The Lucky Piece: A Tale of the North WoodsPaine, Albert Bigelow
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The Lucky Piece: A Tale of the North Woods
Paine, Albert Bigelow
Adirondack Mountains (N.Y.) -- Fiction; Love stories
"I am really afraid I shall have to restrain my enthusiasm," she wrote
in one of these letters. "I am almost certain that Mamma's improvement
and desire to linger here are largely due to her conviction that so long
as I am here you are safe from the baleful Amanita, not to mention
myself. Besides, it is a little risky, sometimes, and one has to know a
very great deal to be certain. I have had a lot of time to study the
book here, and have attended a few lectures on the subject. Among other
things I have learned that certain Amanitas are not poison, even when
they have the cup. One in particular that I thought deadly is not only
harmless, but a delicacy which the Romans called 'Cæsar's mushroom,' and
of which one old epicure wrote, 'Keep your corn, O Libya--unyoke your
oxen, provided only you send us mushrooms.'" She went on to set down the
technical description from the text-book and a simple rule for
distinguishing the varieties, adding, "I don't suppose you will gather
any before my return--you would hardly risk such a thing without my
superior counsel--but should you do so, keep the rule in mind. It is
taken word for word from the book, so if anything happens to you while I
am gone, either you or the book will be to blame--not I. When I come
back--if I ever do--I mean to try at least a sample of that epicurean
delight, which one old authority called 'food of the gods,' provided I
can find any of them growing outside of that gruesome 'Devil's Garden.'"
Frank gave no especial attention to this portion of her letter. His
interest in mushrooms was confined chiefly to the days when Constance
could be there to expatiate on them in person.
In another letter she referred to their adventure on the mountain, and
to the fact that Frank would be likely to see Robin before her return.
"You may tell Robin Farnham," she said, "about our visit to the hermit,
and of the message he sent. Robin may be going in that direction very
soon, and find time to stop there. Of course you will be careful not to
let anything slip about the tale he told us. I am sure it would make no
difference, but I know you will agree with me that his wishes should be
sacred. Dear me, what a day that was, and how I did love that wonderful
house! Here, among all these people, in this big modern hotel, it seems
that it must have been all really enchantment. Perhaps you and Robin
could make a trip up there together. I know, if there truly is a
hermit, he will be glad to see you again. I wonder if he would like to
see _me_ again. I brought up all those sad memories. Poor old man! My
sympathy for him is deeper than you can guess."
It happened that Robin returned to the Lodge that same afternoon. A
little later Frank found him in the guide's cabin, and recounted to him
his recent adventures with Constance on the mountain--how they had
wandered at last to the hermitage, adding the message which their host
had sent to Robin himself.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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