what diantha did-第24节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


discomfort　than　he　caused　her；　but　he　could　not　convince　her　of　it；
naturally。

〃That　Diantha　Bell　is　a　fine　girl；〃　he　said　to　himself。　　〃A　damn　fine
girl；　and　as　straight　as　a　string！〃

There　had　crept　out；　through　the　quenchless　leak　of　servants　talk；　a
varicolored　version　of　the　incident　of　Mathew　and　the　transom；　and　the
town　had　grown　so　warm　for　that　young　gentleman　that　he　had　gone　to
Alaska　suddenly；　to　cool　off；　as　it　were。　　His　Grandmother；　finding　Mrs。
Thaddler　invincible　with　this　new　weapon；　and　what　she　had　so　long
regarded　as　her　home　now　visibly　Mrs。　Weatherstone's；　had　retired　in
regal　dignity　to　her　old　Philadelphia　establishment；　where　she　upheld
the　standard　of　decorum　against　the　weakening　habits　of　a　deteriorated
world；　for　many　years。

As　Mr。　Thaddler　thought　of　this　sweeping　victory；　he　chuckled　for　the
hundredth　time。　　〃She　ought　to　make　good；　and　she　will。　　Something's　got
to　be　done　about　it；〃　said　he。

Diantha　had　never　liked　Mr。　Thaddler；　she　did　not　like　that　kind　of　man
in　general；　nor　his　manner　toward　her　in　particular。　　Moreover　he　was
the　husband　of　Mrs。　Thaddler。　　She　did　not　know　that　he　was　still　the
largest　owner　in　the　town's　best　grocery　store；　and　when　that　store
offered　her　special　terms　for　her　exclusive　trade；　she　accepted　the
proposition　thankfully。

She　told　Ross　about　it；　as　a　matter　well　within　his　knowledge；　if　not
his　liking；　and　he　was　mildly　interested。　　〃I　am　much　alarmed　at　this
new　venture；〃　he　wrote；　〃but　you　must　get　your　experience。　　I　wish　I
could　save　you。　　As　to　the　groceries；　those　are　wholesale　rates；　nearly；
they'll　make　enough　on　it。　　Yours　is　a　large　order　you　see；　and　steady。〃

When　she　opened　her　〃Business　Men's　Lunch〃　Mr。　Thaddler　had　a　still
better　opportunity。　　He　had　a　reputation　as　a　high　flyer；　and　had　really
intended　to　sacrifice　himself　on　the　altar　of　friendship　by　patronizing
and　praising　this　〃undertaking〃　at　any　cost　to　his　palate；　but　no
sacrifice　was　needed。

Diantha's　group　of　day　workers　had　their　early　breakfast　and　departed；
taking　each　her　neat　lunch…pail；they　ate　nothing　of　their
employers；and　both　kitchen　and　dining　room　would　have　stood　idle　till
supper　time。　　But　the　young　manager　knew　she　must　work　her　plant　for　all
it　was　worth；　and　speedily　opened　the　dining　room　with　the　side　entrance
as　a　〃Caffeteria；〃　with　the　larger　one　as　a　sort　of　meeting　place；
papers　and　magazines　on　the　tables。

From　the　counter　you　took　what　you　liked；　and　seated　yourself；　and　your
friends；　at　one　of　the　many　small　tables　or　in　the　flat…armed　chairs　in
the　big　room；　or　on　the　broad　piazza；　and　as　this　gave　good　food；
cheapness；　a　chance　for　a　comfortable　seat　and　talk　and　a　smoke；　if　one
had　time；　it　was　largely　patronized。

Mr。　Thaddler；　as　an　experienced　_bon　vivant；_　despised　sandwiches。　
〃Picnicky　makeshifts〃　he　called　them；〃railroad　rations〃〃bread　and
leavings；〃　and　when　he　saw　these　piles　on　piles　of　sandwiches；　listed
only　as　〃No。　1；〃　〃No。　2〃　〃No。　3；〃　and　so　on；　his　benevolent　intention
wavered。　　But　he　pulled　himself　together　and　took　a　plateful；　assorted。

〃Come　on；　Porne；〃　he　said；　〃we'll　play　it's　a　Sunday　school　picnic；〃　and
he　drew　himself　a　cup　of　coffee；　finding　hot　milk；　cream　and　sugar
crystals　at　hand。　　〃I　never　saw　a　cheap　joint　where　you　could　fix　it
yourself；　before；〃　he　said；and　suspiciously　tasted　the　mixture。

〃By　jing！　　That's　coffee！〃　he　cried　in　surprise。　　〃There's　no　scum　on
the　milk；　and　the　cream's　cream！〃　　Five　cents！　　She　won't　get　rich　on
this。〃

Then　he　applied　himself　to　his　〃No。　1〃　sandwich；　and　his　determined
expression　gave　way　to　one　of　pleasure。　　〃Why　that's　breadreal　bread！　
I　believe　she　made　it　herself！〃

She　did　in　truth；she　and　Julianna　with　Hector　as　general　assistant。　
The　big　oven　was　filled　several　times　every　morning：　the　fresh　rolls
disappeared　at　breakfast　and　supper；　the　fresh　bread　was　packed　in　the
lunch　pails；　and　the　stale　bread　was　even　now　melting　away　in　large
bites　behind　the　smiling　mouths　and　mustaches　of　many　men。　　Perfect
bread；　excellent　butter；　and　〃What's　the　filling　I'd　like　to　know？〃　
More　than　one　inquiring…minded　patron　split　his　sandwich　to　add　sight　to
taste；　but　few　could　be　sure　of　the　flavorsome　contents；　fatless；
gritless；　smooth　and　even；　covering　the　entire　surface；　the　last
mouthful　as　perfect　as　the　first。　　Some　were　familiar；　some　new；　all
were　delicious。

The　six　sandwiches　were　five　cents；　the　cup　of　coffee　five；　and　the
little　〃drop　cakes；〃　sweet　and　spicy；　were　two　for　five。　　Every　man
spent　fifteen　cents；　some　of　them　more；　and　many　took　away　small　cakes
in　paper　bags；　if　there　were　any　left。

〃I　don't　see　how　you　can　do　it；　and　make　a　profit；〃　urged　Mr。　Eltwood；
making　a　pastorial　call。　　〃They　are　so　good　you　know！〃

Diantha　smiled　cheerfully。　　〃That's　because　all　your　ideas　are　based　on
what　we　call　'domestic　economy；'　which　is　domestic　waste。　　I　buy　in
large　quantities　at　wholesale　rates；　and　my　cook　with　her　little　helper；
the　two　maids；　and　my　own　share　of　the　work；　of　course；　provides　for　the
lot。　　Of　course　one　has　to　know　how。〃

〃Whenever　did　you　findor　did　you　create？those　heavenly　sandwiches？〃
he　asked。

〃I　have　to　thank　my　laundress　for　part　of　that　success；〃　she　said。　
〃She's　a　Dane；　and　it　appears　that　the　Danes　are　so　fond　of　sandwiches
that；　in　large　establishments；　they　have　a　'sandwich　kitchen'　to　prepare
them。　　It　is　quite　a　bit　of　work；　but　they　are　good　and　inexpensive。　
There　is　no　limit　to　the　variety。〃

As　a　matter　of　fact　this　lunch　business　paid　well；　and　led　to　larger
things。

The　girl's　methods　were　simple　and　so　organized　as　to　make　one　hand　wash
the　other。　　Her　house　had　some　twenty…odd　bedrooms；　full　accommodations
for　kitchen　and　laundry　work　on　a　large　scale；　big　dining；　dancing；　and
reception　rooms；　and　broad　shady　piazzas　on　the　sides。　　Its　position　on
a　corner　near　the　business　part　of　the　little　city；　and　at　the　foot　of
the　hill　crowned　with　so　many　millionaires　and　near　millionaires　as
could　get　land　there；　offered　many　advantages；　and　every　one　was　taken。

The　main　part　of　the　undertaking　was　a　House　Worker's　Union；　a　group　of
thirty　girls；　picked　and　trained。　　These；　previously　working　out　as
servants；　had　received　six　dollars　a　week　〃and　found。〃　　They　now　worked
an　agreed　number　of　hours；　were　paid　on　a　basis　by　the　hour　or　day；　and
〃found〃　themselves。　　Each　had　her　own　room；　and　the　broad　porches　and
ball　room　were　theirs；　except　when　engaged　for　dances　and　meetings　of
one　sort　and　another。

It　was　a　stirring　year's　work；　hard　but　exciting；　and　the　only
difficulty　which　really　worried　Diantha　was　the　same　that　worried　the
average　housewifethe　accounts。



WHAT　DIANTHA　DID


XI。

THE　POWER　OF　THE　SCREW。


Your　car　is　too　big　for　one　person　to　stir
　Your　chauffeur　is　a　little　man；　too；
Yet　he　lifts　that　machine；　does　the　little　chauffeur；
　By　the　power　of　a　gentle　jackscrew。


Diantha　worked。

For　all　her　employees　she　demanded　a　ten…hour　day；　she　worked　fourteen；
rising　at　six　and　not　getting　to　bed　till　eleven；　when　her　charges　were
all　safely　in　their　rooms　for　the　night。

They　were　all　up　at　five…thirty　or　thereabouts；　breakfasting　at　six；　and
the　girls　off　in　time　to　reach　their　various　places　by　seven。　　Their　day
was　from　7　A。　M。　to　8。30　P。　M。；　with　half　an　hour　out；　from　11。30　to
twelve；　for　their　lunch；　and　three　hours；　between　2。20　and　5。30；　for
their　own　time；　including　their　tea。　　Then　they　worked　again　from　5。30
to　8。30；　on　the　dinner　and　the　dishes；　and　then　they　came　home　to　a
pleasant　nine　o'clock　supper；　and　had　all　hour　to　dance　or　rest　before
the　10。30　bell　for　bed　time。

Special　friends　and　〃cousins〃　often　came　home　with　them；　and　frequently
shared　the　supperfor　a　quarterand　the　dance　for　nothing。

It　was　no　light　matter　in　the　first　place　to　keep　twenty　girls　contented
with　such　a　regime；　and　working　with　the　steady　excellence　required；　and
in　the　second　place　to　keep　twenty　employers　contented　with　them。　　There
were　failures　on　both　sides；　half　a　dozen　families　gave　up　the　plan；　and
it　took　time　to　replace　them；　and　three　girls　had　to　be　asked　to　resign
before　the　year　was　over。　　But　most　of　them　had　been　in　training　in　the
summer；　and　had　listened　for　months　to　Diantha's　earnest　talks　to　the
clubs；　with　good　results。

〃Remember　we　are　not　doing　this　for　ourselves　alone；〃　she　would　say　to
them。　　〃Our　experiment　is　going　to　make　this　kind　of　work　easier　for　all
home　workers　everywhere。　　You　may　not　like　it　at　first；　but　neither　did
you　like　the　old　way。　　It　will　grow　easier　as　we　get　used　to　it；　and　we
_must_　keep　the　rules；　because　we　made　them！〃

She　laboriously　composed　a　neat　little　circular；　distributed　it　widely；
and　kept　a　pile　in　her　lunch　room　for　people　to　take。

It　read　thus：


UNION　HOUSE
Food　and　Service。

General　Housework　by　the　week　。　。　。　10。00
General　Housework　by　the　day　。　。　。　2。00
　Ten　hours　work　a　day；　and　furnish　their　own　food。
Additional　labor　by　the　hour　。　。　。　　。20
Special　service　for　entertainments；　maids　and　waitresses；　by　the　hour　。
。　。　　。25
　Catering　for　entertainments。
　Delicacies　for　invalids。
　Lunc