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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
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BY
LOREN
MOORE
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 COPYRIGHT
2005
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