Year: 1873

|
and when the cask was empty and the
bottles full, then the girl thought he could
help In the field-work, and when that was


finished there were so many things to be
done in the garden that no one ever
thought of before. SO week after week
slipped by, and every night she dreamt of
him. In the evenings she sat with him In
the arbor by the house, and when he told
her how roughly strangers had treated
him, ard what hardships he had gone
through, it was really very singular, but
| gnat or a hair was sure to get into her
eyes, so that she was obliged to wipe them
with the corner of her apron.
And soft came to pass tina. at the end of
| the year the young man was still in the
house. And then the floors were all
secured, and white sand and fir twigs
strewn in all the rooms, and the whole
village had a holiday. 1t was the wed
ding-day of the young journeyman and
the innkeeper's daughter; and everybody
rejoiced. at it, except just the few who
sulked because they were jealous or pre-
tended to be so.
Crown Inn was decidedly. once more In a
happy frame of mind. He had been eat
ing and drinking to his hearts content,
and sat in his armchair with his snuff-box
on his knee. Long he slept; and at last
when they tried to wake him, they found
he was dead!


So the young journeyman became really
landlord of the Crown, as he said he
would in joke. And, indeed, all that he
had dreamt under the beech tree came
true, for soon he had two lovely children,
one of whom he probably took sometimes
on his knees, and fed with a spoon, and
possibly blew upon the food when it was
too hot. Perhaps, too, the other boy ran
about the room with the carrot but the
person who told me this tale, did not hap
pen to mention the fact, and l forgot to
ask him about it. But it must have hap
pened so, because whatever one dreamt
under the beech tree always did come true,
to the very letter.


One day about five years later, the
young landlord, for such he now was,
had come in, and was sitting in the tap
room, when his wife ran in and said to
him


"Only fancy! yesterday at noon one of
our mowers fell asleep under the Dream
ing Beech, without knowing it, and what
do you think he dreamt! Why, that he
was immensely rich and only think who
it was-Caspar, old Caspar, who is half
witted, and everybody pities and keeps
only for charity. What on earth will he
do with all his moneyr'


"Wife," laughed the husband, show
can you believe such rubbish? You, a
sensible woman Just reflect for one mo-
ment. How is it possible tree can fore
tell the future-let it be ever such an old
and beautiful tree ?"
The wife gazed at her husband with
wondering eyes, shook her hesd, and said
slowly:


"Husband, don't speak so wickedly! !
You ought not to joke on such subjects"
II am not joking, my DEAR" replied
the husband.


For time the woman was silent, as if
she had not rightly understood him. Then
she said:


"why pretend what you do not mean
| Surely. you, of all others, have most rea-
! you dreamt under it come true?"


"God knows" replied the husband
when she had finished speaking" God
knows am grateful, grateful to Him and
TO you. Yes. 1t was beautiful dream.
and / remember it like yesterday; but
everything is thousand times better than
| I dreamt it, and you, love, thousand
times prettier and dearer than the young


woman who appeared in my dream. But
as regards the tree, my darling, this is nv
| opinion: If man loves dancing, he will
| soon find the music to dance to, and echo
repeats the words that are spoken to her.
| I had been for so many years wretched
and miserable amongst strangers, it was


no wonder if once in way dreamt a
pleasant dream"


"But still it was strange that you


should dream that you were to marry
me-"


81 never dreamt that! All I saw was


young woman. with two children, but


she was not half as pretty as you, or the


children either"


"Fie ~ cried the wife "do you mean


to deny me or the tree? Didn't you tell


me the first day we met? It was in the


evening, out there In the arbor. Didn't
you tell me you had dreamt you were to


marry me and become the landlord Of the
Crown Inn?"


Then the man remembered the joke he
had PLAYED his wife and said
SIT can't be helped, dear wife. did not
really dream of you, and If 1 said 80, II
was only a Joke. ] remember you were
so very inquisiiive, and wanted to tease
/ you"


Upon this the wife burst into a flood OF


tears and left the room. When he followed


her. she was standing in the courtyard.


still crying. He did all he could to com.


fort her, but In vain.


"You have stolen my love, and cheated
me out of my heart" she said !" 1 shall


never be happy again, no! never!"


Ten he asked her If she did not love
him more than anybody in the world, and


and II they had not been the happiest


couple in the village?


She could not deny this; but neverthe.


less, she remained sad and miserable, not.


withstanding all he could say. So he


thought, "Let her cry herself QUITO
morrow she will be herself again." But she


was not herself again; for the next morn
ing though she certainly had ceased weep


ing, she was sadder and graver than ever
and pointedly avoided her husband.
Every attempt at reconciliation failed


nearly all day she sat gloomily by herself


starting whenever her husband came neal


her. .f..s
This state Of things continuing some
time, he also began to grow melancholy
; fearing he had altogether lost his wife''
love Silently he moved about the house