Storytime Tapestry Newsletter

The newsletter devoted to spreading love and cultural awareness throughout the world.

March 18, 2006

? 

SAVANNAH, GEORGIA
(SEQUEL TO NEW YORK)

BY LOREN MOORE & CLARA WERSTERFER

THEY SPENT THE WEEK GOING TO MUSEUMS, THE OPERA AND A PLAY. ONE DAY WAS FOR PURCHASING GIFTS TO TAKE HOME. A CAMEO FOR MAE, A FANCY SILK SHIRT FOR RAMON, GIFTS FOR CLARA'S PARENTS AND LOREN EVEN BOUGHT A FEW SMALL THINGS FOR THE "HANDS".
ANOTHER DAY THEY WALKED AGAIN, GAWKING AT THE NEW, TALL BUILDINGS BEING ERECTED AND THE STREET PEOPLE IN NEW YORK
CITY. SATURDAY NIGHT AT DINNER IN THE PENTHOUSE, CLARA LEANED ACROSS THE TABLE TAKING HER HUSBAND'S HAND. "LOREN, DO YOU REALIZE WE HAVE BEEN GONE FROM THE RANCH FOR
OVER THREE MONTHS? SHALL WE GO HOME NOW?"
LOREN GRINNED. "BET I CAN PACK FASTER THAN YOU CAN."
LOREN WRITES;

LOREN AND CLARA CAUGHT A TRAIN AT GRAND CENTRAL STATION GOING SOUTH OUT OF NEW YORK. THEY HAD A COMPARTMENT IN ONE OF THE NEW PULLMAN CARS. DURING THE DAY THE CAR HAD COMFORTABLE SEATS AND AT NIGHT A PORTER WOULD COME IN AND MAKE THE SEATS INTO A BED.

LOREN AND CLARA TOOK THEIR MEALS IN THE DINNING CAR AS THE TRAIN ROLLED ALONG. THE MEALS WERE AS FINE AS SOME OF THE MEALS THEY HAD EATEN WHEN THEY WERE IN NEW YORK.

AFTER FOUR DAYS THE TRAIN ROLLED INTO SAVANNAH, GEORGIA AND LOREN AND CLARA HAD TO TRANSFER TO A WEST BOUND TRAIN. BUT THEY HAD MISSED THE LAST WEST BOUND TRAIN BY ONE DAY AND IT WOULD BE ANOTHER WEEK BEFORE THE NEXT ONE.

"WELL CLARA, WE MIGHT AS WELL FIND US SOME PLACE TO STAY. YOU KNOW WHILE WE'RE HERE I'D LIKE TO SEE SOME OF SAVANNAH. IT HAS A LOT OF HISTORY THAT GOES BACK FOR OVER 100 YEARS. I THINK THERE IS A LOT OF THINGS YOU WOULD BE INTERESTED IN ALSO."

CLARA WRITES;

"LOREN MOORE, I BELIEVE YOU PLANNED THINGS THIS WAY, SO WE WOULD HAVE THIS LONG LAYOVER. YOU SEEM TO KNOW A LOT ABOUT SAVANNAH. WHY DIDN'T YOU JUST SAY YOU WEREN'T READY TO GO HOME YET? ARE YOU AFRAID WE WON'T HAVE ANOTHER HONEYMOON?" SMILED CLARA.

"NOW, NOW CLARA. DON'T GO THINKING THE WORST OF ME YET. WE HAVE
MANY YEARS AHEAD FOR YOU TO DO THAT. LET'S FIND US A GOOD HOTEL AND SOME FOOD AND GO TO BED. WE NEED TO FIND A CARRIAGE AND SEE WHAT THE DRIVER HAS TO SAY" REPLIED LOREN.

THEY WALKED OUT OF THE DEPOT AND FOUND A CARRIAGE WAITING. LOREN ASKED THE DRIVER TO TAKE THEM TO A GOOD HOTEL WITH A DINING ROOM. THE DRIVER SUGGESTED THE RIVER STREET INN, A SMALL HOTEL DOWN ON BAY ST. WITH EXCELLENT FOOD AND GOOD LOCATION.
LOREN AGREED TO TRUST HIS DRIVERS JUDGMENT.

THEY FOUND THE HOTEL TO BE CHARMING WITH FIVE FLOORS AND A LOVELY DINING ROOM. CLARA WAS NOT HAPPY TO HAVE TO RIDE THE ELEVATOR, AND ASKED THE DESK CLERK FOR A LOWER FLOOR. HE PLACED THEM ON THE SECOND FLOOR IN A NICE SUITE THAT FRONTED ON THE RIVER. CLARA LOVED THE BEAUTIFUL OLD FURNITURE AND PAINTINGS. LOREN ASKED THE BELL HOP WHEN THE DINING
ROOM CLOSED AND WAS TOLD IT WOULD BE OPEN UNTIL TEN O'CLOCK. LOREN TOLD CLARA TO LET HIM KNOW WHEN SHE WAS READY TO HAVE DINNER.

LOREN WRITES;

THE NEXT MORNING DAWNED BRIGHT AND CLEAR. LOREN STEPPED OUT ON THE SIDE WALK IN FRONT OF THE RIVER FRONT INN FOR A SHORT WALK WHILE CLARA SLEPT IN.

LOREN'S WALK TOOK HIM TO LAFAYETTE SQUARE, WHERE HE FOUND SOME OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL HOMES IN SAVANNAH. THERE WAS AN HISTORIC SIGN OUTSIDE ONE OF THE HOMES THAT SAID IT WAS THE HOME OF ANDREW LOW BUILT IN 1847.

LOREN WOULD HAVE LIKED TO HAVE WALKED FARTHER BUT HE KNEW THAT CLARA WOULD BE UP AND READY FOR BREAKFAST BY THE TIME HE GOT BACK TO THE RIVER FRONT INN. SO HE TURNED BACK FOR NOW.

AT BREAKFAST LOREN TOLD CLARA WHAT HE HAD SEEN ON HIS WALK. AS THEY ATE, THEY MADE PLANS TO DO SOME SIGHT SEEING THAT DAY. LOREN KNEW CLARA WOULD ENJOY SEE THE BEAUTIFUL HOMES ON LAFAYETTE SQUARE AND HE WANTED TO KNOW MORE ABOUT HOW THE SQUARE GOT ITS NAME.

CLARA WRITES;

CLARA HAD ANTICIPATED LOREN WANTING TO EXPLORE?  AND HAD WORN HER BEST WALKING SHOES. SHE FELT REALLY GOOD ABOUT
SEEING SAVANNAH. IT WAS A MUCH QUIETER PLACE THAN NEW YORK. FOLKS WERE NOT PERFORMING ON STREET CORNERS, BUT INSTEAD SITTING CASUALLY ON BENCHES PLACED UNDER BIG SHADE
TREES. MEN TIPPED THEIR HATS TO CLARA AND BID THEM A GOOD MORNING. "I LIKE THIS PLACE. IT HAS A CALMING
EFFECT ON ME" CLARA TOLD LOREN.

THE VIEW OF THE SAVANNAH RIVER WAS SPECTACULAR. TODAY THE WATER WAS GREEN AND FAIRLY CLEAR. LOREN AND CLARA WALKED SLOWLY SO AS NOT TO MISS ANYTHING.

? 

"LOREN, DO YOU WANT TO WALK BACK DOWN TO LAFAYETTE
SQUARE? I ASKED THE MAID AT THE HOTEL HOW FAR IT IS FROM THE HOTEL AND SHE SAID ABOUT FOUR MILES. YOU HAVE ALREADY WALKED THERE AND BACK BEFORE BREAKFAST. IF YOU WANT TO GO AGAIN, THAT IS OK WITH ME."

LOREN WRITES;

AS LOREN AND CLARA STROLLED THE STREET NEXT TO THE RIVER, THEY SAW THE OLD PIERS WHERE SHIPS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD DOCKED TO UNLOAD THEIR CARGOS AND TAKE ON A CARGO OF GEORGIA COTTON TO CARRY TO FAR OFF PORTS. THEY EVEN SAT ON ONE OF THE BENCHES THE CITY HAD PLACED ALONG BESIDE THE STREET AND WATCHED THE ACTIVITY FOR AWHILE.

WHEN LOREN SAW AN EMPTY CARRIAGE FOR HIRE COMING DOWN THE STREET HE FLAGGED IT DOWN AND HIRED IT FOR THE DAY. AS CLARA AND LOREN GOT IN THE CARRIAGE LOREN TOLD THE DRIVER TO TAKE THEM TO LAFAYETTE SQUARE.

LAFAYETTE SQUARE HAD A PARK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SQUARE WHERE THERE WERE LOTS OF GIANT OAK TREES WITH SPANISH MOSS HANGING ON THEM. THERE WERE LOTS OF BENCHES SCATTERED AROUND UNDER THE TREES AND THERE WAS A BEAUTIFUL FOUNTAIN IN THE CENTER OF THE PARK.

AFTER MAKING ONE CIRCLE AROUND THE SQUARE, LOREN HAD THE CARRIAGE DRIVER STOP NEXT TO THE PARK. HE TOLD THE DRIVER THEY WERE GOING TO WALK FOR A WHILE AND IT WOULD BE AFTER LUNCH TIME BEFORE HE AND CLARA WOULD BE BACK.

LOREN AND CLARA STARTED THEIR WALKING TOUR AT THE HOME OF ANDREW LOW.?  AS THEY CONTINUED THEIR WAY AROUND THE SQUARE THEY SAW WHERE WORKMEN WERE LAYING THE FOUNDATION FOR A NEW CITY HALL. A LITTLE FARTHER ALONG WAS THE OLD JAIL THAT WAS OVER 100 YEARS OLD.

A SMALL RESTAURANT WAS SOON SPOTTED BY CLARA AND SHE ASKED LOREN IF THEY COULD STOP THERE FOR LUNCH. LOREN WAS AGREEABLE AND THEY WENT IN AND WERE SEATED AND GIVEN MINUS. LOREN ASKED CLARA WHAT SHE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE FOR LUNCH. SHE TOLD HIM TO ORDER HER A GREEN SALAD AND A BOWL OF VEGETABLE SOUP. LOREN DECIDED HE WOULD HAVE THE SHRIMP PLATE AND A SALAD.

LOREN AND CLARA LINGERED OVER THEIR LUNCH TALKING ABOUT THE THINGS TO DO AND SEE WHILE THEY WERE IN SAVANNAH. THERE WERE TWO MARITIME MUSEUMS LOREN WANTED TO SEE. BUT HE KNEW CLARA WOULD BE BORED BY THEM.?  CLARA HAD SEEN SEVERAL DRESS SHOPS SHE WOULD LIKE TO VISIT. BUT KNEW LOREN WOULDN'T BE INTERESTED IN GOING TO THEM.

THERE WERE MANY LARGE PLANTATION HOMES OUT IN THE COUNTRY THAT THEY BOTH WOULD LIKE TO SEE. SO AS LOREN AND CLARA SAT THERE EATING LUNCH THEY MAPPED OUT THEIR PLANS FOR THE COMING DAYS. AFTER LUNCH LOREN AND CLARA WENT BACK TO THE PARK AND SAT ON ONE OF THE BENCHES, JUST WATCHING THE PEOPLE PASSING BY.

THEY FELL INTO THE EASY HABIT OF SAYING HELLO TO THE PEOPLE AS THEY WALKED BY. LOREN WOULD TIP HIS STETSON TO THE LADIES AS HE SAID HIS HOWDY AND CLARA WOULD GIVE A LITTLE WAVE WITH HER HAND AS SHE SAID HER HOWDY.

CLARA WRITES;

LOREN DECLARED THEY SHOULD GO BACK TO WHERE THEY LEFT THE CARRIAGE AND DRIVER. SINCE LOREN HAD ENGAGED HIM FOR THE ENTIRE DAY, THEY SHOULD MAKE?  USE OF IT. THE WALK SEEMED FURTHER GOING BACK, BUT THEY FOUND THE DRIVER SITTING ON A BENCH UNDER A SHADE TREE, EATING A BIG RED APPLE.?  HE LEAPT TO HIS FEET WHEN HE SAW THE MOORE'S APPROACHING, GIVING THE REMAINS OF THE APPLE TO HIS HORSE.

LOREN ASKED HIM TO TAKE THEM FOR A LEISURELY DRIVE AROUND THE CITY, AND TO POINT OUT ANYTHING OF INTEREST. AFTER THEY HAD SETTLED IN AND WERE ENJOYING THE BEAUTIFUL HOMES, CLARA TOLD LOREN SHE NEEDED TO GET ANOTHER LETTER OFF TO MAE.

"YOU KNOW, THE LAST TIME I WROTE WE WERE IN NEW YORK. I TOLD HER WE WOULD BE LEAVING TO COME HOME IN ABOUT A WEEK OR SO. THEY WILL BE GETTING THAT LETTER SOON AND START LOOKING FOR US. I WILL LET HER KNOW ABOUT THE DELAY HERE IN GEORGIA, SO THEY WON'T WORRY. ALSO, WE SHOULD CONTACT JUAN IN FT WORTH AND TELL HIM OUR WHEREABOUTS. DO YOU HAVE A WAY TO REACH HIM?" LOREN REPLIED THAT HE WOULD SEND OFF A TELEGRAM TO JUAN FIRST
THING TOMORROW. LOREN WRITES:

THE NEXT DAY LOREN SENT A TELEGRAM TO JUAN IN FORT WORTH, TEXAS TELLING HIM WHERE THEY WERE AND GIVING HIM THE HOTELS TELEPHONE NUMBER IN CASE JUAN NEEDED HIM. THEN LOREN CALLED MR. GEOHAGAN IN SAN ANTONIO. MR. GEOHAGAN WAS LOREN'S ATTORNEY AND BANK MANAGER IN SAN ANTONIO.

MR. GEOHAGAN TOLD LOREN THAT ALL HIS BUSINESSES AND INVESTMENTS WERE MAKING MONEY. IN FACT LOREN HAD SO MUCH CASH JUST SITTING THERE IN THE BANK NOT BEING USED, MR. GEOHAGAN ADVISED HIM TO FIND SOMETHING ELSE TO INVEST IN. THAT WAY HIS MONEY COULD BE WORKING FOR HIM. LOREN PROMISED HE WOULD LOOK FOR SOMETHING.

CLARA WROTE HER LETTER TO MAE AND POSTED IT. "LOREN I WISH WE HAD ONE OF THOSE TELEPHONES AT THE RANCH SO I COULD CALL MAE AND TALK TO HER."

"WE WILL SOME DAY CLARA BUT WE HAVE TO GET ELECTRICITY OUT THERE FIRST. THE ELECTRIC COMPANY WAS STARTING TO RUN LINES WEST OUT OF SAN ANTONIO TOWARD THE LLANO RIVER WHEN WE LEFT FOR FORT WORTH. JUST AS SOON AS THEY GET ANY WHERE CLOSE TO THE RANCH, RAMON WILL HAVE LINES RUN TO THE RANCH.

SO THE DAYS PASSED WITH LOREN AND CLARA TAKING A CARRIAGE EACH DAY AND SEEING THE SIGHTS IN AND AROUND SAVANNAH. BEFORE THEY REALIZED IT THEY HAD BEEN IN SAVANNAH FOR THREE WEEKS AND CLARA STILL HAD NOT DONE THE SHOPPING SHE WANTED TO DO.

CLARA WRITES;

LOREN AND CLARA WERE HAVING BREAKFAST AT THE HOTEL DINING ROOM. CLARA ASKED LOREN WHAT HE HAD PLANNED TODAY, REMINDING HIM THEY HAD OVERSTAYED THE TIME ORIGINALLY PLANNED. LOREN HAD DECIDED THEY SHOULD GO OVER TO CHARLESTON AND SEE THE SIGHTS, AS THEY HAD PRETTY WELL SEEN EVERYTHING IN SAVANNAH. CLARA THEN ASKED IF HE PLANNED TO GO HOME NEXT WEEK OR ELSE SHE WOULD HAVE TO BE WRITING MORE LETTERS. LOREN LAUGHED AND ASKED IF SHE HADN'T HAD A GOOD TIME HERE.

? 

"YES, YES. I HAVE LOVED EVERY MINUTE OF IT. WE HAVE STORED UP SOME NICE MEMORIES. I AM SO GLAD WE HAD ANOTHER PICTURE MADE HERE. IT HAS SAVANNAH RIGHT ON THE BOTTOM, SO WE WON'T FORGET. ARE YOU SURE YOU WANT TO GO TO CHARLESTON? I ASKED THE DESK CLERK AND HE TOLD ME IT WAS ABOUT 100 MILES. WE SHOULD HAVE DONE THIS LAST WEEK. BESIDES I NEED TO FINISH UP MY SHOPPING AND THIS TRIP
WILL TAKE US AT LEAST 4 DAYS. THEN WE WOULD HAVE TO TAKE THE TRAIN FROM THERE. DO YOU KNOW WHAT DAYS IT GOES WEST?"

LOREN SAT THERE GRINNING. "CLARA, YOU CAN STOP NOW. I KNOW HOW YOU ARE WHEN YOU DON'T WANT TO DO SOMETHING. YOU JUST CAN'T SHUT UP TALKING. WELL, YOU HAVE TALKED ME OUT OF GOING TO CHARLESTON. THIS IS SUNDAY AND THE TRAIN GOES ON THURSDAY, SO IT WOULD BE A HURRIED UP TRIP. WE'LL HAVE TO COME BACK AGAIN TO SEE IT." CLARA'S FACE LIT UP WITH A BIG
SMILE. SHE LEANED OVER TO KISS LOREN ON THE CHEEK.