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Inseparable

AuthorHouse

Contents

Chapter 1 Chicago, May 22, 1924..............................................5Chapter 2 "Charles Dickens" In Greenfield?: 21st Century.....................13Chapter 3 The Reading........................................................25Chapter 4 Magical London.....................................................29Chapter 5 The Argument.......................................................45Chapter 6 Glendalough, Ireland: 802 A.D......................................53Chapter 7 Inseparable Once Again.............................................62Chapter 8 Allan's Surprise...................................................73Chapter 9 Ohio Bound.........................................................86Chapter 10 A Story Remembered.................................................95Chapter 11 Thayer's Nightmare.................................................97Chapter 12 Craving the Thrill.................................................103Chapter 13 Separation.........................................................110Chapter 14 The Flood..........................................................114

Chapter One

Anna Cass moodily watched the drizzling rain slide down her bedroom window. Looking through the streaked panes at her gloomy Chicago street, all her pent up eagerness and anticipation dissipated with every tap, tap, tapping drop. She had been dreaming of this event for weeks - ever since she and Clyde had received their invitation. Now as she sat at her dressing table thinking of all her ruined plans, she couldn't help feeling depressed.

She and Clyde; (Teddy as she called him); considered themselves very fortunate to have received an invitation to the social event of the year in South Chicago. They had been even asked to sit at the front table as honored guests. As her finger absently traced the gold lettering on the beautiful invitation dated May 22, 1924, her imagination vividly conjured the upcoming evening. Anna had been planning for this day for months; what she would wear, who she would dance with, even with whom she and Teddy would dine.

Building the Calumet Park Field House had engulfed their lives for more than five of the twenty years it had taken to build. All through their early married life, she had visited Teddy at the construction site many times. So that they might have some time together, Anna had taken Teddy most of his meals and had sat beside him countless evenings as he explained the many details of the construction. Girder by girder, brick by brick they had seen the building come to life. Finally, the celebration to dedicate the new building was this evening and they were among the honorees. The weather forecast in today's newspaper had been annoyingly accurate: rain with heavy winds. Typical Chicago Spring!

All week long, Anna's whole focus had been preparing and planning for the opening. She had their agenda memorized. They would leave home at noon so they could be at the field house by one o'clock for the opening ceremonies. After the speeches and introductions, the field games would begin. After the sporting events, they planned to return home for a little rest. She and Ted would then change into their formal clothes, and return to the Field House grounds by six o'clock that evening for the meal, and the open-air band concert. The group would then view the games in the gymnasium at eight, and by nine o'clock, there would be fireworks! But the most important event to Anna was the formal dance which was to begin promptly at nine-thirty. Now with the pouring rain, Anna just knew her beautiful hair would be spoiled-not to mention the effects of the rain on her dress!

The dress was sapphire blue silk and had been made by one of Chicago's foremost dressmakers. In January, her sister-in-law, Lillian, had found the "perfect" fabric at Marshall Field department store. The dress pattern had come all the way from Paris. The planning, the fittings, the accessories, everything for this one special evening was finally ready. As Ted came into their bedroom he looked admiringly at Anna as she made final adjustments at her dressing table. Her brilliant blue eyes, accentuated by the dress, made her look astonishingly beautiful. She was so graceful and stunning; he knew he was a very lucky man. As she saw him approach, Anna stood, turned to her husband and gave him a huge kiss. She teasingly kissed him again- the second time on his nose, to avoid his scratchy mustache. He smiled as he appraised her at arms length, appreciating her beauty. He again thought how amazing it was to have found such a wonderful woman.

Clyde Cass had come to Chicago from Beaver Dam, Wisconsin in July of 1891 to seek his fortune. He had worked on his father's farm but was restless and impatient with rural life. He needed the exhilaration and excitement of "big-city" life, and Chicago definitely filled the bill. The Windy City was booming, and jobs were plentiful. Finding his first job as a laborer in a steel mill, Clyde climbed the management ladder through hard work and education. Though he didn't realize it at the time, he represented all that was good about America. He had begun with little and had, through hard work prospered beyond his wildest imagination. Today was a big day for Clyde, too. It was his company's steel girders that supported and gave strength to the new Calumet Park Field House, and he was to represent his company at today's dedication. He was feeling very proud that Republic Steel had selected him for the honor.

Meeting Anna was the other major event of Clyde's life. Anna, then twenty-four, was teaching at Taylor Elementary School in Chicago. They met at a mutual friend's Fourth of July party. Two years later, in 1900 they married. Though they had no children of their own, they were happy, prosperous, and comfortably settled. "Teddy, would you please help fasten a couple of buttons on the back of my gown? I simply can't reach them myself. And would you tie the ribbon of my necklace? Make sure the bow is small and lies flat. I want everything to be perfect for the dance." Anna instructed. Each time Clyde saw the exquisite necklace, he marveled at its beauty. As he gently placed it around Anna's neck, he was reminded of how old, almost other-worldly, it was. He knew it had been passed down through generations of his wife's family for as long as anyone could remember. Sparkling and shimmering against her pale, slender neck he was enchanted by its beauty. Even Anna's own considerable beauty faded and dimmed against its brilliance.

"I think I'll wear the sapphire dinner ring tonight, too," Anna said.

Moving toward her bureau dresser, she took a small ring from its velvet box and placed it on her finger. Screwing her diamond earrings on her ear lobes she looked approvingly at her reflection in the mirror one last time. "Alright, I think I'm ready."

"I'll say." Clyde smiled, as he took her arm, and escorted her downstairs. With umbrella in hand, they rushed to their car. As Clyde anticipated the evening's festivities, a small smile crossed his face, and his chest puffed with pride as he took the wheel.

Clyde drove up to the field house entrance to get Anna as close as he could. Fortunately the event planers had hastily constructed a tent that covered the walkway to the main building so the ladies gowns...