"
The boys listened intently.
"The Germans and the French are much more frugal than we Americans,"
went on Mr. Hennessey. "Sugar is not so common in their countries.
Often when in Germany you will notice people in the restaurants and
caf?s who carry away in their pockets the loaf sugar which has been
allotted them and which they have not had occasion to use. It is a
common occurrence, and considered quite proper, although it looks
strange to us. Doubtless, too, if you have traveled abroad you have
discovered how few candy shops there are. Foreigners regard the
wholesale fashion in which we devour sweets with wonder and often
with disgust. They consider it a form of self-indulgence, and indeed
I myself think we are at times a bit immoderate."
"My father says we are an immoderate people," Van put in.
"I am afraid he is right," nodded Mr. Hennessey. "We seem to proceed
on the principle that if a thing is good we must have a great deal
of it. However, the vice--if vice it be--is good for the sugar
business."
He paused a moment and stood looking down into the great foaming
vats before him.
"You can't see the steam coils that are melting this raw sugar," he
remarked. "They go round the inside of the tanks. But after the
liquid is drawn off you can see them. When first melted the sugar is
far from pure; you would be astonished at the amount of dirt mixed
with it. Many of these impurities boil up to the surface and over
and over again we skim them off.
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