+Thank You For Visiting

Texas Bob's World

 

Listen with Windows Media Player Plug-in

.......................................................................................................

 

THE NEXT GENERATION

(SEQUEL TO PINEY WOODS OF EAST TEXAS)

 

BY LOREN MOORE & CLARA WERSTERFER



WHEN THE AUTOMOBILE STOPPED IN FRONT OF THE RANCH HOUSE, LOREN HELPED CLARA OUT. CLARA PUT HER HANDS UNDER HER BIG BELLY AND STARTED WADDLING TOWARD THE RANCH HOUSE. JUST THEN THE FRONT DOOR OPENED AND MAE CAME WADDLING DOWN TO MEET CLARA. MAE WAS HOLDING HER HANDS UNDER -HER BIG BELLY.


THEY BOTH STOPPED, LOOKING AT EACH OTHER, THEN RAISED A FINGER POINTING
AT EACH OTHER AND SAID IN UNISON "YOU DIDN'T TELL ME ABOUT THE BABY!"


THEY FELL INTO EACH OTHERS ARMS LAUGHING AND CRYING AT THE SAME TIME.


LOREN WRITES;


IT WAS JANUARY FIRST,1900,AND CLARA AND LOREN WERE SITTING IN FRONT OF THE   FIREPLACE IN THEIR BEDROOM IN THE OLD RANCH HOUSE. CLARA HAD BEEN TELLING LOREN HOW GLAD SHE WAS THAT RAMON HAD HIRED MARIA AND HER 16 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER TO COOK AND KEEP HOUSE FOR MAE WHILE SHE WAS CARRYING THE BABY. CLARA TOLD LOREN THAT MARIA WAS A MID-WIFE ALSO.


LOREN JUST NODDED HIS HEAD AS HE SAT THERE STARING INTO THE FLAMES. CLARA ASKED HIM WHAT HE WAS THINKING ABOUT AND LOREN TOLD HER HE WAS
REMEMBERING ALL THE THINGS THAT HAD HAPPENED THAT HAD BROUGHT HIM TO
THIS POINT IN HIS LIFE. THEN HE WENT ON TO TELL HER WHAT HE HAD BEEN THINKING.


THE DAY I RODE INTO THE TOWN OF GALVESTON AND GOT IN THAT POKER GAME AND WON THE OCEAN GOING SHIP AND ITS CARGO WAS THE START OF THIS DREAM. I
HAD ALWAYS WANTED TO OWN A RANCH. LOREN WENT ON BY TELLING HER HE HAD
MADE THE RUN FROM GALVESTON TO NEW ORLEANS FOR TWO YEARS AND THEN ABOUT
SELLING THE SHIP.


WHEN LOREN LEFT GALVESTON WITH A POCKET FULL OF MONEY, HE STARTED
LOOKING FOR LAND TO BUY TO MAKE HIS RANCH. HE WENT TO SAN ANTONIO,,
BUT LAND WAS TOO EXPENSIVE NEAR TOWN, SO HE CONTINUED WEST. ALL HE FOUND AT FIRST WAS AN INDIAN FIGHT AND THIS WAS WHEN HE MET MAE.


LOREN FINALLY FOUND THIS 12,000 ACRES ON BIG SANDY CREEK AND BOUGHT IT. WHEN HE WENT BACK TO SAN ANTONIO TO GET A TITLE TO HIS LAND, HE HAD BOUGHT TWO BIG WAGONS, 100 HEAD OF CATTLE AND SOME HORSES. HE HAD ALSO HIRED SOME HANDS FOR THE RANCH. ON THE WAY BACK TO HIS LAND, LOREN HIRED MAE.


THE FIRST THING LOREN DID WAS TO BUILD THIS RANCH HOUSE. HE WANTED IT BIG, STRONG AND BUILT TO LAST. THEN LOREN HIRED CLARA TO MAKE THE HOUSE INTO A HOME AND MAE AND CLARA BECAME GOOD FRIENDS. AFTER A PERIOD OF TIME LOREN TOOK HIS FOREMAN JUAN TO FORT WORTH TO SET UP MOORE'S CATTLE COMPANY. THAT'S WHEN LOREN MADE RAMON FOREMAN OF THE
RANCH. ON IMPULSE LOREN HAD ASKED CLARA IF SHE WANTED TO GO TO FORT WORTH WITH HIM AND JUAN AND SHE ACCEPTED.


AFTER HE FINISHED HIS BUSINESS IN FORT WORTH, LOREN DECIDED TO GO TO NEW
ORLEANS BEFORE GOING BACK TO THE RANCH. HE TOOK CLARA WITH HIM. BY THIS TIME LOREN KNEW HE WANTED TO MARRY CLARA AND THAT'S WHEN HE COOKED UP THE SCHEME OF GOING FOR A SIX WEEK CRUISE ON THE DELTA QUEEN. OF COURSE THAT'S WHERE LOREN AND CLARA MET THAT LITTLE FIREBALL DORIS.


DORIS TALKED THEM INTO GOING TO NEW YORK CITY WITH HER WHEN THEY GOT OFF
THE DELTA QUEEN.


LOREN HAD BOUGHT A HOTEL, TWO SALOONS AND A BANK BY THEN. PLUS HE OWNED STOCK IN THE RAILROAD AND ELECTRIC COMPANY THAT SERVED SAN ANTONIO. NOT TO MENTION THE CATTLE COMPANY HE HAD JUST SET UP IN FORT WORTH. SO HE COULD AFFORD ALL THIS RUNNING AROUND.


LOREN AND CLARA FINALLY DECIDED IT WAS TIME TO COME HOME TO THE RANCH. THEY CAUGHT A TRAIN GOING FROM NEW YORK SOUTH TO SAVANNAH, GEORGIA. BUT WHEN THEY GOT THERE THEY SPENT SOME TIME IN SAVANNAH SIGHT SEEING BEFORE BOARDING A WEST BOUND TRAIN FOR FORT WORTH.


LOREN'S BANK MANAGER HAD ADVISED HIM TO FIND SOMETHING TO INVEST SOME OF HIS CASH IN, BECAUSE IT WAS JUST SITTING IN HIS BANK NOT EARNING HIM ANYTHING. AS THE TRAIN HE AND CLARA WERE ON WAS PASSING THROUGH THE PINEY WOODS OF EAST TEXAS, LOREN GOT THE IDEA OF BUYING LAND WITH PINE TREES ON IT FOR AN INVESTMENT. SO CLARA AND LOREN STOPPED AT THE TOWN OF LONGVIEW IN EAST TEXAS AND SET UP MOORE'S HOLDING COMPANY. HE BOUGHT 80,000 ACRES OF LAND THAT HAD PINE TREES ON IT AND HE LEASED 40,000 ACRES. TO CUT THE TIMBER. LOREN SET UP MOORE'S HOLDING COMPANY AND THEN HE AND CLARA WERE ON THE TRAIN AGAIN HEADING FOR FORT WORTH.


THEY WOULD HAVE TO CHANGE TRAINS THERE FOR A SOUTH BOUND TRAIN. WHEN LOREN AND CLARA GOT  BACK TO THE RANCH THEY FOUND THAT MAE WAS CARRYING A BABY ALSO. NOW IT WAS CLARA'S TURN TO NOD HER HEAD.


AS THEY SAT THERE ENJOYING THE FIRE AND EACH OTHERS COMPANY, THEY WERE NOT TALKING MUCH. THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN CLARA TOLD LOREN TO GET MARIA QUICKLY AND GRABBED HER BELLY. LOREN JUMPED UP,     OVERTURNING HIS CHAIR, AND RAN OUT INTO THE HALL HOLLERING "MARIA."


MARIA WAS THERE QUICKLY, TOOK ONE LOOK AT CLARA AND TOLD LOREN TO GO DOWN TO THE BARN AND FEED HIS HORSE. "I DON'T FEED HORSES. I HAVE HANDS TO DO THAT," LOREN TOLD HER. "OK, BUT YOU GO TO THE BARN AND STAY THERE UNTIL I SEND SOMEONE FOR YOU," MARIA SAID AS SHE PUSHED HIM OUT OF THE BEDROOM AND CLOSED THE DOOR BEHIND HIM.


LOREN STARTED TO GO BACK INTO THE BEDROOM, BUT DECIDED TO GO TO THE BARN
INSTEAD. HE WENT TO THE FRONT DOOR AND TOOK HIS HEAVY COAT OFF THE WOODEN PEG AND WALKED DOWN TO THE BARN. LOREN OPENED THE TWO BIG WOODEN DOORS TO THE CENTRAL RUN WAY DOWN THE CENTER OF THE BARN. BUT INSTEAD OF HORSES THERE WAS A PACKARD AUTOMOBILE IN THE RUNWAY.


LOREN PACED BACK AND FORTH FOR AN HOUR, THEN HE SAW RAMON COMING TO THE BARN. LOREN WENT TO MEET RAMON AND ASKED, "DID MARIA SEND YOU AFTER ME?"


RAMON'S ANSWER WAS, "NO, SHE SENT ME TO JOIN YOU. WE'RE NOT SUPPOSE TO GO BACK TO THE HOUSE UNTIL SOMEONE COMES AFTER US." SO THEY BOTH PACED BACK AND FORTH. FINALLY THEY GOT IN THE PACKARD AND SAT DOWN.


TWO HOURS LATER THEY SAW MARIA'S 16- YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER COME RUNNING FROM
THE HOUSE. LOREN AND RAMON WENT TO MEET HER. "MAMA SAYS YOU CAN COME BACK TO THE HOUSE NOW," AND SHE TURNED AND RAN BACK TO THE HOUSE.


WHEN LOREN WALKED INTO HIS AND CLARA'S BEDROOM, CLARA WAS SITTING UP IN BED AND WAS HOLDING A SMALL BUNDLE IN HER LAP. AS LOREN APPROACHED THE BED, CLARA OPENED THE BUNDLE AND SHOWED LOREN HIS SON. THE FIRST THING LOREN DID WAS TO COUNT HIS TOES AND FINGERS. LOREN LEANED BACK AND SAID, "HE'S RED ALL OVER AND HAS A MOP OF BLACK HAIR. IF I DIDN'T KNOW BETTER I WOULD THINK HE WAS A WILD INDIAN."


CLARA LAUGHED AS SHE ANSWERED, "HE'S NO INDIAN, BUT HE MAY BE WILD GROWING UP ON THIS RANCH. ARE YOU READY TO NAME YOUR SON?"


"CLARA, I'M READY TO TALK ABOUT IT. BUT REMEMBER I SAID THERE WAS NOT GOING TO BE A LOREN JR. IN THIS FAMILY. NOW WHAT ARE YOUR SUGGESTIONS?"


CLARA WRITES;


"I WAS ALL SET ON A NAME FOR A GIRL, BUT IT WAS A BOY LIKE YOU SAID IT WOULD BE. REMEMBER THE TIME WE TALKED AND YOU SAID YOU ALWAYS LIKED YOUR MIDDLE NAME OF EDWARD. WHY DON'T WE JUST TURN YOUR NAME AROUND AND NAME HIM EDWARD LOREN? DO YOU LIKE THAT?"

 

LOREN REPEATED THE NAME EDWARD LOREN MOORE A COUPLE OF TIMES BEFORE HE
AGREED TO IT. "OKAY, THE LITTLE CRITTER HAS A NAME. I WILL GO WRITE IT IN THE
BIBLE RIGHT NOW ALONG WITH THE DATE AND TIME. SHOULD I CHECK ON MAE?" "OH, YES, PLEASE DO," REPLIED CLARA.

 

LOREN WENT TO THE PARLOR, WHERE THE BIBLE WAS KEPT, AND WROTE ALL THE INFORMATION DOWN. RAMON CAME IN JUST AS HE WAS FINISHING AND SAID, "LOREN, IF YOU ARE RECORDING BIRTHS, YOU CAN MAKE IT TWO. MAE JUST DELIVERED HER BABY, TOO. IT'S A BEAUTIFUL LITTLE GIRL. I WAS WISHING FOR ANOTHER RANCH HAND, BUT SHE IS SO PRETTY, GUESS WE'LL KEEP HER.

 

" LOREN LAUGHED AND BEGAN TO WRITE.
THE TWO MEN DECIDED TO HAVE A LITTLE BRANDY TO CELEBRATE. WHEN THEIR DRINKS WERE FINISHED, MARIA CAME IN TO TELL THEM BOTH MOTHERS AND BABIES WERE JUST FINE AND THEY MAY NOW VISIT THEM. LOREN STOPPED BY TO SEE MAE SO HE COULD GIVE CLARA A DESCRIPTION OF MAE'S LITTLE GIRL. SHE WAS INDEED BEAUTIFUL AND NOT ALL RED LIKE EDWARD. AS SOON AS HE ENTERED CLARA'S ROOM, SHE ASKED ABOUT THE BABY AND IF LOREN HAD SENT A RIDER TO TELL HER PARENTS THEY WERE GRANDPARENTS. LOREN HAD FORGOTTEN TO DO THAT AND TOLD CLARA HE WOULD SEND SOMEONE FIRST LIGHT

.
LOREN WRITES:


LOREN TOLD CLARA THAT MAE AND RAMON HAD A LITTLE GIRL AND THEY HAD NAMED
HER MAXINE. THEN LOREN TOLD CLARA HOW PRETTY MAXINE WAS AND THAT HE HAD RECORDED BOTH EDWARD AND MAXINE'S BIRTH IN THE FAMILY BIBLE.


"I'LL SEND PEPE TO TELL YOUR FOLKS THEY ARE GRANDPARENTS. I'M SURE THEY WILL WANT TO SEE THEIR GRANDSON AS SOON AS THEY CAN, AND OF COURSE THEY WILL WANT TO SEE YOU, CLARA."


"THANK YOU LOREN. YES, IT HAS BEEN A LONG TIME SINCE I SAW THEM. THEY DIDN'T EVEN KNOW WE WERE MARRIED, MUCH LESS THAT I WAS GOING TO HAVE A BABY."


"MAXINE IS A PRETTY NAME, BUT I'M AFRAID YOU MEN WILL SHORTEN THAT." AND LITTLE DID SHE KNOW HOW PHILOSOPHIC THAT STATEMENT WAS TO BE.


CLARA WRITES;


IT WAS JANUARY 1,1905, AND PREPARATIONS WERE UNDERWAY FOR A BIRTHDAY PARTY. THERE WERE SIGNS EVERYWHERE SAYING, "HAPPY BIRTHDAY, EDWARD AND MAXINE." TWO BIG CAKES WERE ON THE TABLE AND MAE WAS FILLING THE CUT GLASS PUNCH BOWL WHILE CLARA PUT THE FOOD OUT. CLARA'S PARENTS WERE THERE AND LOREN AND RAMON WERE VISITING WITH THEM IN THE PARLOR.


THE TWO BIRTHDAY HONOREES WERE SITTING IN THE PORCH SWING. THE WEATHER WAS MILD AND SUNNY, BUT A JACKET WAS NEEDED. EDWARD ASKED MAXINE IF SHE SAW THE PILE OF GIFTS ON THE TABLE. MAXINE, A BEAUTIFUL LITTLE DARK HAIRED, BROWN-
EYED CHILD, NODDED. THEN SHE PROCLAIMED SHE WOULD OPEN HERS FIRST.

 

"OH, NO, YOU WON'T," EDWARD TOLD HER. "I GET TO OPEN MINE FIRST, AS I AM TWO HOURS OLDER THAN YOU."


"OH!  THAT DOESN'T MATTER A BIT. YOU KNOW YOU HAVE TO BE POLITE AND YOUR MOTHER ALWAYS SAYS LADIES FIRST," RETORTED MAXINE. "LET'S GO IN THE HOUSE AND ASK WHO GETS TO GO FIRST, MR. SMARTY."

 

INTO THE HOUSE THEY TRUDGED, BOTH YELLING AT THE SAME TIME, "MOM, CAN I OPEN MY PRESENTS FIRST?"


CLARA LEANED DOWN AND PUT AN ARM AROUND EACH ONE OF THE CHILDREN. "WE WILL OPEN THE PRESENTS LIKE ALWAYS. YOU WILL DRAW STRAWS TO SEE WHO GOES FIRST. THEN EACH OF YOU WILL OPEN ONE AND THEN THE OTHER WILL OPEN ONE. IT'S ONLY BEEN A WEEK SINCE CHRISTMAS. YOU CHILDREN ARE GETTING SPOILED. NOW GO IN THE PARLOR AND VISIT WITH YOUR FAMILY."


THE CHILDREN KNEW THAT WAS THE END OF THE ARGUMENT, BUT EDWARD COULDN'T
RESIST PULLING MAXINE'S HAIR AS THEY WALKED, AND MAXINE POKED EDWARD WITH HER ELBOW.


LOREN WRITES:


AS IT HAS A TENDENCY TO DO, TIME MARCHES ON. IN THE SUMMER OF 1910, EDWARD AND MAX WERE NOW 10 YEARS OLD. THEY HAD BOTH BEEN GIVEN THEIR OWN HORSE AND HAD BEEN TAUGHT TO RIDE AND WORK CATTLE.


CLARA HAD BEEN HOME SCHOOLING THE KIDS FOR FOUR YEARS NOW. A LITTLE ANTONIO ROAD MET THE LLANO RIVER AND THE TOWN HAD BEEN NAMED LLANO. LLANO HAD A SCHOOL, SO CLARA DECIDED IT WAS TIME EDWARD AND MAX WENT TO THE SCHOOL. SHE HAD TAUGHT THEM AS FAR AS SHE GOT IN SCHOOL HERSELF.


PEPE WAS ASSIGNED TO DRIVE THEM TO SCHOOL IN THE PACKARD CAR EVERY DAY
AND DRIVE THEM HOME. LOREN WAS BEGINNING TO SEE THAT THERE WAS A
FUTURE IN AUTOMOBILES AND HAD BOUGHT THE PACKARD DEALERSHIP IN SAN ANTONIO.


DURING EDWARD AND MAX'S 14th SUMMER THEY HAD BADGERED THEIR FATHERS INTO
GIVING THEM WINCHESTER 30-30 LEVER- ACTION RIFLES AND COLT SIXSHOOTERS. LOREN AND RAMON TOOK PLEASURE IN TEACHING THE KIDS HOW TO SHOOT.


BY THE TIME THAT EDWARD AND MAX WERE 16 YEARS OLD, THEY HAD GRADUATED FROM THE SCHOOL IN LLANO. THEY SPENT THE NEXT YEAR RUNNING AROUND THE RANCH HAVING A GOOD TIME. THEY WERE LIKE BROTHER AND SISTER, WHAT ONE WANTED TO DO THE OTHER WAS ALWAYS READY.


ONE NIGHT AFTER SUPPER EDWARD AND MAX WERE CALLED INTO THE PARLOR FOR A TALK. RAMON, MAE, CLARA AND LOREN WERE WAITING FOR THEM. AS THEY ENTERED THE PARLOR, LOREN TOLD THEM TO SIT DOWN, HE HAD A PROPOSITION FOR THEM.


"KIDS, IT'S TIME FOR YOU TO STOP PLAYING AROUND AND GET ON WITH THE REST OF YOUR LIVES. I'VE DECIDED THAT I WILL PAY YOUR TUITION AND ALL OF YOUR EXPENSES TO GO TO THAT COLLEGE UP IN AUSTIN. THERE'S ONE STIPULATION, THOUGH. THAT STIPULATION IS IF EITHER ONE OF YOU GETS A FAILING GRADE, THE DEAL IS OFF FOR BOTH OF YOU. WELL, WHAT DO YOU SAY?"


EDWARD LOOKED AT MAX AND MAX LOOKED AT EDWARD. THEN EDWARD SAID, "FATHER, CAN WE GIVE YOU OUR ANSWER TOMORROW NIGHT?"


WELL THAT WASN'T WHAT LOREN WAS EXPECTING, BUT HE TOLD THEM THAT WOULD BE FINE. THE NEXT NIGHT AFTER SUPPER THE FAMILY AGAIN GATHERED IN THE PARLOR TO HEAR WHAT EDWARD AND MAX'S DECISION WOULD BE.


"FATHER, MAX AND I HAVE DECIDED TO ACCEPT YOUR KIND OFFER WITH ONE STIPULATION."

 

 LOREN LOOKED AT RAMON WITH A SHOCKED EXPRESSION ON HIS FACE. HERE HE WAS OFFERING SOMETHING WORTH HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS AND HIS SON WAS NOT GOING TO TAKE IT WITHOUT A STIPULATION. "FATHER, THAT STIPULATION IS THAT YOU BUY US A CAR TO GO BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN THE
RANCH AND THE COLLEGE. AFTER ALL, WE WILL WANT TO COME HOME TO SEE Y'ALL ONCE IN A WHILE."


LOREN JUMPED UP OUT OF HIS CHAIR, STUCK OUT HIS HAND AND SAID, "DONE!"


CLARA WRITES;


THE FIRST YEAR IN COLLEGE FOR EDWARD AND MAX PROVED TO BE A LONELY TIME FOR LOREN, CLARA, MAE AND RAMON, EVEN THOUGH THEY HAD EACH OTHER,  THEY MISSED THE ANTICS OF THE KIDS, THE SLAMMING OF DOORS, LAUGHTER AT LITTLE THINGS, AND MOST OF ALL, THE CONSTANT ARGUING BETWEEN THEMSELVES. EDWARD ALWAYS PLAYED THE BIG BROTHER AND TRIED TO BOSS MAX AROUND. MAX REBELLED AND YELLED BACK.

 

EDWARD AND MAX WERE HAVING A GREAT TIME AT SCHOOL. THEY COULD HAVE BEEN IN ANY CLUB, FRATERNITY OR SORORITY THEY CHOSE, BUT NEITHER WAS A JOINER. NOT THAT THEY WEREN'T SOCIAL, THEY JUST DIDN'T CARE TO JOIN WITH A GROUP OF THEIR PEERS.


WHEN IT CAME TO PARTIES OR DANCES, BOTH HAD MORE INVITATIONS THAN ANYONE
ELSE ON CAMPUS. THEY TRIED TO GO TO ALL OF THEM, TOO. THEIR GRADES WERE GOOD AND LOREN FELT IT WAS MONEY WELL SPENT.


THE WHOLE FAMILY WAS EXCITED THAT THEY WOULD BE HOME FOR CHRISTMAS AND
REMAIN UNTIL AFTER THEIR BIRTHDAYS. NOW LOREN HAD THE PROBLEM OF WHAT TO GIVE HIS SON AND GODDAUGHTER FOR THEIR BIRTHDAYS. HE HAD GIVEN THEM SO MANY THINGS, BUT SINCE IT WAS THEIR EIGHTEENTH YEAR, HE WANTED IT TO
BE SPECIAL.


LOREN WRITES:


LOREN AND RAMON LEFT THE BUYING OF CHRISTMAS PRESENTS FOR THE YOUNG PEOPLE TO CLARA AND MAE. MARIA HAD COOKED A BIG TURKEY THAT EDWARD HAD KILLED HERE ON THE RANCH FOR THEIR CHRISTMAS DAY DINNER.


THE WEEK BETWEEN CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEARS HAD BEEN ONE OF FAMILY FUN. EDWARD AND MAX SEEMED TO HAVE LET THEIR SIBLING RIVALRY GO FOR THE TIME BEING.


AFTER SUPPER ON THE EVENING OF JANUARY 1,1918, THE DAY THE KIDS WERE 18 YEARS OLD, LOREN CALLED THE FAMILY INTO THE PARLOR. WHEN EVERY ONE WAS SETTLED, HE SAID, "EDWARD AND MAX, I HAVE A BIRTHDAY PRESENT FOR YOU." AND HE HANDED EDWARD AN ENVELOPE.


MAX LEANED CLOSE TO EDWARD SO SHE COULD SEE THE PIECE OF PAPER HE TOOK OUT OF THE ENVELOPE. IT WAS A DEED MADE OUT TO BOTH OF THEM FOR 80,000 ACRES OF LAND IN THE PINEY WOODS OF EAST TEXAS.


"WHEN YOU TWO GET OUT OF COLLEGE, YOU CAN MOVE UP THERE AND MAKE YOUR LIVING OFF THAT LAND," LOREN TOLD THEM.


SO EDWARD AND MAX WENT BACK TO COLLEGE, AND EDWARD MAJORED IN INDUSTRIAL
ENGINEERING WHILE MAX MAJORED IN FORESTRY. THEY LOVED EACH OTHER LIKE
BROTHER AND SISTER AND ALWAYS WOULD.


CLARA WRITES;


ONE OF LOREN'S COWS HAD GIVEN BIRTH TO TWIN BULL CALVES. LOREN ASKED CLARA TO WALK TO THE BARN WITH HIM TO SEE THEM. ON THE WAY THERE LOREN REACHED OUT AND TOOK CLARA'S HAND. "MRS. MOORE, DID YOU REMEMBER THAT NEXT WEEK IS OUR SILVER WEDDING DATE? WE HAVE HAD TWENTY-FIVE YEARS TOGETHER. BEEN A PRETTY GOOD LIFE WE HAVE HAD. HOPE YOU HAVEN'T WANTED FOR ANYTHING I COULD HAVE PROVIDED. I CERTAINLY HAVE ENJOYED THE YEARS WE HAVE BEEN BLESSED TO SHARE. WHAT I AM WORKING UP TO IS THIS. DO YOU WANT TO TAKE A TRIP TO EUROPE? MAYBE SEE ROME, PARIS, ATHENS AND ALL THOSE OTHER
PLACES WE ONLY GET TO READ ABOUT. OR DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING ELSE IN MIND YOU WOULD ENJOY DOING?"


THEY HAD ARRIVED AT THE BARN. CLARA REACHED UP AND KISSED LOREN. SMILING, SHE SAID, "LET'S TALK MORE ABOUT THIS WHEN WE GET BACK TO THE HOUSE."  CLARA OOH'ED AND AAH'ED OVER THE CALVES, SAYING HOW THE COLORING WAS SO IDENTICAL IT WOULD BE HARD TO TELL THEM APART. AS THEY WALKED BACK UP THE ROAD TO THE HOUSE, CLARA ASKED LOREN IF HE REALLY WANTED TO TAKE A BIG TRIP LIKE THIS OR IF HE WAS JUST TRYING TO PLEASE HER.


THEN SHE SAID, "WHY DON'T WE GO BACK TO NEW YORK FOR OUR ANNIVERSARY?  WE CAN STAY IN DORIS' PENTHOUSE AS WE HAVE DONE BEFORE."  LOREN DECIDED THAT SOUNDED LIKE A GOOD IDEA. WHEN THEY HAD MET DORIS ON THEIR HONEYMOON AND SPENT TIME IN NEW YORK THEY HAD LOVED IT.


AFTER RETURNING HOME, CLARA AND DORIS STAYED IN TOUCH BY MAIL AND PHONE UNTIL DORIS PASSED TEN YEARS LATER. DORIS HAD NO FAMILY AND LEFT THE PENTHOUSE TO THE MOORE'S. LOREN AND CLARA HAD GONE THERE AND STAYED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS OVER THE YEARS. THEY HAD A DELIGHTFUL TWO WEEKS THERE AND LOREN GAVE CLARA A
BEAUTIFUL RUBY AND DIAMOND RING IN WHITE GOLD SO THAT IT LOOKED LIKE SILVER
FOR THE TWENTY-FIFTH ANNIVERSARY. CLARA GAVE LOREN A NEW HAT WITH A SILVER BAND ON IT. THEY ENJOYED THE SECOND HONEYMOON IN NEW YORK AND MARVELED AT THE CHANGES OVER THE YEARS.
 

LOREN WRITES:


THE YEAR WAS 1925, AND EDWARD AND MAX HAD MOVED TO LONGVIEW. EDWARD HAD TAKEN CONTROL OF "MOORE'S HOLDING COMPANY," BUT HAD RETAINED MR. GRIFFIN AS HIS ATTORNEY. MAX WAS NOW PUTTING HER KNOWLEDGE IN FORESTRY TO GOOD USE.


SHE WOULD RIDE OUT ON HER HORSE EACH DAY AND MARK TREES FOR PAT BOGAN TO
CUT DOWN. FOR EACH TREE HE CUT DOWN SHE HAD HIM PLANT A SEEDLING PINE TREE TO REPLACE IT. THERE WOULD BE NO MORE OF THAT CLEAR CUTTING LIKE HAD BEEN DONE ON THE LEASED 40,000 ACRES.


BY 1927, EDWARD AND MAX HAD BOTH BUILT HOMES IN LONGVIEW. EDWARD HAD BOUGHT A BUICK CAR, AND HE AND MAX WOULD TAKE DRIVES OVER THE WEEKEND TO SEE MORE OF THIS EAST TEXAS.


ONE WEEKEND THEY WENT EAST ON HIGHWAY 80 AND THAT'S WHEN THEY CAME TO THE LITTLE TOWN OF WASKOM AND SAW THE SIGN THAT SAID "CADDO LAKE.". EDWARD AND MAX FOLLOWED THE DIRT ROAD FOR WHAT SEEMED FOREVER, UNTIL THEY CAME TO THE BANKS OF A BEAUTIFUL LAKE. THERE WERE LOTS OF CYPRESS TREES AND LILLY PADS IN THE DARK-COLORED WATER.


EDWARD AND MAX BOTH FELL IN LOVE WITH THE LAKE JUST AS SOON AS THEY SAW IT. "OH, EDWARD, WE MUST BUY SOME LAND ON THIS CADDO AND BUILD A BIG HOUSE ON IT."


CLARA WRITES;


"MAX, DID YOU SAY A BIG HOUSE AND NOT TWO BIG HOUSES? WHAT DO YOU THINK PEOPLE WILL SAY ABOUT US LIVING IN ONE HOUSE? OR DID YOU MEAN WE SHOULD EACH BUILD A HOUSE?"


"OH! POO! EDWARD. IT WAS A SLIP OF THE TONGUE. WE HAVE PRACTICALLY LIVED TOGETHER ALL OUR 27 YEARS. LET PEOPLE SAY WHAT THEY WILL ABOUT US. THIS IS
MODERN TIMES AND I DON'T CARE WHAT THEY THINK!" "WELL, MISS GARCIA, YOU CAN SAY WHAT YOU WILL, BUT IT MAY SIT BETTER
WITH OUR PARENTS IF WE GOT MARRIED FIRST. YOU KNOW WHAT MY FATHER
WOULD HAVE TO SAY ABOUT US LIVING IN SIN, AND YOUR MOTHER WOULD SKIN US ALIVE IF WE DID SOMETHING LIKE THAT. I HAVE NOT FOUND ANYONE ELSE I CARED FOR
THE WAY I CARE ABOUT YOU. WHEN YOU AREN'T WITH ME, I FEEL LIKE SOMETHING IS
MISSING. IT'S UP TO YOU, DO WE GET MARRIED OR BUILD TWO HOUSES?"


LOREN WRITES:


BY 1932 MAXINE AND EDWARD  HAD BOUGHT 24 ACRES OF LAND ON THE SOUTH SHORE OF CADDO LAKE AND BUILT A TWO-STORY HOUSE WITH FOUR UPSTAIRS BEDROOM SUITES AND A BIG SCREENED-IN FRONT PORCH FACING THE LAKE.


THEY HAD MARRIED AND HAD A SON WHICH MAXINE NAMED "LOREN." MAXINE WAS
CONTENT TO SPEND HER TIME AT HOME WITH HER SON. THEY WOULD SIT OUT ON THE PORCH AND WATCH THE LAKE AND ALL THE BIRD LIFE IN THE AREA.


LITTLE LOREN WAS THREE YEARS OLD NOW.  HE WOULD STAND ON THE PORCH FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME LOOKING AT THE CYPRESS TREES AND DARK WATERS OF CADDO LAKE. IT WAS PLAIN TO SEE THAT THIS LAKE WAS GOING TO BE SOMETHING SPECIAL TO HIM IN HIS LIFE TIME.


OIL HAD BEEN DISCOVERED AT KILGORE ON THE WEST SIDE OF MAXINE AND EDWARD'S LAND. EDWARD BOUGHT THREE DRILLING RIGS AND HAD DRILLED NINE HOLES ON THEIR LAND AND ALL NINE HIT OIL.

 THIS FINISHES THE SAGA OF ONE MAN'S FAMILY IN EARLY TEXAS.

THE END

  BY LOREN MOORE

COPYRIGHT 2005

...................................................................................................................

Epilogue

Loren and Clara lived  to a ripe old
age and saw many wondrous new things.
They enjoyed good health and made many
trips together, including several stays at
the penthouse in New York.  They both
loved flying as well as ocean voyages.
Loren passed in his sleep in 1953 at age
91 and Clara lived until 1958 at age 89.
They were  buried on the ranch, along
with Mae and Ramon.

 

Tune: . . . WABASH CANNONBALL

LOREN

 SEE YA

 

LIKE TO JOIN OUR FREE MAILING LIST?, CLICK ON THE HEART BELOW

 

.

I would love to hear your comments on the pages we prepare  and recommend, we enjoy doing it for your pleasure, our pleasure is receiving your comments.

Page design By: Texas Bob

Visitors to the site since 7-12-03

free web counter