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, SHE ASKED, "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
CARGO'S 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.
LOREN WRITES:
AFTER BREAKFAST CLARA TOLD LOREN SHE HAD SOME LETTER WRITING TO DO AND
THEN SHE WAS JUST GOING TO REST FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE DAY. “WHAT ARE
YOU GOING TO DO TODAY, LOREN?”
“WELL THEY’RE SETTING THE CORNER STONE FOR THE NEW CITY HALL DOWN IN
LAFAYETTE SQUARE TODAY. I THINK I’LL GO DOWN THERE AND WATCH THEM.”
SO CLARA WENT TO THEIR ROOM AND LOREN WENT TO LAFAYETTE SQUARE. THE
CORNER STONE WAS CARVED AND POLISHED OUT OF GEORGIA GRANITE. THE MASONIC
YEAR 5899 AND THE SQUARE AND COMPASS WERE CARVED ONTO THE EASTERN FACE OF
THE STONE. A BOX WAS PLACED INSIDE THE CORNERSTONE WITH A VARIETY OF
ARTIFACTS AND DOCUMENTS COMMEMORATING THE EVENT AND THE HISTORY OF
SAVANNAH.
ON MONDAY AND TUESDAY LOREN HUNG AROUND THE HOTEL WITH CLARA. HE DID GO
TO THE TRAIN STATION AND GET THEM TICKETS IN A PULLMAN CAR ALL THE WAY TO
FORT WORTH. THEY WOULD HAVE TO CHANGE TRAINS THERE FOR A SOUTH BOUND TRAIN
GOING TO SAN ANTONIO.
WEDNESDAY CLARA WENT SHOPPING AND CAME BACK WITH A BUNCH OF PACKAGES.
WEDNESDAY NIGHT AFTER SUPPER CLARA WAS SHOWING LOREN THE NEW DRESSES SHE
HAD BOUGHT THAT DAY AS SHE PACKED THEM FOR THE TRIP BACK TO THE RANCH.
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 CARRIE....
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.