AS CLARA HELD UP ONE OF THE DRESSES LOREN EXCLAIMED, “CLARA THAT DRESS IS TOO BIG IN THE WAIST. YOU’LL HAVE TO TAKE IT IN BEFORE YOU CAN WEAR IT.”

CLARA LAUGHED OUT LOUD AS SHE FOLDED THE DRESS AND PUT IT IN HER TRUNK. “LOREN MOORE, YOU CAN RIDE YOUR HORSE INTO A HERD OF 100 COWS AND CUT OUT THE ONES THAT ARE CARRYING A CALF, BUT YOU DON’T KNOW DOODLEY SQUAT ABOUT WOMEN.”

“YOU MEAN YOU’RE CARR … YOU’RE PREG … ARE YOU TELLING ME YOU’RE IN A FAMILY WAY?” LOREN STAMMERED.

“WELL IT TOOK YOU LONG ENOUGH TO GET THERE” SAID CLARA WITH A BIG SMILE ON HER FACE.

LOREN WRITES;

LOREN HAD BOUGHT TWO TICKETS ON THE NEXT TRAIN GOING WEST. HE HAD GOT CLARA AND HIMSELF A COMPARTMENT IN ONE OF THOSE PULLMAN CARS. THIS TRAIN WOULD TAKE THEM TO FORT WORTH WHERE THEY WOULD HAVE TO TAKE A DIFFERENT TRAIN SOUTH TO SAN ANTONIO.

AS THE TRAIN PAST THROUGH GEORGIA INTO ALABAMA AND ON INTO MISSISSIPPI THEY WERE ENJOYING WATCHING OUT THE WINDOW OF THEIR COMPARTMENT AS THE SCENERY FLASHED BY. BUT IN THE BACK OF LOREN’S MIND WAS THE ADVICE THAT HIS BANK MANAGER HAD GIVEN HIM ABOUT FINDING SOMETHING TO INVEST SOME OF HIS CASH IN.

PINE TREES WERE THICK AS THE TRAIN REACHED THE EASTERN BORDER OF TEXAS. LOREN AND CLARA HAD BEEN LOOKING AT THE GREAT PINE FOREST OF WESTERN LOUISIANA AND EAST TEXAS ALL MORNING. ALL OF A SUDDEN LOREN SHOUTED, “EUREKA!”

THIS STARTLED CLARA SO BAD SHE DROPPED THE CUP OF TEA SHE WAS HOLDING. “WHAT DOES THAT MEAN, LOREN? YOU HOLLERED SO LOUD YOU MADE ME DROP MY CUP OF TEA. CALL THE PORTER AND HAVE HIM COME CLEAN UP THIS MESS.”

“CLARA,NEVER MIND THE MESS, GET YOUR THINGS TOGETHER. WE ARE GETTING OFF THE TRAIN AT THE NEXT STOP. AS THE TRAIN STOPPED AT THE LITTLE TOWN OF LONGVIEW, CLARA AND LOREN STEPPED OUT ONTO THE PLATFORM. WHEN THE TRAIN MOVED ON, THEY,COULD SEE THAT LONGVIEW WAS A BUSTLING TOWN SURROUNDED BY PINE FOREST.

LOREN APPROACHED THE STATION MASTER AND ASKED HIM TO RECOMMEND A HOTEL. “WELL SIR, THERE AIN’T MUCH OF A HOTEL IN THIS HERE TOWN YET. BUT MA BAKER HAS A BOARDING HOUSE THAT MIGHT HAVE AN OPENING.”

“PRAY TELL ME WHERE I CAN FIND THIS BOARDING HOUSE,” LOREN ASKED. AFTER RECEIVING DIRECTIONS AND GOING THERE, THEY FOUND THAT MA BAKER DID INDEED HAVE AN OPENING. AFTER THEY WERE SETTLED INTO THEIR ROOM, THEY WERE CALLED DOWN FOR SUPPER.

AFTER SUPPER LOREN AND CLARA WERE SITTING IN ROCKING CHAIRS OUT ON THE FRONT VERANDA AND CLARA TOLD LOREN IT WAS TIME FOR HIM TO EXPLAIN WHY THEY HAD INTERRUPTED THEIR TRIP BACK TO FORT WORTH.

“CLARA, MY BANK MANAGER SUGGESTED I BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR SOMETHING TO INVEST SOME OF MY CASH IN. I THINK I HAVE FOUND IT. THIS IS A GROWING PART OF THE STATE AND THE DEMAND FOR LUMBER IS GOING TO LAST FOR A LONG TIME. I’M GOING TO BUY AS MUCH OF THIS LAND WITH PINE TREES ON IT AS I CAN.”

CLARA WRITES;

"WELL NOW, LOREN, I KNEW YOU HAD A BEE IN YOUR BONNET WHEN WE WERE IN SAVANNAH. ARE WE GOING TO BE HERE A WHILE?  I GUESS I WILL HAVE TO WRITE MAE ANOTHER LETTER.  SHE IS GOING TO THINK WE ARE WISHY WASHY, ALWAYS SAYING ONE THING AND DOING ANOTHER.  SINCE I HAVEN'T TOLD HER ABOUT THE BABY YET, SHE WILL BE VERY PLEASED TO HEAR FROM US  I WAS WAITING UNTIL WE GOT HOME, BUT AT THE RATE WE'RE GOING, I'LL PROBABLY HAVE THIS BABY BEFORE WE GET THERE." CLARA WAS SMILING AT HER HUSBAND.

"NOW DON'T YOU GO TO WORRYING ABOUT THAT, MRS. MOORE.  I'LL GET YOU HOME IN TIME TO HAVE OUR SON. HE'LL BE BORN RIGHT ON THE RANCH, IN OUR BEDROOM," SAID LOREN.

"WHAT MAKES YOU THINK IT'S A BOY? IT COULD JUST AS WELL BE A GIRL," TEASED CLARA "SEEMS LIKE WE GET MORE HEIFERS THAN BULLS OUT OF THE HERD."

“DON'T MATTER, CLARA.  THIS BABY IS A BOY AND I KNOW IT.  TOMORROW I AM GOING TO RIDE OUT AND LOOK AROUND.  I'M GOING ON HORSEBACK AND I THINK IT BEST IF YOU STAY HERE.  I CAN GET INTO A LOT MORE PLACES ON HORSE THAN IN A CARRIAGE.  I NEED TO GO ASK MA BAKER IF SHE WILL PACK A LUNCH FOR ME TO TAKE ALONG.  MIGHT NOT FIND A CAFE WHERE I'M GOING.  THINK YOU CAN FIND SOMETHING TO DO TO AMUSE YOURSELF?” 

LOREN WRITES:

“YOU GO ON AND HAVE A LOOK AROUND. I’M SURE MA BAKER WILL FIX YOU A SACK LUNCH TO TAKE WITH YOU.  I’LL WRITE MAE AND TELL HER WE HAD TO STOP IN THIS LITTLE TOWN OF LONGVIEW FOR A FEW DAYS.  BUT I’M STILL NOT GOING TO TELL HER ABOUT THE BABY.”

LOREN GOT HIS LUNCH FROM MA BAKER AND RENTED A HORSE AND STARTED HIS INSPECTION OF THE AREA AROUND LONGVIEW.  EVERYWHERE HE LOOKED WAS COVERED WITH PINE TREES. LOREN ONLY FOUND ONE SMALL SAWMILL ON THE EDGE OF TOWN.

AFTER CLARA HAD WRITTEN HER LETTER TO MAE, SHE WENT DOWNSTAIRS TO ASK MA BAKER HOW TO MAIL IT.  CLARA FOUND MA BAKER IN THE KITCHEN AND WHEN SHE ASKED ABOUT MAILING THE LETTER, MA BAKER TOLD HER TO JUST PUT IT IN THE BOX ON THE FRONT VERANDA AND THE MAIL MAN WOULD PICK IT UP.  AS CLARA TURNED TO GO TO THE MAIL BOX, SHE FELT A LITTLE DIZZY AND SHE GRABBED THE BACK OF A CHAIR.

“ARE YOU FEELING ALL RIGHT, MRS. MOORE?  I KNOW THAT WALKING UP AND DOWN THOSE STAIRS IS HARD ON YOU IN YOUR CONDITION, BUT IT WAS THE ONLY ROOM I HAD OPEN WHEN YOU CAME. I’LL TELL YOU WHAT I’LL DO.  I’VE GOT THAT TWO ROOM SUITE JUST BY THE FRONT DOOR THAT IS COMING OPEN IN TWO DAYS.  I’VE GOT A WAITING LIST FOR THAT SUITE, BUT I’LL LET YOU AND YOUR HUSBAND HAVE IT FOR AS LONG AS YOU WANT TO STAY.”

“OH, MA BAKER, THAT WOULD BE WONDERFUL,” CLARA EXCLAIMED. “I’M NOT SURE HOW LONG WE WILL BE HERE  IT COULD BE DAYS OR WEEKS.

“IT DOESN’T MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE HOW LONG IT IS,  THE SUITE IS YOURS AS LONG AS YOU STAY.  AND ANOTHER THING, STOP CALLING ME MA BAKER.  YOU CALL ME KATHY,  THAT’S MY NAME.

CLARA WRITES;

"I'LL GLADLY CALL YOU KATHY.  YOU ARE FAR TOO YOUNG TO BE CALLED "MA", AND WHY DON'T YOU CALL ME CLARA?"

 "MY MOTHER STARTED THIS BOARDING HOUSE AND SHE REALLY IS THE MA BAKER, BUT FOLKS STILL CALL ME MA," SAID KATHY. "IT'S A LOT OF HARD WORK MOST TIMES, BUT THERE ARE DAYS WHEN I ONLY HAVE ONE OR TWO GUESTS.  IT MAKES MEAL PLANNING HARD.  YOU NEVER KNOW HOW MANY MAY SHOW UP ABOUT TIME FOR SUPPER.  WHEN MOTHER PASSED AWAY, I THOUGHT ABOUT GIVING IT UP AND MOVING TO DALLAS,  THEN I THOUGHT ABOUT WORKING FOR SOMEONE ELSE AND CHANGED MY MIND.  BESIDES, I HAVE MET A LOT OF INTERESTING PEOPLE
AND MADE SOME GOOD FRIENDS."

"KATHY, IS THERE A DOCTOR IN TOWN?  I SHOULD GO TO SEE ONE WHILE WE ARE HERE.  HE CAN TELL ME IF EVERYTHING IS ALL RIGHT.  LOREN WANTS THE BABY BORN AT THE RANCH, BUT I AM NOT SURE WE ARE GOING TO MAKE IT BACK THERE BEFORE MY TIME COMES.  WE HAVE
TRAVELED HALFWAY AROUND THIS COUNTRY SINCE WE STARTED.  GUESS WE HAVE HAD THE LONGEST HONEYMOON IN HISTORY," LAUGHED CLARA.

"YES, CLARA. A DOCTOR WE HAVE HERE, AND A GOOD ONE AT THAT.  HE IS JUST DOWN THE STREET.  HIS OFFICE IS NEXT TO THE MERCANTILE STORE.  IF YOU WANT TO WALK DOWN THERE, I WILL GO WITH YOU.  BE A GOOD IDEA TO GET CHECKED OVER, SINCE YOU HAD THAT DIZZY SPELL.  HIS NAME IS DR. KOONTZ."

CLARA GOT TO HER FEET AND TOLD KATHY TO COME ON WITH HER.  THE TWO WALKED SLOWLY DOWN THE STREET TO THE DR'S OFFICE.  CLARA WAS LUCKY THAT NO ONE WAS IN THE OFFICE WITH THE DOCTOR.  HE COULD SEE HER RIGHT AWAY.

DR. KOONTZ ASKED CLARA LOTS OF QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW SHE FELT AND WHAT SHE HAD BEEN EATING.  HE ASKED HER ABOUT SWELLING IN HER FEET AND IF THE BABY WAS MOVING AROUND.  WHEN DR. KOONTZ FINISHED THE EXAMINATION, HE TOLD CLARA SHE WAS IN PRETTY GOOD CONDITION, BUT A LITTLE UNDERWEIGHT.   HE ADVISED HER TO EAT MORE MEAT AND LOTS OF GREEN VEGETABLES.   DR. KOONTZ SAID HE THOUGHT CLARA WOULD HAVE A NORMAL DELIVERY AND A HEALTHY BABY.  CLARA BREATHED A SIGH OF RELIEF AND WENT OUT TO TELL KATHY.

LOREN WRITES:

AFTER SUPPER THAT EVENING AS CLARA AND LOREN WERE SITTING IN ROCKING CHAIRS ON THE FRONT VERANDA, CLARA TOLD LOREN ABOUT THE DOCTOR VISIT. SHE ALSO TOLD HIM ABOUT THE TWO ROOM SUITE THAT KATHY HAD OFFERED THEM.  LOREN TOLD CLARA ABOUT HIS DAY.

WHEN KATHY HAD FINISHED CLEANING UP FROM THE SUPPER MEAL, SHE WALKED OUT ON THE VERANDA AND TOOK A SEAT.. SHE HAD ALWAYS ENJOYED SITTING OUT HERE FOR A FEW MINUTES BEFORE GOING TO BED.  “KATHY,” LOREN BEGAN, “DO YOU KNOW A GOOD ATTORNEY I CAN HIRE TO DO SOME LEGAL WORK FOR ME?”

“WHY LOREN, OLEN COPPER, THE MAN THAT IS MOVING OUT OF THE TWO ROOM SUITE IS AN ATTORNEY AND HE MUST BE PRETTY GOOD.  HE MOVED TO LONGVIEW ONE YEAR AGO AND HAS ALREADY MADE ENOUGH MONEY TO BUILD HIM AND HIS WIFE A BIG HOME.  THAT’S WHY THEY ARE MOVING OUT OF THE SUITE.”

LOREN SAID THANKS TO KATHY AS HE JUMPED UP OUT OF HIS ROCKER AND WENT INSIDE.  LOREN STARTED BANGING ON MR. COPPER’S DOOR.

“LAND A GOSHEN, CLARA  THOSE FOLKS MAY ALREADY BE IN BED.  THAT MAN OF YOURS SURE IS A GO GETTER.”

AN HOUR LATER LOREN CAME BACK OUT ON THE VERANDA AND SAT DOWN.  “WELL, CLARA, WE HAVE OUR ATTORNEY.  OLEN AND I CAME TO AN AGREEMENT.  I’M GOING TO PAY HIM A SALARY AND HE WILL WORK FOR US EXCLUSIVELY.  HE IS GOING TO SPEND TOMORROW MOVING AND THE DAY AFTER, HE AND I WILL GO TO THE COURT HOUSE.  WE’LL BE CHECKING THE LAND OFFICE AND THE TAX OFFICE.”

“LOREN, YOU MAKE ME TIRED JUST LISTENING TO YOU,” KATHY WHISPERED THROUGH A YAWN,  “I’M GOING TO BED. CLARA, YOU JUST HAVE ONE MORE NIGHT TO CLIMB THOSE STAIRS.  I’LL SEE Y’ALL AT BREAKFAST.”

CLARA WRITES;

"LOREN, I KNOW YOU MUST BE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE LUMBER MILL.  YOU ARE BUILDING ONE, AREN'T YOU?   IT'S GOOD THERE IS RAIL SERVICE TO GET THE LUMBER OUT. .DID YOU FIND ENOUGH ACREAGE TO SATISFY THE MARKET FOR A WHILE?   HAVE YOU GOT IT UNDER CONTRACT?"

”CLARA, I HAVE A LARGE TRACT OF LAND UNDER CONTRACT AND THE OPTION TO BUY ON ANOTHER BIG ONE.  WE WILL BUILD AT LEAST TWO OR MAYBE THREE SAWMILLS.  THE DEMAND FOR LUMBER IS INCREASING EVERY DAY.  YOU KNOW IT'S GOING TO BE 1900 IN A FEW WEEKS AND THIS COUNTRY IS BUSTING OUT AT THE SEAMS.”

"SPEAKING OF IT BEING 1900, DR. KOONTZ TOLD ME THE BABY MIGHT COME THE FIRST PART OF JANUARY IN 1900.  WON'T IT BE WONDERFUL TO HAVE A NEW BABY IN A NEW CENTURY?   IT'LL BE EASY TO REMEMBER HER AGE," SAID CLARA.

LOREN GRINNED AT CLARA.  “WHAT DO YOU MEAN, HER AGE?   I TOLD YOU THIS IS A BOY BABY.  HAVE I EVER LIED TO YOU?   I KNOW THESE THINGS.  NOW DON'T GO CALLING MY SON A "HER" ANYMORE.  WE GOT TO BE THINKING OF NAMES FOR THE BABY AND THE SAWMILL.

LOREN WRITES;

TWO WEEKS LATER, AS CLARA AND LOREN SAT IN THE FRONT ROOM OF THEIR SUITE, LOREN WAS TELLING CLARA WHAT HE HAD BEEN ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH.  IT WAS THE FIRST WEEK OF DECEMBER AND IT WAS TOO COLD TO SIT OUT ON THE VERANDA NOW.

“CLARA I HAVE OPENED AN ACCOUNT IN THE LONGVIEW FIRST NATIONAL BANK IN THE NAME OF MOORE’S HOLDING COMPANY AND GIVEN OLIN COPPER THE RIGHT TO DRAW ON THE ACCOUNT.  WE’VE BEEN ABLE TO BUY OUTRIGHT 80,000 ACRES OF LAND COVERED WITH PINE TREES.  SOME OF THIS LAND REACHES DOWN AS FAR AS THE LITTLE FARMING COMMUNITY OF KILGORE. I HAVE ANOTHER 40,000 ACRES OF LAND LEASED TO CUT THE TIMBER FROM.”

“I TOLD YOU ABOUT SEEING THAT ONE LITTLE SAWMILL THE FIRST DAY I RODE OUT TO LOOK THE PLACE OVER.  WELL I WENT BACK TO THAT SAWMILL AND MET THE MAN THAT OWNED IT.  HIS NAME WAS PAT BOGAN, A BIG IRISH MAN, AND AFTER TALKING TO HIM FOR A WHILE, I BOUGHT HIS SAWMILL AND HIRED HIM TO WORK FOR MOORE’S HOLDING COMPANY. HIS DUTIES WILL BE TO PURCHASE TWO MORE SAWMILLS AND OVERSEE THEIR OPERATION.  HE WILL ANSWER TO MR. COPPER.”

“I STOPPED BY THE TRAIN STATION AND GOT TICKETS ON THE NEXT WEST BOUND TRAIN WITH A PULLMAN CAR.  THAT HAPPENS TO BE AT 8:00 O’CLOCK IN THE MORNING, SO YOU BETTER GET BUSY PACKING.”

THE NEXT MORNING, WHEN LOREN AND CLARA BOARDED THE TRAIN, THERE WAS A SMALL GROUP TO SEE THEM OFF. IT WAS MADE UP OF KATHY, THE COPPERS AND PAT BOGAN.

CLARA TOLD LOREN THAT IF HE DIDN’T WANT HIS DAUGHTER BORN ON A TRAIN, HE BETTER NOT MAKE ANY MORE STOPS UNTIL THEY GOT TO THE RANCH.  LOREN JUST GRINNED AND REACH OVER AND PATTED CLARA’S BIG BELLY AND SAID, “DON’T WORRY, SON, WE’LL GET YOU BACK TO THE RANCH IN TIME.”

WHEN THE TRAIN REACHED FORT WORTH THEY HAD TO CHANGE TRAINS TO A SOUTH BOUND TRAIN.  LOREN JUST HAD TIME TO RUN INTO THE STATION AND MAKE A TELEPHONE CALL TO MR. GEOHAGAN, HIS ATTORNEY IN SAN ANTONIO, AND TELL HIM WHEN THEY WOULD BE ARRIVING IN SAN ANTONIO.

AS THEY GOT OFF THE TRAIN IN SAN ANTONIO, LOREN AND CLARA SAW MR. GEOHAGAN WAITING FOR THEM.  HE TOLD THEM HE WOULD CARRY THEM TO THE RANCH IN HIS NEW PACKARD AUTOMOBILE. CLARA SAT IN THE BACK SEAT AND LOREN SAT IN THE FRONT SEAT WITH MR. GEOHAGAN.

“LOREN, THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF CHANGES SINCE YOU HAVE BEEN GONE. YOUR HOTEL IS THREE TIMES AS BIG AS IT WAS WHEN YOU LEFT. ONE OF YOUR SALOONS HAS STARTED BREWING ITS OWN BEER AND IS CALLING IT LONE STAR BEER. OH, YES, AND THE ELECTRIC COMPANY YOU OWN STOCK IN HAS RUN ELECTRIC LINES OUT TO THE LLANO RIVER AND ALONG IT ON UP PAST BIG SANDY CREEK.  THEY HAD TO HAVE A ROAD TO GET THEIR EQUIPMENT WHERE THEY WERE WORKING,. SO YOU CAN THANK THEM FOR THIS ROAD THAT GOES ALL THE WAY TO YOUR RANCH HOUSE.  WHEN THE ELECTRIC COMPANY GOT TO BIG SANDY CREEK, RAMON HAD THEM RUN LINES UP TO THE RANCH HOUSE.”

“CLARA, DID YOU HEAR THAT? WE NOW HAVE ELECTRICITY IN THE RANCH HOUSE,” LOREN EXCLAIMED.  BUT WHEN HE LOOKED BACK, HE SAW THAT CLARA WAS FAST ASLEEP.

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 OTHER'S ARMS, LAUGHING AND CRYING AT THE SAME TIME.

THE END

© COPYRIGHT 2005