Hannah's Journey (12 page)

Teddy blushed as he went on. “It seems silly, I know, but I thought if I sat on a park bench, or looked into shop windows that I would find her.”

Caroline hung onto every word. “I wish we had known you were in Texas, Teddy.”

“I do too, Miss Caroline. I did find out from the railroad that the Orphan Trains only went to the eastern area of Texas, so that narrowed my search somewhat. After that, I read an advertisement in the newspaper that the oil fields in East Texas were looking for roustabouts. The money looked good, so a couple of years ago I signed on. I thought I could earn enough money to continue my search.”

“What’s a roustabout, Teddy?”

Teddy laughed. “I guess you’d call it unskilled labor, sort of a Jack of all trades. But I’m happy to say I’ve become good at what I do and I’ve learned a lot about the oil business as well as other things.”

“What do you mean?” David gave Teddy a keen look.

“Well, sir, I met a man on the job who had no formal education but had read extensively. He carried a trunk of books around with him. He loaned me the books and at night, after I finished working, I read by the light of a coal oil lamp. I found learning exciting. I had a couple of days off once and went to the nearest city and asked the high school principal if I could somehow apply for a high school diploma. He listened to my story and asked me to come back when I could and take a test. The next time I could get away, I went back and took an examination. A month later, I had my diploma.”

“Well done, Teddy, well done,” exclaimed David Logan. Caroline clapped and her mother had tears in her eyes as she listened to Teddy’s story.

It was apparent that Teddy’s accomplishment had made him proud. “There’s more. I applied to a new school in Houston. It’s called Rice Institute. I plan to take courses that will help me later. I think I’d like to stay in the oil business, but not as a roustabout.” He finished with a big grin.

“I can’t tell you how pleased I am to hear you say that, Teddy. I understand the oil business will grow tremendously. You’ve made a wise choice.”

“Thank you, sir.”

“What a wonderful story, Teddy, and what a remarkable time you’ve had in your short life.”

“I agree,” David said, “but I think you told my partner that you also have news about Hannah’s father. You knew she was in Texas, but what a coincidence finding Mr. Monroe here too.”

“Yes, I do have news. It’s amazing that after looking so long for Hannah, I didn’t recognize her father at first. However, some time had passed since I had seen his picture in her locket. Does she still have it?”

Caroline answered. “Yes, she does. It’s her favorite keepsake.”

Teddy nodded. “I’m not surprised. That locket sort of introduced me to Hannah, and it turned out to be the main thing that proved to me Mr. Monroe was really her father as he claimed.”

“We’re anxious to hear about Hannah’s father. How did you two meet?”

“Oh, David, do let Teddy rest now. He’s had a long day and we must get an early start tomorrow. He can tell us the rest of his story while we travel.”

Caroline reluctantly went to bed. “Please don’t say another word until I can listen, Teddy. Do you promise?”

“May I just say one word?”

“What?” Caroline asked suspiciously.

“Goodnight,” he said, earning a smile from the little girl.

CHAPTER NINETEEN – A FATHER’S STORY

By mid-morning the Logans, along with Teddy, had boarded the train and headed south to Galveston. As they settled into their seats, Caroline turned to Teddy. “Did you know that this makes my second time on a train?”

“No, I didn’t. You’re a well-traveled young lady, Miss Caroline.”

“You may call me Caroline now that we’re acquainted.” She smoothed her dress and cast a sideways glance at him.

Murmuring to her husband, Margaret Logan said, “Caroline looks smitten with Teddy. Hannah might have some competition.”

“Teddy, we’re anxious to hear about your meeting with Mr. Monroe. It still strikes me as an amazing coincidence that you two found one another,” David Logan said.

Teddy agreed. “After working in several oil fields, I wound up at Barber’s Hill. People seem to change locations a lot in this business when there are rumors of big strikes. It’s difficult to make friends, but a few months ago an older fellow came to the camp. He asked about lodgings and I told him about the rooming house where I live. The work keeps you too busy to do much talking during the day, but in the evenings we used the parlor for conversation. We struck up a friendship although he seemed a very private person. He never mentioned much about himself.”

Teddy looked out at the passing scenery as if he were recalling that astonishing conversation.

“One evening, as we talked, he pulled a worn, old handkerchief from his pocket. I noticed someone had embroidered two initials in a corner. I knew the first initial stood for John. In the oil business, we usually stick to first names. When I complimented the intricate work, he looked sad and said, ‘My wife did this some years ago. The “M” stands for Monroe. My full name is John Monroe.’”

Margaret Logan shivered.

“When he said this, my heart leapt. I knew there could be many Monroes, but I couldn’t help myself. I just blurted out, ‘do you have a daugher named Hannah?’”

Caroline nearly bounced out of the seat in her excitement.

“For a moment, I thought I had made a terrible mistake in asking. John turned pale and couldn’t speak. I asked if I might get him a glass of water. He shook his head and grabbed my arm as he spoke. His voice was painful to hear.”

“How do you know Hannah?’” he asked. “His eyes seemed to bore a hole in my face.”

“I stuttered and stammered and finally told my story. His eyes never left mine as I told him of our meeting. When I mentioned the locket, tears sprang to his eyes.”

“You found a picture of her mother and me in the locket, didn’t you?’” he asked, then described the pictures in detail.

“I knew then that he was truly Hannah’s father.” Teddy stopped and took a deep breath. Margaret could see than John Monroe’s story had affected him greatly.

“Mr. Monroe told me that when he first left home, he traveled south looking for work in the textile mills. Week after week, his search proved futile. He missed his family and decided to return to New York. He was ashamed that he hadn’t found work, and his small funds were running out. He felt that he would do anything if only he could be reunited with his family.”

Tears slipped down Caroline’s cheeks as the young man bit his lip.

“Teddy, can you go on with your story?” Margaret asked.

Just then, a white-coated porter came through the cars. “First call for lunch now being served in the dining car.”

“Why don’t we have lunch now and continue our conversation later?” David suggested, relieving the tension.

Everyone ordered and settled back to enjoy a nice meal as the countryside unfolded before them. By unspoken agreement they didn’t return to John Monroe’s story.

Caroline lingered at the table eyeing a big slice of chocolate cake on the dessert cart.

“Are you sure you could eat all that, Caroline?” Her mother asked.

“Maybe Teddy would help me?” Caroline ventured, smiling at her new friend.

“I think I could do that.” Teddy smiled back at her.

David Logan instructed the waiter to bring the cake with two plates. Teddy and Caroline had no trouble finishing the dessert. When the cake had been polished off and Caroline had finished her milk, the four of them returned to their seats.

“Shall I go on?” Teddy asked.

Everyone nodded, ready to hear the story of John Monroe’s search for his daughter.

“When Mr. Monroe reached his flat in New York he found the door locked. He thought his wife and daughter were out. When they didn’t return after some time, he sought out the janitor of the building and asked if he had any information. Shifting in his seat, Teddy said Mr. Monroe had described the look on the janitor’s face and realized something was terribly wrong. The janitor told him in halting English that his wife had died and his daughter had been taken away. He was so stunned by the news he didn’t know where to turn.”

“What did he do then, Teddy?” Caroline hung on his every word.

“Well, he went to the police. He told them his story and they checked their records. Hannah’s name was nowhere to be found. Sad and discouraged, he left the building, hardly aware of his

surroundings. He walked down the street, not noticing where he went. He finally found himself in a strange neighborhood and realizing he hadn’t eaten all day, went into a small restaurant and ordered a cup of coffee and a piece of pie with the last few coins he possessed.”

The kind-hearted Caroline could barely contain her tears at the account of Hannah’s father.

“He blamed himself for ever leaving,” Teddy went on. “While he had his coffee he looked around and saw two men gazing at a notice on the wall. When he finished his meager meal he started out the door, but something made him stop to see what the men had been reading.”

David Logan spoke up. “What did it say, Teddy? What was in the notice?”

“It was an offer from a company in Houston for various jobs in the oil fields. I guess it was very much like the posters I saw. They were all over the country after the big finds in Texas. Sort of like the gold rush in California, I guess.”

Teddy paused for a moment and stared out the window. “Mr. Monroe said he left the restaurant thinking, Why not? I’m not a young man anymore, but I’m a hard worker. He had borrowed a pencil and a scrap of paper from the restaurant owner. On it, he wrote the name and address of the company, and stuck the scrap in his pocket, then found his way back to the flat. The janitor had told him since no one had rented the flat his furniture was still there. He had a wagon and helped Mr. Monroe load the furniture. The grieving husband and father then took his belongings to a used furniture shop and sold everything. It hurt him to sell their belongings, but he needed the money to find Hannah. He then returned the wagon, went to the railroad station and bought a ticket to Texas. He vowed to earn some money and find Hannah.”

“What did he do then, Teddy?” Margaret was caught up in the story.

“Well, when John got to Houston he got hired, but the owner of the company saw more in him than a roustabout. Soon, he became an assistant to the owner and learned everything there was to know about the oil business. With the money he earned, he made a few investments that paid off. When he came to Barber’s Hill, he looked for more fields in which to invest. He made some deals and had just left to go to Houston for some supplies when your letter came. I left him a message. I told him if he returned to please call your office, Mr. Logan. I was sure you wouldn’t mind. Do you think they will give him your home number and Delia will let him know where we are?”

“I’m sure they will, and Delia will be happy to tell him our whereabouts. She cares very much for Hannah and nothing would make her happier than to be part of a reunion.”

“David,” Margaret said, “Just to be sure, let’s call Delia when we get to the hotel We’ll tell her exactly where the music competition will be held and give directions in case Mr. Monroe does get back and gets Teddy’s message.”

“That’s a wonderful idea. We’ll take no chances on this meeting going awry. We’ll have a couple of hours before the concert, but we don’t want to get to the auditorium too early. We would have to see Hannah and we don’t want to meet her until afterward. Teddy is our surprise. We’ll make our call and rest until it’s time to go.”

Caroline echoed all their thoughts when she said, “I’m going to say a prayer that Mr. Monroe gets the message and he and Hannah will find one another at last. And don’t forget,” she whispered to her parents, “to see Hannah walk without her brace will be our surprise for Teddy.”

“You did fine keeping the secret, Caroline,” her mother said. “It looks as if a lot of people will be surprised tonight.”

CHAPTER TWENTY – A FAMILY UNITED

Hannah looked at her image in the mirror. She wore a simple ivory colored chiffon dress and matching shoes. Resisting the present fashion of bobbed hair, she had left her blond locks long. Tonight, she held them back with a tortoise shell comb. Her only jewelry, the heart-shaped gold locket now gleaming against the pale hues of her outfit. The Houston Symphony Orchestra that traveled to Galveston to be a part of the Texas Music Society Contest would accompany her tonight. For her piece, Hannah had chosen the hauntingly beautiful music of Beethoven’s Piano Sonata, Number 14 in C Sharp Minor.

On this tour, an extra feature had been added. Before she played, Hannah stood in front of the audience and told a brief story of the work she had chosen. The professor thought the audience might appreciate it more if they knew a short history behind the music. The crowds throughout the tour had shown its appreciation with prolonged applause.

With a nod from Professor Webster who stood behind the curtains, Hannah walked with confidence to the edge of the stage. She was the sixth contestant of ten participants from around the state. She took a deep breath and greeted her audience.

“Beethoven wrote this Sonata in 1801, dedicating it to the Countess Giulietta Guicciardi, who was only seventeen. It’s said that Beethoven was in love with her. Several years after the death of the composer, a poet compared the music to moonlight shining on Lake Lucerne. Since then, it has been known as the Moonlight Sonata. I hope you enjoy my rendition.”

Bowing to the crowd, Hannah turned, intending to take her place at the piano and signal the orchestra to begin. However, as she looked into the audience a face in the crowd caught her attention.
Surely I am mistaken.
She thought for a moment she had seen a young man who could be a grown-up Teddy. Shaking off the illusion, Hannah stepped to the piano, acknowledged the members of the orchestra, then launched into the first movement of the powerful but quiet melody of the Sonata. Her fingers trembled for a moment, then became sure and strong as she played the familiar notes of the lovely work.