The Story of Sugar   By: Sara Ware Bassett (1872-1968)

The Story of Sugar

BY

SARA WARE BASSETT

Author of

"The Story of Lumber" "The Story of Wool" "The Story of Leather" "The Story of Glass"

ILLUSTRATED BY C. P. GRAY

To my cousin William Pittman Huxley this book is affectionately inscribed

It gives me much pleasure to acknowledge the courtesy of the American Sugar Refining Company, and also the kindness of Senator Truman G. Palmer, of Washington, D. C.

S. W. B.

CONTENTS

I. COLVERSHAM

II. A NARROW ESCAPE

III. SUGARING OFF

IV. THE REFINERY

V. VAN SPRINGS A SURPRISE

VI. A FAMILY TANGLE

VII. MR. CARLTON MAKES A WAGER AND WINS

VIII. VAN MUTINIES

IX. VAN'S GREAT DEED

X. HOW VAN BORE HIS PUNISHMENT

XI. THE BOYS MAKE A NEW ACQUAINTANCE

XII. THE DAWN OF A NEW YEAR

Illustrations

"SUGAR IT IS, THEN!"

"I DON'T REMEMBER THAT BIG ROCK"

"I SHOULD THINK IT WOULD STICK TOGETHER"

"IT IS NO EASY TASK"

NO HORN HAD GIVEN WARNING

"THESE TANKS ARE CONNECTED"

THE STORY OF SUGAR

CHAPTER I

COLVERSHAM

"Oh, say, Bobbie, quit that algebra and come on out! You've stuck at it a full hour already. What's the use of cramming any more? You'll get through the exam all right; you know you always do," protested Van Blake as he flipped a scrap of blotting paper across the study table at his roommate.

Bob Carlton looked up from his book. "Perhaps you're right, Van," he replied, "but you see I can't be too sure on this stuff. Math isn't my strong point, and I simply must not fall down on it; if I should flunk it would break my father all up."

"You flunk! I'd like to see you doing it." Van smiled derisively. "When you fall down on an exam the rest of us better give up. You know perfectly well you'll get by. You are always worrying your head off when there's no earthly need of it. Now look at me. If there is any worrying to be done I'm the one that ought to be doing it. Do I look fussed? You don't catch your uncle losing any sleep over his exams and yet I generally manage to scrape along, too."

"I know you do you old eel!" Bob glanced admiringly at his friend. "I believe you just wriggle by on the strength of your grin."

"Well, if you are such a believer in a grin why don't you cultivate one yourself and see how far it will carry you?" chuckled Van. "The trouble with you, Bobbie, is your conscience; you ought to be operated on for it. Why are you so afraid you won't get good marks all the time?"

"I'm not afraid; but I'd be ashamed if I didn't," was the serious reply. "I promised my father that if he'd let me come to Colversham to school I'd do my best, and I mean to. It costs a pile of money for him to send me here, and it's only decent of me to hold up my end of the bargain."

Van Cortlandt Blake stretched his arms and gazed thoughtfully down at the ruler he was twirling in his fingers.

"Bobbie, you're a trump; I wish more fellows were like you. The difference between us is that while I perfectly agree with you I sit back and talk about it; you go ahead and do something. It's rotten of me not to work harder down here. I know my father is sore on it, and every time he writes I mean to take a brace and do better honest I do, no kidding. But you know how it goes. Somebody wants me on the ball nine, or on the hockey team, or in the next play, and I say yes to every one of them. The first I know I haven't a minute to study and then I get ragged on the exams.