Who was Laura Bass

        Who was Laura Bass?

Suzanne Marsh

1867

The two young lovers fell into each other's arms; the moon full and bright. She was the most beautiful woman Sam Bass had ever seen, with long blond hair, crystal clear blue eyes, and skin of alabaster. Here he was under the large oak tree naked in his arms. Sam knew it was dangerous to be here with her. Her daddy owned most of Round Rock, Texas, and the surrounding area. Trace Matthews wanted what was best for his little girl. He sent her to Miss Howard’s Finishing School, he had great plans for her to marry the governor’s son Englebert. Sarah Matthews had other plans, she was going to marry Sam Bass. She loved him and was determined to have her own way. It was almost dawn when Sam parted from Sarah, riding back to his hideout. He knew it was time to move on, Round Rock was steadily losing its draw. Sam rode out the next day leaving Sarah to tell her father she was pregnant with Sam’s baby. Trace sent her away in disgrace to have the baby in Dallas; her sister Jenny would take care of her until the baby could be adopted. Sarah had no way to let Sam know he was the father of a beautiful little girl.

1887

Elizabeth Ann Warren had no idea she had been adopted, there was no reason for her to know. She was a tall willowy red-heard with blue eyes, she did not resemble her parents. She had the life most young women wished for: a home in Dallas, and her father was president of the bank. She could have anything she wanted, she was betrothed to State Senator Robert Henderson’s son John. Her beauty was well known throughout Dallas. She was being sent to Finishing School back east, Miss Hutchinson’s Finishing School. She hated the thought of leaving Texas even for a year. Before she left, she decided to take her Palomino mare. She gave the mare her head, the beautiful girl on the exotic mare.

The following morning her parents took her to Dallas in their barouche. She was dressed in a silk dress, a hat, gloves, and all the accessories. Her trunks sat on the rear of the carriage, all were packed for the entire school year.

Elizabeth Warren arrived in Boston, a dirty city, she wished she had stayed home another year. There she could ride on the plains, on her mare, the wind blowing in her hair, instead, here she was in Boston City. Miss Hutchinson’s Finishing School was located near Faneuil Hall in the heart of Boston. She arrived there shortly after noon. The girls were sitting down to eat lunch when Miss Hutchinson rose to introduce the new girl:

“This girls is Elizabeth Warren, she is from Dallas, Texas. Elizabeth smiled shyly, as she was offered a seat and lunch. Elizabeth learned quickly, how to walk and dress like a young lady of breeding. There was a small part of her that longed to return home, a feeling she had the entire year she spent in Boston. She strolled the streets of Boston with her classmates, historical points of interest Miss Hutchinson referred to them as. Her friends collectively were as wealthy as she was but she had decided when she arrived no one needed to know who her father was.

1888

Graduation day arrived with a chill in the air, Elizabeth had waited patiently in her room then she a familiar form, her father followed by her mother, they were here. Finally, she would be going home where she belonged. Catherine her best friend came by to visit before the ceremony. They talked about what they intended to do once they returned to their homes. Elizabeth asked Catherine if she would like to come and visit her in Dallas. Catherine thought that would be great, she would be delighted, she also returned the invitation to Elizabeth who said she would like to see Maine. They began planning dates.

The train pulled out of Boston on time, Elizabeth watched out the train window as the train rambled on the tracks back to Dallas. Elizabeth couldn’t wait to see the mare, to ride on the prairie with her hair flying in the wind. She was home with family, and she did not have to pay Miss Hutchinson if she wanted to purchase clothing. She was free of that old biddy. Elizabeth had no conception of what her father was planning, until one beautiful spring day in Dallas when a very tall handsome man arrived to visit, he was Matthew Tarbull, and he was visiting her father and mother for a month before returning to New York City, New York. Elizabeth thought he was the most handsome man she had ever laid eyes on, and Matthew reciprocated the feeling. They fell in love during his visit, neither knowing how to broach the subject of marriage with their parents. Matthew bluntly asked Elizabeth’s father for her hand in marriage, he was both pleased and stunned.

1895

Elizabeth and Matthew arrived on the first train from New York City they could. Elizabeth’s father passed away followed two weeks later by her mother. She had cried most of the way from New York. Matthew was no president of the bank, their son was a vice president. After her parents were buried she began to clear our items from the attic. She came across a trunk pushed out of sight. She opened and found her adoption record. She screamed and fainted, it was too much more for her to discover she was adopted, her name was not Elizabeth Ann Warren, her name was Laura, Laura Bass.

Matthew found her on the floor of the attic, and helped her up. She was deathly pale as she began:

“I wasn’t their child, I was adopted. My birth mother was a woman named Sarah, the kicker is

my father was Sam Bass, the outlaw. Why did they lie to me all these years Matt? Sam Bass

was a bank and train robber; I read about him in several books. What do I do? Do I just

keep our dirty little family secret? If that ever got out we would be ruined.”

Matt smiled down at her:

“So you are Sam Bass’s love child, I heard stories over the years, and I suspect they were true.

Sam Bass was a train and bank robber, I doubt he knew you existed: we won’t say

anything, no one need ever know you were adopted by the Warrens if that is what

you truly want.”

Elizabeth looked into his eyes, and she smiled a loving smile: “Yes, that is what I want.”