a
| elsasant day. I'm sure 1t is very kind
0 you club members TO take a per-
Sc nal interest In the children"
The yeung man started TO say some
..t d,, b,,f .i,,%r
had to answer call farther down
the hne. The young man turned on
the pogxer, with certain grim lines
formi asg around his mouth, though be-
hind he goggles his eyes twfnkled.
AVA v went the long, flashing line Of
many eStb.ced, automobiles and their
burden of shouting, hurr.hing chH
dren in pink, and white ami blue and
white ch ecksxI gingham. .s5
AnnabeA WAS SO grateful that she
had grad nated to stripes. There had
been time when to her pink or blue
checks We're almost synonymous with
prison stripes; but, after all, she had
decided, things might have been much
worse with her,
At the beach the children tuInbled
out Of the cars and made Wild rushes
for the surf. Most of the chauffeurs
or car owners hurried back to Sown or
ran into a popular roadhouse q mile
;beyond Van Orden's, but Mr.. Austin
lhad evidently started out to give his
carload of orphans the, tune If their
Hives. He did not squaRdee ns2pey, but
each of the FIVE had ride on the mer-
ry4go-round, while Mr.. Austin himself
sesd the youngest girl olh the wild
!, ,Oktng ostrich she had choseI, az her
Of eed And Annabel watched them
fr, m the nnsightly green benctes. her
ave 9 dancing with sympathetic pleas
VIC and a score of fascinating brown
fond Hlls eseapheg from beneath the
.oft gray VEN. .Annabel fell a bit
r,,,,+v about that veil. She cop!d have
taten y off and resumed her hat di-
rnct,v eey reached the beach. but
those va as and yards Of filmy chiffon
f.,t on 90, Il and aristocratic to her fas-
tidious tol sch
I After the In CITY -BopOeAe NAN~
trip ugh the old mill, and then
there were bag of peanuts to feed the
monkevs. for lorn group In more
forlorn cage. "A ach kiddie had rae
IN the donkey caa It's. too, and sack OF
salt water tafry. At noon lunch was
served to the crphans by caterer
provided by the club. and after the
children were eas.ed Aanabel found
she watchful Mr.. Austin at her elbow.
~won't you come over to the oeei.
dental with me? I think you'll md
tho cooking rather better than this"
Annabel walked away with him as
IN a daze. The Occidental! Why, that
v.s where Mrs. Ashton, one OF the
richest patrons of The home, Always
spent her summers. 1t must be very
smart place. And What If she, ths
.vmble assistant go,trness from the