what diantha did-第25节

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Special　service　for　entertainments；　maids　and　waitresses；　by　the　hour　。
。　。　　。25
　Catering　for　entertainments。
　Delicacies　for　invalids。
　Lunches　packed　and　delivered。
Caffeteria　。　。　。　12　to　2


What　annoyed　the　young　manager　most　was　the　uncertainty　and　irregularity
involved　in　her　work；　the　facts　varying　considerably　from　her
calculations。

In　the　house　all　ran　smoothly。　　Solemn　Mrs。　Thorvald　did　the　laundry
work　for　thirty…fiveby　the　aid　of　her　husband　and　a　big　mangle　for　the
〃flat　work。〃　　The　girls'　washing　was　limited。　　〃You　have　to　be
reasonable　about　it；〃　Diantha　had　explained　to　them。　　〃Your　fifty　cents
covers　a　dozen　piecesno　more。　　If　you　want　more　you　have　to　pay　more；
just　as　your　employers　do　for　your　extra　time。〃

This　last　often　happened。　　No　one　on　the　face　of　it　could　ask　more　than
ten　hours　of　the　swift；　steady　work　given　by　the　girls　at　but　a　fraction
over　14　cents　an　hour。　　Yet　many　times　the　housekeeper　was　anxious　for
more　labor　on　special　days；　and　the　girls；　unaccustomed　to　the　three
free　hours　in　the　afternoon；　were　quite　willing　to　furnish　it；　thus
adding　somewhat　to　their　cash　returns。

They　had　a　dressmaking　class　at　the　club　afternoons；　and　as　Union　House
boasted　a　good　sewing　machine；　many　of　them　spent　the　free　hours　in
enlarging　their　wardrobes。　　Some　amused　themselves　with　light　reading；　a
few　studied；　others　met　and　walked　outside。　　The　sense　of　honest　leisure
grew　upon　them；　with　its　broadening　influence；　and　among　her　thirty
Diantha　found　four　or　five　who　were　able　and　ambitious；　and　willing　to
work　heartily　for　the　further　development　of　the　business。

Her　two　housemaids　were　specially　selected。　　When　the　girls　were　out　of
the　house　these　two　maids　washed　the　breakfast　dishes　with　marvelous
speed；　and　then　helped　Diantha　prepare　for　the　lunch。　　This　was　a　large
undertaking；　and　all　three　of　them；　as　well　as　Julianna　and　Hector
worked　at　it　until　some　six　or　eight　hundred　sandwiches　were　ready；　and
two　or　three　hundred　little　cakes。

Diantha　had　her　own　lunch；　and　then　sat　at　the　receipt　of　custom　during
the　lunch　hour；　making　change　and　ordering　fresh　supplies　as　fast　as
needed。

The　two　housemaids　had　a　long　day；　but　so　arranged　that　it　made　but　ten
hours　work；　and　they　had　much　available　time　of　their　own。　　They　had　to
be　at　work　at　5：30　to　set　the　table　for　six　o'clock　breakfast；　and　then
they　were　at　it　steadily；　with　the　dining　rooms　to　〃do；〃　and　the　lunch
to　get　ready；　until　11：30；　when　they　had　an　hour　to　eat　and　rest。　　From
12：30　to　4　o'clock　they　were　busy　with　the　lunch　cups；　the　bed…rooms；
and　setting　the　table　for　dinner；　but　after　that　they　had　four　hours　to
themselves；　until　the　nine　o'clock　supper　was　over；　and　once　more　they
washed　dishes　for　half　an　hour。　　The　caffeteria　used　only　cups　and
spoons；　the　sandwiches　and　cakes　were　served　on　paper　plates。

In　the　hand…cart　methods　of　small　housekeeping　it　is　impossible　to　exact
the　swift　precision　of　such　work；　but　not　in　the　standardized　tasks　and
regular　hours　of　such　an　establishment　as　this。

Diantha　religiously　kept　her　hour　at　noon；　and　tried　to　keep　the　three
in　the　afternoon；　but　the　employer　and　manager　cannot　take　irresponsible
rest　as　can　the　employee。　　She　felt　like　a　most　inexperienced　captain　on
a　totally　new　species　of　ship；　and　her　paper　plans　looked　very　weak
sometimes；　as　bills　turned　out　to　be　larger　than　she　had　allowed　for；　or
her　patronage　unaccountably　dwindled。　　But　if　the　difficulties　were
great；　the　girl's　courage　was　greater。　　〃It　is　simply　a　big　piece　of
work；〃　she　assured　herself；　〃and　may　be　a　long　one；　but　there　never　was
anything　better　worth　doing。　　Every　new　business　has　difficulties；　I
mustn't　think　of　them。　　I　must　just　push　and　push　and　pusha　little
more　every　day。〃

And　then　she　would　draw　on　all　her　powers　to　reason　with；　laugh　at；　and
persuade　some　dissatisfied　girl；　or；　hardest　of　all；　to　bring　in　a　new
one　to　fill　a　vacancy。

She　enjoyed　the　details　of　her　lunch　business；　and　studied　it　carefully；
planning　for　a　restaurant　a　little　later。　　Her　bread　was　baked　in　long
cylindrical　closed　pans；　and　cut　by　machinery　into　thin　even　slices；　not
a　crust　wasted；　for　they　were　ground　into　crumbs　and　used　in　the
cooking。

The　filling　for　her　sandwiches　was　made　from　fish；　flesh；　and　fowl；　from
cheese　and　jelly　and　fruit　and　vegetables；　and　so　named　or　numbered　that
the　general　favorites　were　gradually　determined。

Mr。　Thaddler　chatted　with　her　over　the　counter；　as　far　as　she　would
allow　it；　and　discoursed　more　fully　with　his　friends　on　the　verandah。

〃Porne；〃　he　said；　〃where'd　that　girl　come　from　anyway？　　She's　a　genius；
that's　what　she　is；　a　regular　genius。〃

〃She's　all　that；〃　said　Mr。　Porne；　〃and　a　benefactor　to　humanity　thrown
in。　　I　wish　she'd　start　her　food　delivery；　though。　　I'm　tired　of　those
two　Swedes　already。　　Ocome　from？　　Up　in　Jopalez；　Inca　County；　I
believe。〃

〃New　England　stock　I　bet；〃　said　Mr。　Thaddler。　　〃Its　a　damn　shame　the　way
the　women　go　on　about　her。〃

〃Not　all　of　them；　surely；〃　protested　Mr。　Porne。

〃No；　not　all　of　'em；but　enough　of　'em　to　make　mischief；　you　may　be
sure。　　Women　are　the　devil；　sometimes。〃

Mr。　Porne　smiled　without　answer；　and　Mr。　Thaddler　went　sulking　awaya
bag　of　cakes　bulging　in　his　pocket。

The　little　wooden　hotel　in　Jopalez　boasted　an　extra　visitor　a　few　days
later。　　A　big　red　faced　man；　who　strolled　about　among　the　tradesmen；
tried　the　barber's　shop；　loafed　in　the　post　office；　hired　a　rig　and
traversed　the　length　and　breadth　of　the　town；　and　who　called　on　Mrs。
Warden；　talking　real　estate　with　her　most　politely　in　spite　of　her
protestation　and　the　scornful　looks　of　the　four　daughters；　who　bought
tobacco　and　matches　in　the　grocery　store；　and　sat　on　the　piazza　thereof
to　smoke；　as　did　other　gentlemen　of　leisure。

Ross　Warden　occasionally　leaned　at　the　door　jamb；　with　folded　arms。　　He
never　could　learn　to　be　easily　sociable　with　ranchmen　and　teamsters。　
Serve　them　he　must；　but　chat　with　them　he　need　not。　　The　stout　gentleman
essayed　some　conversation；　but　did　not　get　far。　　Ross　was　polite；　but
far　from　encouraging；　and　presently　went　home　to　supper；　leaving　a
carrot…haired　boy　to　wait　upon　his　lingering　customers。

〃Nice　young　feller　enough；〃　said　the　stout　gentleman　to　himself；　〃but
raised　on　ramrods。　　Never　got　'em　from　those　women　folks　of　his；　either。
　He　_has_　a　row　to　hoe！〃　　And　he　departed　as　he　had　come。

Mr。　Eltwood　turned　out　an　unexpectedly　useful　friend　to　Diantha。　　He
steered　club　meetings　and　〃sociables〃　into　her　large　rooms；　and　as
people　found　how　cheap　and　easy　it　was　to　give　parties　that　way；　they
continued　the　habit。　　He　brought　his　doctor　friends　to　sample　the　lunch；
and　they　tested　the　value　of　Diantha's　invalid　cookery；　and　were　more
than　pleased。

Hungry　tourists　were　wholly　without　prejudice；　and　prized　her　lunches
for　their　own　sake。　　They　descended　upon　the　caffeteria　in　chattering
swarms；　some　days；　robbing　the　regular　patrons　of　their　food；　and　sent
sudden　orders　for　picnic　lunches　that　broke　in　upon　the　routine　hours　of
the　place　unmercifully。

But　of　all　her　patrons；　the　families　of　invalids　appreciated　Diantha's
work　the　most。　　Where　a　little　shack　or　tent　was　all　they　could　afford
to　live　in；　or　where　the　tiny　cottage　was　more　than　filled　with　the
patient；　attending　relative；　and　nurse；　this　depot　of　supplies　was　a
relief　indeed。

A　girl　could　be　had　for　an　hour　or　two；　or　two　girls；　together；　with
amazing　speed；　could　put　a　small　house　in　dainty　order　while　the　sick
man　lay　in　his　hammock　under　the　pepper　trees；　and　be　gone　before　he　was
fretting　for　his　bed　again。　　They　lived　upon　her　lunches；　and　from　them；
and　other　quarters；　rose　an　increasing　demand　for　regular　cooked　food。

〃Why　don't　you　go　into　it　at　once？〃　urged　Mrs。　Weatherstone。

〃I　want　to　establish　the　day　service　first；〃　said　Diantha。　　〃It　is　a
pretty　big　business　I　find；　and　I　do　get　tired　sometimes。　　I　can't
afford　to　slip　up；　you　know。　　I　mean　to　take　it　up　next　fall；　though。〃

〃All　right。　　And　look　here；　see　that　you　begin　in　first　rate　shape。　
I've　got　some　ideas　of　my　own　about　those　food　containers。〃

They　discussed　the　matter　more　than　once；　Diantha　most　reluctant　to　take
any　assistance；　Mrs。　Weatherstone　determined　that　she　should。

〃I　feel　like　a　big　investor　already；〃　she　said。　　〃I　don't　think　even　you
realize　the　_money_　there　is　in　this　thing！　　You　are　interested　in
establishing　the　working　girls；　and　saving　money　and　time　for　the
housewives。　　I　am　interested　in　making　money　out　of　ithonestly！　　It
would　be　such　a　triumph！〃

〃You're　very　good〃　Diantha　hesitated。

〃I'm　not　good。　　I'm　most　eagerly　and　selfishly　interested。　　I've　taken　a
new　lease　of　life　since　knowing　you；　Diantha　Bell！　　You　see　my　father
was　a　business　man；　and　his　father　before　himI　_like　it。_　　There　I
was；　with　lots　of　money；　and　not　an　interest　in　life！　　Now？why；
there's　no　end　to　this　thing；　Diantha！　　It's　one　of　the　biggest
businesses　on　earthif　not　_the_　biggest！〃

〃YesI　know；〃　the　girl　answered。　　〃But　its　slow　work。　　I　feel　the
weight　of　it　more　than　I　expected。　　There's　every　reason　to　succeed；　but
there's　th