The River Falls journal. (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1857-1861, 1860-02-08
stlttteo CALF.
NETTIE GRAY,
Making Love on an Apple Tree.

lshed city bellies, but gay, romping, sau-
cy piece of natures handiwork, yet gen
tie and affectionate withal, possessing a
depth of feeling and sentiment which few
are able to fathom.
Now, "Sweet Nettie Gray" as she
was called, had long been loved by one
Charley Gratton-the handsome young
merchant who kept the only store the vii
lage of N could boast of, where he
had for some four or five years dealt out
sugar, tea, coffee, tobacco, calicoes, silks,
pins, hardware and variety of merchan
die to the villagers and grounding far
mers, and had realized quite little for
tune; part of which he had invested in
| the purchase ofthe wild Morton, beau
tiful cottage and grounds, which at the
death of her husband, she had been obi
ged to dispose of and take n cheaper
place, where she could live less expensive
ly; while from the surplus of the price
received for the cottage she received a
nice little income.
Charley had also takon the widows
son into the store, as bis increased bust
ness made it necessary to procure assist
auce. The salary paid to little JOHNNY
was help to his mother, for which she
was very grateful, and never failed to
speak word in his praise wherever an
opportunity presented.
This, with the numberless acts of gener-
oSity which Charley was never tired OF
performing, made him the hero of that
little village, and caused him to be below
cd and respected, by both oil and young,
| for many miles around. To say that
Nettie Gray was Indifferent to his many
visits, or for the ardent love he entertain
ed 70, her, would be doing injustice to
her warm appreciatiye heart. But the
spirit of mischief seemed to possess her,
and, thcngh she was uniformly kind and
gentle in her disposition towards her low
er. and would converse freely and unre-
sorveily with him upon any topic, yet,
when no approached the subject nearest
to his heart, she was off like frighten-
ed bind. Not that she was afraid Of him,
or that the subject was distasteful to her,
flor her own heart was interested) but
she delighted to tease him, and heartily
enioyed his discontinue on such occa-
siops. She knew he loved her with all
the strength of his soul, aud she had no
fear of alternating his affections from her
self-an event which would have given
her the deepest pain.
Charley had begun to think seriously
of marriage; and why not? There was
the cottage embowered with trees, many
of which were bending under their heavy
oad ofrare fruit, unoccupied. 1t needed
only the presence of his bright-eyod Net
tie to make it Paradise. His income
was more than sufficient to supply their
most extravaganza wants, and why should
he not marry! Many times he had vsi-
ted Net.ie for the express purpose of ma
king knswn bis wishes, but had been as
often prevented from saying what he wan
ted to say, by the little lnischief's run
ming away at the first word he uttered on
the subject. To think of supplying her
place from the many fair damsels in it
who would have gladly have accepted his
hand, was out of the question. 1t was
Nettie he loved, and Nettie only, and he
felt sure she returned his affections, but
how could he ever get married if he was
not permitted to proposes must resort
to stratagcm, he thought; and he partial
" formed many plans to bring the little
beauty to terms, and as often abandoned
them.
His mind was busy with such thoughts
as one bright morning in September he
walked towards farmer Gray's mansion.
He leisurely assembled the hill, at the top
of which, upon lovely table land, stood
the great old house, when he was startled
by voice calling:
"Bring the ladder, Dick! l want
to get down."
And looking up he beheld Nettie seat
ed in the wide-spreading branches of a
large apple tree that stood in the field near
the road, Dick perched upon the top
most round of a ladder that leaned against
a pear tree, was quietly filing a basket
with the rich fruit.
await a minute, sis" replied Dick