v.] LTARRY’S DREAM. 263

 

have no difficulty in rearing here in any quantity we
please. Its peculiar quality is that in nine cases out
of ten it buds and blossoms too late to be of any use.
If we could but get it to come out now, in the warm
summer, its leaves would be the greatest comfort by
way of shade from the rays of the summer sun, but
instead of this, it persists in remaining with bare
branches now, and only puts forth its leaves in the
winter, when the sun has lost its power, and when its
shade can be of little service to anybody,’

- As he spoke, the little gentleman opened another
door and remarked to the boy, ‘Here you may see
another curious species of plant. This is the Dream-
tree, from which we supply people in your world with
all kinds of dreams, some of which, I can assure you,
are very pleasant and others equally disagreeable.
Look at this horrible specimen with all kinds of ugly
faces on its leaves: that is a tree of alarming dreams.
There again, the tree which sparkles so is one which
only bears cheerful, happy dreams: this kind is much
rarer than the other.’

‘But,’ said Harry, ‘ ever so many of the trees seem
to be growing root-upwards, how does that come
about ?’

‘Don’t you know?’ interrupted May eagerly, as
if anxious to display her superior information. ‘Silly
boy ! Dreams generally “go by contraries:” so of course
the trees have to grow topsy-turvy in order to enable
them to do so.’

Although Harry did not feel perfectly satisfied
with this explanation, he deemed it inexpedient to
enquire further, and so they passed on through several