CHAPTER LVIII 



POISONOUS PLANTS 



Till] death of poor Joseph had spread conster- 

 nation through the village. If children left 

 the house and went off into the fields, there was con- 

 >t,mt anxiety until they returned. They might find 

 poisonous plants that would tempt them with their 

 flowers or their berries, and poison them. Many 

 said, with reason, that the best way to prevent these 

 terrible accidents was to know the dangerous plants 

 and teach the children to beware of them. They 

 went and found Maitre Paul, whose great knowledge 

 was appreciated by all, and asked him to teach them 

 the poisonous plants of the neighborhood. So Sun- 

 day evening there was a numerous gathering at 

 Uncle Paul's. Besides his two nephews and his 

 nil 'co, Jacques and Mother Ambroisine, there were 

 Simon, who had come upon the two unfortunate chil- 

 dreii on hi< way home from the mill, Jean the miller, 

 Andre the plowman, Philippe the vine-dresser, An- 

 toine, Mathieu, and many others. The day before, 

 Uncle Paul had taken a walk in the country to gather 

 the plants he was to talk about. A large bunch of 

 the principal poisonous plants, some in hlossom, 

 others with berries, were in a piteher of water on the 

 table, 



"There are pn.pl, , my friends," he heiran, "who 



275 



