then, and the children scatter like flies; and, like flies, they instantly swarm back again.

At last, mamma says, says, "Now, children, you must get out of mamma's way. All of you take chairs and sit around the table, and I will tell you about the spices, as I use them in making the pies."

66

'Will you make us a turn-over pie to eat right up ?" asked Charley.

"Yes, if you will be very quiet and good," replied mamma.

A rush for chairs is now made by all except little Tom, who is only three years old, and who is quite content with his high seat.

The little group are soon quiet, and ready to listen.

"The history of the spice trade," mamma begins, "reads like a story. story. You, Mary and Willie, can find it in the history of the Moluccas, or Spice Islands.

"In the year 1511, these islands were settled by the Portuguese, who were soon driven out by the Dutch

"The Dutch East India Company became masters of the islands, and, in order to keep the trade in spices to themselves, they destroyed all the trees except those upon two very rich islands.

"Each year, they sent out men to search over the other islands. They were to destroy every spice-bush that might chance to have sprung up again, or that might have been planted by the natives.

"They made laws, too, by which they could punish with death any one who would dare to plant a clove-tree, or to sell a pound of spice upon these forbidden grounds.

"So the land upon these islands soon became quite useless. Many of the poor natives, whose means of living had thus been taken from them, died of starvation.

"Since 1824, however, there has been more justice shown, both to the natives, and to the traders of other nations."

"O, how selfish and cruel those Dutch traders were!" cried Lillie.

"Mamma, why were they not content

to have the two richest islands to themselves? I think they might have let other nations have the rest. There was enough for all," said Mary.

The

"I know!" cried Bert. "When a thing is scarce, it is worth more money. Dutch wanted to prevent spices from being too plenty, so that people would pay more money for them.”

"Yes," said Willie; "and if spices grew nowhere else, everybody must buy spices of the Dutch. So they must have become very rich."

"I wouldn't buy of them," cried Mary. "I would go without spices, just as the American ladies went without tea, when they had to get it of the English."

trees.

Most monkeys can

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his harp?

"I want to know about pepper," said little Etta, looking up, with eyes and

nose still red from

sneezing.

"I guess you found something about it in the box you opened," said teasing Charley. At this, I am sorry to say, Etta drew her little red nose and lips up together and

"made a face" at Charley.

Mamma shook her head at Charley, and looked sorry at Etta. Then she kindly took up her story:

"Pepper grows in bunches, like hops, upon a creeping vine. The vine grows best in damp ground. It is often planted at the foot of a bread-fruit tree, so that

as the vine climbs up, it may have support of the branches.

"Bunches of dark berries grow upon the vine. These are picked by hand in the months of January and July, just before they are ripe.

"These pepper berries are dried on mats in the sun, or by a slow fire. Then they are placed in vessels of sea-water.

"The poor peppers rise to the surface of the water and are skimmed off. The good ones sink to the bottom. The water is now poured off, the peppers are dried, and are ready to be ground into powder for use.

"Most people buy ground pepper, but the French prefer to get the berries and grind them at the table."

"How is white pepper made, mamma?" asked Willie.

"To make white pepper, the berries are trodden under foot until the dark skin comes off," replied mamma.

"White pepper, mamma, is stronger than black, isn't it?" said Mary.

"No; it is not so pungent."