Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1859-05-25
firtsiNe StaAing.
N ETTIE GRAY
by BELLE

Everybody said that Nettie Gray was a
beauty; not one ofyour polished city bellies,
but a gay, romping, saucy piece of nature's
own handiwork, yet gentle and affectionate
withal, and possessing a depth of feeling
and sentiment which few had power to faith
ON.
Now sweet Nettie Gray as she was call
cd, had long been beloved by one Charlie
Grafton-the handsome Young merchant,
who kept the only store the little village of
N-could boast where he had for some
four or five years, dealt out tea, sugar, cof-
fec, tobacco, c%alicoes, silks, pins, needles,
hardware, and every variety of merchan-
disc, to the villagers and surrounding far.
mers, till be had realized quite a little for
tune a part of which he invested in the
purchase of widow Morton's cottage and
grounds, which, at the death of her hus-
band, she had been obliged to dispose OF,
and took a cheaper place, where she could
live less extensively ; which from the sur
plus Of the price received for the cottage,
she realized a snug little income. Charlie
had also taken the widows son into the
store, as his increasing business made it
necessary to procure assistance. The sal
airy paid little Johnny was a material help
to his mother; for which she was very
grateful to the young merchant, and never
failed to speak a word in his praise when
ever an opportunity presented.
This with the numberless acts of gener-
osity which Charlie never tired of perform
ing, made him the hero of the little village,
and caused him to be beloved and respected,
by both young and old, for many miles
around. To say that Nettic Gray was in
different to his many visits, or for the ar
dent love he entertained for herself, would
be doing injustice to her warm, apprecia-
tive heart. But the spirit of mischief
seemedto possess her and, though she was
uniformly kind and gentle in her disposition
towards her lover, and would converse free
ly and anreservedly with him upon any
other topic, yet, when he approached the
subject that lay nearest his heart she was
off like a frightened bird. Not that the
subject was distasteful to her, flor her own
heartwas equally interested, )but she delight
edit tease him, and heartily ~enjoyedhis dis
comfture on such occasions. She knew he
loved her with all the strength of his soul
and she had no fear of alternating his aztec
tons from herself-an event which would
have given her the deepest pain.
Charlie had began to think seriously O
marriage and why notl There stood tn
cottage, EMPOWERED in trees, many of whicl
were bending under their heavy load c
rare fruit unoccupied. 1t needed only tn
presence Of his bright-eyed Nettie to max
it n paradise. His income was more tina
sufficient to satisfy their most extravagar
wants, and why should he not marry?-
Many times had he visited Nettic for tL
express purpose of making known his wisl
q, but he had often been prevented from sa,
ing what he wished to say bythe little mi
chiefs running away at the first word ute
ed upon the subject. To think of suppl
ing her place from the many fair damse
init-who would gladly have excepted b
hand, was out ofthe question. 1t wasN NJ
tie he loved, and Nettie only, and he f
sure she returned his affections; but he
could he ever get married, if he was n
even permitted to propose. 4 must resc
TO some stratagem,' he thought, and he pt