Year: 1873

I , <
passed since it was struck by light


ming and split from top to bottom


and the plough has well furrowed


the place where it grew. Before
that time the mighty old beach tree


stood, some hundred yards from the
first houses in the village, on a grassy


mound, a tree such as one never
Isees in these days, because animals,
plants, trees and men are becoming
small and mean.


The peasants said the tree dated
from the early Christian era, and


that a holy apostle had been massa-
creed beneath it by the false heath


en-; that the roots of the tree had
drunk up the apostles blood, which,
rising through the trunk and branch


es, had made them so large and
strong. Who knows if the iegand
be true? Anyhow, there was GER
tainly one curious fact concerning
the tree, and everybody in the vii
lage knew about it, small and great
Whoever fell asleep under the tree,
and dreamt a dream, that dream
would surely come true. So, from
time immemorial, it was called the
Dreaming Beech, and no one knew it
by any other name. There was,
however, a peculiar condition at
tached to the dreaming, and if any
body lay down under the beech with
the idea of dreaming of some one
particular thing, then the dream
would be sure to be nothing but con
fusion and rubbish and nonsense of
all sorts, of which no one could make
either head or tail. Now this was
lassuredly rather a difficult stipula-
tion, because most people are so very
likely to think of what lies nearest
the heart, consequently, at the time
this story commences not q man or
woman had ever tried the plan with |
success. Still, for all that, it was not
to be deRiedbut that the tradition of |
the Dreaming Beech was true.


One hot summers day, when not
breath of air stirred, poor journey
man came wandering along the road. |
Things had gone badly with him for
many year in foreign parts. When
he reached the village he turned his
pockets inside out for the last time,
but, alas! they were empty.


"What am l do?" he thought to
himself, 81 am tired to death, but no
one will take me in for nothing, and |
it 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.
A gentle breeze sprung up and rus
tied amongst the branches, whilst
here and there CLEAN of glittering
Sunshine fell as the leaves were NOV
ed, disclosing glimpses of the deep
blue sky beyond. Then the tired
wanderer closed his eyes and slept.
Whilst he was thus soundly sleeping
a branch dropped from the beech
tree, with three leaves on it, which
fell just on his breast. He dreamt
that he sat at a table, in a most coy
room; and the table was his own,
and the room, and indeed the whole
house. At the table leaning on it
with both hands, stood a young wo-
man, looking lovingly at him; and
that was his wife. On his knees sat
a child, whom he was feeding with
soup, and because the soup was too
hot, he blew upon the spoon to cool
it. Then his wife cried out laughing
ly, "What capital nurse you make"
Jumping about the room was anoth-
er child, a fat, rosy-cheeked urchin,
dragging about large carrot, to
which he had tied a string, and
shouting out, "Tally ho!" as if it
was the finest fox. And both child
ren were his own.


This was his dream; and it must
have been a very pleasant dream, fer
his whole face beamed, in his sleep,
with happiness.


When he awoke, it was almost
evening, and before him stood a
shepherd, smoking. He sprang up
from the ground, much refreshed;
stretched himself. and yawned, say
ing:


"Heavens! if it were only true!
but, at all events, it was pleasant to
know how it would all feelw


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
Beach?


Having learn he was as innocent
about it as a newborn babe, he ex-
claimed:


"Well, you're a lucky dogl For
any one could read in your face you
were dreaming something pleasant
1 was looking at you for long time,
as you lay there" And he told him
the peculiar virtue of the tree. cts
sure to come true" he added; "as
certain as this is a sheep and that a
lamb. Ask the people in the village
| if it is not so. Now just tell me
what you dreamt"


"Old fellow" answered the Youlg
man, grinning, "thats the way, is it, !