The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1885-12-03
A NUTTING ROMANCE,

A NUTTING ROMANCE.
Young Augustus de Jones and Miss
Clara Brussels never speak any more
as they pass by. And the avoidance
and vocal silence all grow out of the
prevalent fashion of going nutting. A
few weeks ago the world looked bright
to the young couple. Augustus loved
Clara, and Clara loved Augustus. The
young man admired the old man Brus-
sells, respected old Mrs. Brussels, and
was on intimate terms with the house
dog. Augustus was looking longingly
forward to the time when rise in sal
airy would enable him to call Clara his
own, and the maiden's sleeping hours
were filled with dreams of love in a
cottage. A few days ago the young man
received an invitation TO 90 with the
family on nutting expedition, which
he promptly accepted. The roomy old
family carriage was comfortably filled,
with MIR. and Mrs. Brussels on the
front seat and Augustus and his darl-
ing on the back one. Old man Brus-
sells looked rather scornfully at the
young man, who came attired for a
nutting party as though be were going
to ball, but everything passed off
we'll until the chosen ground was
reached. The day was a delicious
one, with the warm, mellow glow of
the Indian summer air bringing a deli
cious languor to the soul. Arriving
on the ground they soon found there
were plenty OF nuts, but how to get
them was the question. Scarcely any
hnI fol "A bn Iol Lo -
the hickory trees guarded well their
treasures. Clubs were procured. how
ever, and the work of pelting the
nuts from the trees commenced. The
first attempt of young Augustus was a
success. lie drew back to throw and
took old Mrs. Brussels under the chin
with such force us TO draw an agoniz-
ing shrek from the old lady, and the
remark from the old man that ''this
was nutting expedition, not DON
nybrook Fair.
Finally all the clubs were lodged in
the trees, and it was decided that it
was necessary to climb the monarchs
of the forest if any nuts were procur-
ed. Of course this meant work tor.
Augustus. he avoWed Willingness
to try, and was SO bewildered by q
thankful glance from Clara's blue eyes
that he promptly commenced the as
cent of black oak under the impress
sion that it was a hickory.
That young man will do some mis-
chief yet, +" said old Mrs. Brussels, who
was still indignant.
And then Augustus attempted the
explanation that he had intended
elm bing the oak, and then jumping
over from there on the hickory, which,
as the limbs were about forty feet
apart, would have been very heroic
feat indeed.
The young man finally succeeded in
reaching enc OF the branches OF II hick-
ory and dislodging II few consumptive-
looking nuts, one OF which took Clara
on the tip OF her angelic nose, just as
she looked up to see Augustus, retir-
ing her i'll short order. The old man
lay down on the grass and roared, when
Just as he turned over one of the heavi-
est clubs that had lodged in the
branches took him across the mouth,
knocking out two of his teeth and
changing his laugh to roar of an
guish.
II knew he would do some mis-
chief" shrieked the old woman, rush
ing to the relief of her husband and
gazing reproachfully up in the tree just
in time to receive big hickory nut In
the eye.
Clara" shouted the old man, .'lead
up the horse and let us 60 home and
leave that Internal young fooi mp IN the
tree"
Clara, with heart swelling with in-
dignation toward her lover, did as she
was bid, when, just as the Old horse
came under the tree, poor Augustus,
who knew nothing of the damage he
was doing, rained down perfect ava
la uche of clubs and hickory nuts and
started the old horse on the run.
Clara's ,iress caught on the singletree,
there was a tearing sound, a tiutterlng
of old newspa ,Hers III the air, and a
swift dodging behind a neighboring
tree, while the ANXIOUS mother hastily
pinned her remaining apparel to-
gether.
"Got all you want down thereP
cheerfully shouted young Augustus
from the upper branches.
Come down, you confounded idiot,
and see!" shouted old man Brussels,
with @ leam of war in his eye. And
then the women gathered about MIN
and impiored him not to whip the
young man, although they admitted he
deserved punishment
But what a sight met young De
Jones eye when he reached the
ground! The old man prancing around
and splitting out blood and profanity;
the old lady with one eye closed and
the other glaring vengefully at him;
Miss Clara trying to look scornful, with
nose the size of an apple; pieces of
the carriage strewn along the narrow
path, mixed with feminine apparel,
and an occasional piece of bread, of
meat, or pie. and no horse in sight.
whats the matterP" asked the be-
wildered young man. Old man Brus-
sells started towards him, but was held
by the women folks, who briefly and
sternly explained the situation to him
in such way as to let him know that
all was at an end.
.'Mr. De JONES'" said Clara, as he
turned away 60 AUNT his coat (and ah,
how cold the words sounded alter be-
ing so lately called ''dear Augustusr) }
''you are about to lose your handker-
chief"
But poor Augustus well knew that
his handkerchief was in his coat pock-
ct, and Clara would have known better
had not her eyes been swollen with
pain.