“A Lover’s Mystery” – Piquant message found on a tree – High in the John Long Mtns.
Silver Plate On Tree Tells Love Story
A memento of an early-day Montana romance was discovered recently by John Clack, fire assistant of the Missoula national forest, while making an inspection on the summit of the John Long mountains, on the divide between Harvey and Upped (sic) Willow creeks, about 10 miles due south of Nimrod. It was a silver plate, blackened by years of exposure, and was fastened to a large pine tree at the highest point of the ridge.
Mr. Clack, after rubbing off some of the tarnish, made out the following inscription:
“To Miss Mary Ann Clark, with the compliments of Alfonse Gratton. Though hills and dales doth us part, others shall have my company, but you shall have my heart.”
In the lower right corner was engraved a heart inclosing the initials, “M. A.” A lovers’ knot adorned the left lower corner.
The plate had been engraved by one skilled in the use of engravers’ tools, Mr. Clack says, as it showed that extreme care had been used in making the characters.
He left the plate on the tree, and it will soon be forgotten, as its story is now forgotten. Mr. Clack is at a loss to account for the presence of the plate in its location, as nobody has resided in that region for many years, and the climb to the summit is a hard one.
Belief has been expressed that the plate was presented to May Anne Clark, who returned it without her love to the donor. The lovelorn swain, seeking an outlet for his blasted hopes, nailed the plate on the tree, then left for fairer fields and pastures new, there to forget his broken heart and the damsel in old Montana.
The above article appeared in The Daily Missoulian on October 11, 1925.
An obituary for Joseph Alphonse Gratton appeared in The Missoulian on November 12, 1959:
Joseph A. Gratton Taken by Death
Joseph Alphonse Gratton, 77, retired forest service workman of Clinton, died Wednesday morning at a local hospital. He was born Jan. 10, 1882, in Canada.
He is survived by a sister, Mrs. Cyprian Durocher, Lachute, Quebec, Canada, and several nieces and nephews.
The body is at the Squire-Simmons-Carr Mortuary.
The spot referred to here, above Harvey Creek, is a beautiful one, with a prominent view of surrounding mountains. The area was likely used as a sheep grazing range at one time. There is also a rock cairn nearby that resembles a grave, which only adds to the mystery of that location.
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