t!"

The young farmer was terribly upset at her words, and with a prayer
for her soul, returned home a saddened man. But her mother scolded and
reproached her.

The next night the woman again awoke, and taking her rosary prayed
with still greater fervour, that God would bless her child. This time
the girl laughed as she slept.

"What can the poor child be dreaming about?" she said to herself: and
sighing she prayed for her again. Then she laid her head upon her
pillow and tried in vain to sleep. In the morning, when her daughter
was dressing, she said: "Well, my dear, you were dreaming again last
night, and laughing like a maniac."

"Was I? Listen, I dreamt a nobleman came for me in a silver carriage,
and gave me a golden diadem. When I entered the church with him, the
people admired and worshipped me more than the Blessed Virgin."

"Ay me, what a terrible dream! what a wicked dream! Pray God not to
lead you into temptation."

Then she scolded her daughter severely and went out, slamming the door
after her. That same day a carriage drove into the village, and some
gentlemen invited mother and daughter to share the bread of the lord
of the manor. The mother considered such an offer a great honour, but
the daughter refused it and replied to the gentlemen scornfully: "Even
if you had come to fetch me in a carriage of solid silver and had
presented me with a golden diadem, I would never have consented to be
the wife of your lord."

The gentlemen turned away in disgust and returned home; the mother
rebuked her severely for so much pride.

"Miserable, foolish girl!" she cried, "pride is a breath from hell. It
is your duty to be humble, honest, and sweet-tempered."

The daughter replied by a laugh.

The third night she slept soundly, but the poor woman at her side
could not close her eyes. Tormented with dark forebodings, she feared
some misfortune was about to happen, and counted her beads, praying
fervently. All at once the young sleeper began to sneer and laugh.

"Merciful God! ah me!" cried the poor woman, "what are these dreams
that worry her poor brain!"

In the morning she said, "What made you sneer so frightfully last
night? You must have had bad dreams again, my poor child."

"Now, mother, you look as if you were going to preach again."

"No, no; but I want to know what you were dreaming about."

"Well, I dreamt some one drove up in a golden carriage and asked me to
marry him, and he brought me a ma