Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1873-11-19
THE DREAMING BEECH.

More than hundred years have
passed since it was struck by lightning
and split from top to bottom, and the
/ piow has well furrowed the place where
1t grew. Before that time the mighty
old beech tree stood, some hundred
yards from the first house of the vii
iage, on grassy mound-a tree such
AS one never sees in these DAYS, because
animals, plants, trees and men are be-
coming small and mean.
The peasants said the tree dated from
the early Christian era, and that holy
/ apostle had been massacred beneath it
/ by false heather that the roots of
the tree had drunk up the apostles
blood, which, rising through the trunk
and branches, had made them SO large
and strong. Who knows if the legend
be true? .-
Anyhow, there was certainly one
curious fact concerning the tree, and
everybody in the village knew about it,
great and small. Whoever fell asleep
under the tree, and dreamt a dream,
would surely come to pass. So from
! time immemorisl, it was called the
Dreaming Beech" and no one knew
it by any other name. There was, how
ever, a peculiar condition attached to
the dreaming, and if anybody lay down
under the beech with the idea of dream
! ing some particular thing, then the
dream would sure be nothing but con-
fusion and rubbish, and nonsense of all
/ sorts, of which no one could make either
head or tale. Now this Was assuredly
rather q difficult stipulation, because
most people are SO very likely to think
of what lies nearest the heart.
One hot summers day, when not q
breath of air stirred, poor jouEneyman
came wandering along the road. Things
had gone very badly with him for many
years in foreign parts. When he reached
the village he turned his pockets inside
out for the last time, but, alas I, they
were empty.
''What am l 10 do = he thought to
himself ''i am tired 10 death, but no
one viii take ME in for nothing. and il is
hard to beg"
Just then his eyes fell upon the noble
beech tree, on the green, grassy slope !;
and as it stood only few yards from
| the road. he laid himself down under It
to rest. While he was soundly sleeping,
a branch dropped from the beech tree,
with three leaves on il, which fell Just
across his breast. He dresmt that he
/ sat at a table, in a most cosy room, and
/ the table was his own, and the room,
4 and, indeed, the whole house. At the
table. leaning on it with both hands,
stood Young woman, looking lovingly
at him, and that was his wife. On his
knees sat a child, whom ne was feeding
with soup, and because the spoon was
| too hot, he blew upon the spoon to cool
it. Then his wife cried out, laughingly,
"What a capital nurse you make !"
Jumping about the room was another
child-a fat, rosy-cheeked urchin-
dragging about a large carrot, to which
he had tied string, and shouting out,
Tally no ~ as If it were the finest fox.
And both children were his own.
This was his dream and it must have
been very pleasant dream, for his
whole face beamed in his sleep. with
happiness.
When he awoke, it was almost even
ing, and before him stood shepherd,
smoking. He sprang up from the
ground, much refreshed, stretched him
self, and yawned. saying
Heavens If il were only true but,
at all events, it was pleasant to know
how it would all feel"
Then the shepherd came up and
asked him whence he came, and whittier
he was going, and whether he had ever
heard of the wonderful beech. Having
learned he was as innocent as a new
born babe, he exclaimed,-
"Well. you're lucky dog, For any
one could read in your face you were
dreaming for a long time as you lay
there" SO he told him the peculiar
virtue of the tree. ''It's sure to come
true" he added. "Now, just tell me
what you were dreaming"
"Old fellow" answered the young
man, grinning, "that is the way, is it,
you question strangers in these parts ?
/ mean to keep my beautiful dream
to myself, and you can't be surprised at
that. But for all that, nothing will
come of it Stuff and nonsense l
should like to know how tree could
come by such power -
As he came into the village, he saw
stuck from the roof of the third house a
long pole, with golden crown dangling
from it. And below, at the door, stood
the landlord of the Crown Inn. He
happened to be in good humor, for he
had had very good supper. So the
young laborer pulled of his cap, and
asked for a nights shelter.
The landlord of the Crown Inn looked
at the smart lad in his dusty, ragged
clothes, from top to toe, and then kindly
nodding. said to him.
'sSit down here in this arbor. i dare
say there's bit of bread and cheese
and Jug of beer to spare for We, and a
truss of straw in the loft at night"
Whereupon he went into the house,
and sent out his daughter with the
bread, and cheese and beer, and she
sat down beside the young man, and
asked him to tell her of the foreign
lands, and in return told him all the
village gossip. Suddenly she rose,
leaned toward the stranger, and said, -
PRAY tell me what those three leaves
are, sticking out of your waistcoat 2
The young man looked down and
found the twig, with three leaves, which
had fallen upon him while he slept. 1t
was caught in the lap of his waistcoat.
'.It must have fallen from the great
beech tree Just outside the village" he
replied. Il had nap under it."
When he ceased speaking. she began
to question him narrowly, till she had
ascertained beyond doubt that he had
really fallen asleep under the great
beech tree, and that, moreover, he knew
nothing of the wonderful power and
properties attached to the tree. For he
was sly dog, and pretended to know
nothing.
As soon as she had done questioning,
she drew him another jug OF beer. and
pressed him to drink, telling him all
the lovely things she had herself
dreamed, and what pity it was they
had not come true.
Just then the shepherd came from
the field, driving his sheep through the
village. As he passed the Crown Inn,