Dream Life A Fable Of The Seasons Author:Donald Grant Mitchell DEDICATORY LETTER ADDRESSED TO WASHINGTON IRVING. MY DEAR SIR I DO not know to whom I could more appropriately dedicate this little hook than to one who has been so long my teacher and who has seemed to be, so long, my friend. It is true, that until six months ago, I had never the honor of meeting with you but, there are thousands, Sir, who have... more » never seen you who yet know you, and esteem you, as fully as myself. . If I have attained to any facility in the use of language, or have gained any fitness of expression, in which to dress my thoughts, I know not to what writer of the English language, I am more indebted, than to you. And if I have shown as I have tried to show a truthfulness of feeling, that is not lighted by any counterfeit of passion, but rather, by a close watchfulness ofnature, and a cordial sympathy with human suffering I know not to what mans heart, that truthful ness will come home sooner, than to yours. Believe me, Dear Sir, it is from no wish to associate my name with the names of the great, that I ask your acceptance of this little token of respect. My aims are humbler than this I would simply pay homage to the Author, who has wrought our language into the most exquisite forms of beauty and to the man, who has touched our hearts, with the tenderness of a friend. DEDICATORY LETTER. iii And if I might hope, that this simple mark of my admiration, and of my esteem, would commend me to your charity to say nothing of your regard it is all that I would ask. DONALD G. MITCHELL. CONTENTS. INTRODUCTORY. I. WITH MY AUNT TABITHY, . 11 II. WITH MY READER, 20 DREAMS OF BOYHOOD. SPRING, . 33 I. RAIN IN THE GARRET, .... 38 II. SCHOOL DREAMS, III. BOY SENTIMENT, . . , . . 56 45« less