b'Above/Left to Right: The famed Lyric Theater on Broadway in New York, where Claras musical Mexicana played 82 shows in 1906; theater poster for Mexicana; illustration of Broadway Blvd. in New York, 1905; Claras husband Hal Sevier photographed during his time in the Texas Legislature; Left/Upper: Contemporary photo of Laguna Gloria, built by the Seviers on Lake Austin; Lower: Daughters of the Republic of Texas gathered at Laguna Gloria.a Broadway musical with the young composerfor president, which was then decided by del-John Raymond Hubbell, just the third produc- egate votes at the national convention, before tion of his career that spanned more than twotodays system of primary elections. FDR won decades and over two dozen plays. Clara per- 1,032 to 61.sonally financed the production of Mexicana,It was in New York that Clara married Hal whichran82performancesfromJanuarySevier,anewspapereditorfromTennessee through April 1906 at the famed Lyric Theaterwherehisfamilywerefoundingpioneers, on Broadway. and who had served in the Texas Legislature In support of the young Texas belle who wasduring his time in Uvaldethe two had origi-fast making her name in the New York high- nally met in Austin a few years earlier. From artsworld,Mexicanaperformancesweretheir wedding day at the famed St. Patricks attendedbyallfivemembersoftheTexasCathedral, also in 1906, the couple resided at congressionaldelegationatthetimeboththeir Sevier Villa on Long Island until 1914, senators and all three members of the Housewhen Claras father died. It was then that the of Representatives. Seviers returned to Texas.AmongthemwasRep.JohnNanceGarnerTHE LAGUNA GLORIA DAYS, BRINGING from Uvalde, known in Texas as Cactus JackART TO AUSTINIn 1915, Clara and Hal pur-for his outspoken support of the prickly pearchased over 28 acres on the Colorado River, cactus versus the bluebonnet, in the heatedknown as Lake Austin, five miles west of town. debate over the official choice of Texas stateThey endeavored to build an Italian villa-in-flower by the legislature.spired mansion of fifteen bedrooms like that Afour-decadepoliticalfriendshipbetweenat which they honeymooned on Lake Como. DriscollandGarnerstartedwithhisatten- Themagnificentpropertybecameacenter danceatherBroadwaymusical,andlastedof social activity in Central Texas where the through his stint as Speaker of the House andSeviersentertainedcelebrities,royaltyand two-terms as Vice President under Presidentpoliticians from around the world. Among the FranklinDelanoRoosevelt.Clarasupportedgroups who gathered with Clara at her fabu-Garners very unsuccessful challenge againstlous estate was the Daughters of the Republic Roosevelt for the 1940 Democratic nominationof Texas, with which she held heroine status.106THECOASTALBENDMAGAZINE TheCoastalBend.com'