Storytime Tapestry Newsletter

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

Special Treat ??“ Clara Westerfer & Loren Moore ??“ Conclusion of the 8 part series

Tomorrow we will feature the last of our tribute to Loren Moore.

March 25, 2006

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 FIRE PLACE IN THEIR BEDROOM IN THE OLD RANCH HOUSE. CLARA HAD
BEEN TELLING LOREN HOW GLAD SHE WAS THAT RAMON HAD HIRED MARIE AND HER
16 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER TO COOK AND KEEP HOUSE FOR MAE WHILE SHE WAS
CARRYING THE BABY. CLARA TOLD LOREN THAT MARIE 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
SELLING THE SHIP.

WHEN LOREN HAD 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 TO EXPENSIVE CLOSE TO TOWN SO HE CONTINUED WEST. ALL HE
FOUND AT FIRST WAS AN INDIAN FIGHT AND THE WAS WHEN HE MET MAE.

LOREN FINALLY FOUND THIS 12,000 ACRES ON BIG SANDY CREAK 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 FORMAN JUAN TO FORT WORTH TO SET UP
MOORE'S CATTLE COMPANY. THAT'S WHEN LOREN MADE RAMON FORMAN OF THE
RANCH. ON IMPULSE LOREN HAD ASKED CLARA IF SHE WANTED TO GO TO FORT
WORTH WITH HE AND JUAN AND SHE HAD 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 MARRIED CLARA AND THAT'S WHEN HE
COOKED UP THE SKIM OF GOING FOR A SIX WEEK CRUSE 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
TO DELTA QUEEN.

LOREN HAD BOUGHT A HOTEL, TWO SALOONS AND A BANK BY THEN. PLUS HE OWN
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 THE GOT THERE THEY SPENT SOME TIME IS 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 SETTING 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. THEN
WHEN LOREN AND CLARA DID GET 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, OVER TURNING 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 OPEN 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 AND 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 FOR
THE HOUSE. LOREN AND RAMON WENT TO MET 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 GRAND PARENTS. I'M SURE
THEY WILL WANT TO SEE THEIR GRAND SON 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
START CALLING HER MAX." CLARA DIDN'T 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 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
TOWN HAD SPRUNG UP WHERE THE SAN 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 HER SELF.

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 SIX
SHOOTERS. 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 WITH OUT 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 THEM SELVES. 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 IN THE PARLOR. WHEN EVERY ONE WAS
SETTLE, HE SAID, "EDWARD AND MAX I HAVE A BIRTHDAY PRESENT FOR YOU."
AND HE HANDED EDWARD AN ENVELOPE.

MAX LEANED IN 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 INDUSTRY
ENGINEERING WHILE MAX MAJORED IN FORESTRY. THEY LOVED EACH OTHER LIKE
BROTHER AND SISTER AND ALWAYS WOULD.

CLARA WRITES;

ONE OF LOREN'S COW'S 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 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 HONEY
MOON 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 THAT 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 HAD 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 AND 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 WESTSIDE OF MAXINE AND
EDWARD'S LAND. EDWARD BOUGHT THREE DRILLING RIGS AND HAD DRILLED NINE
HOLES ON THEIR LAND AND ALL NINE HIT OIL.
? 

AND SO GOES THE SAGA OF ONE MAN'S FAMILY IN EARLY TEXAS.

THE END

?© COPYRIGHT 2005

EPILOGUE? 

LETTER FROM CADDO

JULY 10, 1938

My Dear Husband Loren,
Sorry to have missed your call last night.
Edward said the connection was real bad.
I still wish I could have talked with you.
Guess he told you Maxine and I took the
children over to the church social.?  They
had a good time.?  You can almost see this
little Loren grow.?  He is so smart for a six
year old.?  He is really good with numbers
and can read all his little books.
I believe he will have his Grandpa's gift
of making money.?  He is always asking
Maxine if he can sell this or that thing right out of the house.?  Maxine
has taken
him to the bank with his piggy bank and he puts it in his account.?  He
has a nice
savings.
Little Clara Mae will have her third birthday next month.?  Hope you will
be
here for it and to take me home.?  She is
so pretty.?  She is the spitting image of
Maxine.?  When she turns those big brown
eyes on me and says, Please Grandma,
why I would lasso the moon for her. She
is real smart and learns fast.
I miss all of you back at the ranch.?  You
know I never sleep well without you and
will be glad to be in my own bed.
Plan on stayiing at least two weeks and
taking Loren fishing.?  I swear that boy loves this water and catching
things.?  He
has frogs, snakes, tadpoles and turtles
for pets.?  He swims like he is part fish.
He can tell you the name of every fish in
Caddo.
I look forward to seeing you or talking to
you very soon.?  I've missed you.
Promise to stay awhile.
Your loving wife,
Clara

Loren and Clara lived to a ripe old age
and saw many wondorous new things.
They enjoyed good health and made
many trips together.
Loren passed in his sleep in 1953 at
age 91.?  Clara lived until 1958 at age 89.
They were buried on the ranch along with
Mae and Ramon.
End.

?