Year: 1873

THE DREAMING BEECH.


More than hundred years have pass
ed since it was struck by lightning and
split from top to bottom, and the plow
has we'll furrowed the place where it
grew. Before that time the mighty old
beech tree stood, some hundred yards
from the first houses Of the village, on
a grassy mound, tree such as one
never sees in these days, because ami
mails, plants, trees, and men are becom-
ing small and mean.


The peasants said the tree dated from
the early Christian era, and that holy
apostle had been massacred beneath it
by a false heathen 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
dream, that dream would surely come
true. So from time immemorial it was
called the Dreaming Beech, and no one
knew it Dy any other name. There was,
however, peculiar condition attached
to the dreaming, and if anybody lay
down under the beech with the idea of
dreaming some particular thing, then
the dream would sure to be nothing but
confusion and rubbish, and nonsense of
all sorts, of which no one could make
either head or tail. Now this was as
suredly rather a difficult stipulation,
because most people are SO very likely
to think of what lies nearest the heart.


One hot summers day, when not a
breath of air stirred, poor journeyman
came wandering along the road. Things
had gone very badly with him for many
years in foreign parts. When he reach
ed the village he turned his pockets in
side out for the last time, but, alas |
they were empty.


"What am I to do?" he thought to
himself; CT 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 slopel; and as it stood only few
yards from che road, he laid himself
down undar it to rest. While he was
soundly sleeping branch dropped from
the beech tree, with three leaves on it,
which fell just on his breast. He dreamt
that he sat at table, in a most cozy
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 woman, 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 ont, laugh
ingly, "What a capital nurse you
make !" jumping about the room was
another child-a fat, rosy-cheeked ur-
chin-dragging about large carrot, to
which he had tied a string, and shout
ing out, Tally no = as if it were the
finest fox. And both children were his


wn.


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


When he awoke it was almost tevening,
and before him stood shepherd smok-
ing. He sprang up from the ground,
much refreshed, stretched himself, and
yawned, saying:


Heavens if it were only true but,
at all events, it was pleasant to know
how it wonld 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 newborn babe, he exclaimed:


"Well, you're q lucky dog! For any
one could read in your face you were
dreaming for long time rs you lay
there" And 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"


cold fellow" answered the young
man, grinning, "that is the way, is it,
you question strangers in these parts
I 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 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
long pole, with golden crown dang
ling from it. And below, at the door,
stood the landlord of. the Crown Inn. He
happened to be in good humor, for he
had very good supper, and was feel
ing quite happy and genial. So the
young laborer pulled off his cap and
asked for nights shelter.


The landlord of the Grown Inn
looked at the smart lad in his dusty,
ragged clothes, from top to toe, and
then kindly nodding, said to him:


"Sit down here in this arbor. I dare
say there's bit of bread and cheese