""In Arcadie, the Land of Hearte's Desire, " "Lette us linger whiles with Luveres fond; " "A sparklynge Comedie they playe -- with Fire --" "Unwyttynge Fate stands waytynge with hir Wande."" "Diane of the Green Van" was awarded the $10,000.00 prize in a novel contest in which over five hundred manuscripts were submitted. $10,000 was real money, back in the day -- pretty darned huge, in fact. The book was made into a silent movie back in 1919, directed by Wallace Worsley, with a script by Thomas J. Geraghty. That's all reason enough for curiosity, but you ought to read this book: the text has a charm all its own.