what diantha did-第26节

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weight　of　it　more　than　I　expected。　　There's　every　reason　to　succeed；　but
there's　the　combined　sentiment　of　the　whole　world　to　liftit's　as　heavy
as　lead。〃

〃Heavy！　　Of　course　it's　heavy！　　The　more　fun　to　lift　it！　　You'll　do　it；
Diantha；　I　know　you　will；　with　that　steady；　relentless　push　of　yours。　
But　the　cooked　food　is　going　to　be　your　biggest　power；　and　you　must　let
me　start　it　right。　　Now　you　listen　to　me；　and　make　Mrs。　Thaddler　eat　her
words！〃

Mrs。　Thaddler's　words　would　have　proved　rather　poisonous；　if　eaten。　　She
grew　more　antagonistic　as　the　year　advanced。　　Every　fault　that　could　be
found　in　the　undertaking　she　pounced　upon　and　enlarged；　every　doubt　that
could　be　cast　upon　it　she　heavily　piled　up；　and　her　opposition　grew　more
rancorous　as　Mr。　Thaddler　enlarged　in　her　hearing　upon　the　excellence　of
Diantha's　lunches　and　the　wonders　of　her　management。

〃She's　picked　a　bunch　o'　winners　in　those　girls　of　hers；〃　he　declared　to
his　friends。　　〃They　set　out　in　the　morning　looking　like　a　flock　of　sweet
peasin　their　pinks　and　whites　and　greens　and　vi'lets；and　do　more
work　in　an　hour　than　the　average　slavey　can　do　in　three；　I'm　told。〃

It　was　a　pretty　sight　to　see　those　girls　start　out。　　They　had　a　sort　of
uniform；　as　far　as　a　neat　gingham　dress　went；　with　elbow　sleeves；　white
ruffled；　and　a　Dutch　collar；　a　sort　of　cross　between　a　nurses　dress　and
that　of　〃La　Chocolataire；〃　but　colors　were　left　to　taste。　　Each　carried
her　apron　and　a　cap　that　covered　the　hair　while　cooking　and　sweeping；
but　nothing　that　suggested　the　black　and　white　livery　of　the　regulation
servant。

〃This　is　a　new　stage　of　labor；〃　their　leader　reminded　them。　　〃You　are
not　servantsyou　are　employees。　　You　wear　a　cap　as　an　English　carpenter
doesor　a　French　cook；and　an　apron　because　your　work　needs　it。　　It　is
not　a　ruffled　label；it's　a　business　necessity。　　And　each　one　of　us
must　do　our　best　to　make　this　new　kind　of　work　valued　and　respected。〃

It　is　no　easy　matter　to　overcome　prejudices　many　centuries　old；　and　meet
the　criticism　of　women　who　have　nothing　to　do　but　criticize。　　Those　who
were　〃mistresses；〃　and　wanted　〃servants；〃someone　to　do　their　will　at
any　moment　from　early　morning　till　late　evening；were　not　pleased　with
the　new　way　if　they　tried　it；　but　the　women　who　had　interests　of　their
own　to　attend　to；　who　merely　wanted　their　homes　kept　clean；　and　the　food
well　cooked　and　served；　were　pleased。　　The　speed；　the　accuracy；　the
economy；　the　pleasant；　quiet；　assured　manner　of　these　skilled　employees
was　a　very　different　thing　from　the　old　slipshod　methods　of　the　ordinary
general　servant。

So　the　work　slowly　prospered；　while　Diantha　began　to　put　in　execution
the　new　plan　she　had　been　forced　into。

While　it　matured；　Mrs。　Thaddler　matured　hers。　　With　steady　dropping　she
had　let　fall　far　and　wide　her　suspicions　as　to　the　character　of　Union
House。

〃It　looks　pretty　queer　to　me！〃　she　would　say；　confidentially；　〃All　those
girls　together；　and　no　person　to　have　any　authority　over　them！　　Not　a
married　woman　in　the　house　but　that　washerwoman；and　her　husband's　a
fool！〃

〃And　again；　You　don't　see　how　she　does　it？　　Neither　do　I！　　The　expenses
must　be　tremendousthose　girls　pay　next　to　nothing；and　all　that　broth
and　brown　bread　flying　about　town！　　Pretty　queer　doings；　I　think！〃

〃The　men　seem　to　like　that　caffeteria；　don't　they？〃　urged　one　caller；
perhaps　not　unwilling　to　nestle　Mrs。　Thaddler；　who　flushed　darkly　as　she
replied。　　〃Yes；　they　do。　　Men　usually　like　that　sort　of　place。〃

〃They　like　good　food　at　low　prices；　if　that's　what　you　mean；〃　her
visitor　answered。

〃That's　not　all　I　meanby　a　long　way；〃　said　Mrs。　Thaddler。　　She　said　so
much；　and　said　it　so　ingeniously；　that　a　dark　rumor　arose　from　nowhere；
and　grew　rapidly。　　Several　families　discharged　their　Union　House　girls。　
Several　girls　complained　that　they　were　insultingly　spoken　to　on　the
street。　　Even　the　lunch　patronage　began　to　fall　off。

Diantha　was　puzzleda　little　alarmed。　　Her　slow；　steady　lifting　of　the
prejudice　against　her　was　checked。　　She　could　not　put　her　finger　on　the
enemy；　yet　felt　one　distinctly；　and　had　her　own　suspicions。　　But　she
also　had　her　new　move　well　arranged　by　this　time。

Then　a　maliciously　insinuating　story　of　the　place　came　out　in　a　San
Francisco　paper；　and　a　flock　of　local　reporters　buzzed　in　to　sample　the
victim。　　They　helped　themselves　to　the　luncheon；　and　liked　it。　　but　that
did　not　soften　their　pens。　　They　talked　with　such　of　the　girls　as　they
could　get　in　touch　with；　and　wrote　such　versions　of　these　talks　as
suited　them。

They　called　repeatedly　at　Union　House；　but　Diantha　refused　to　see　them。　
Finally　she　was　visited　by　the　Episcopalian　clergyman。　　He　had　heard　her
talk　at　the　Club；　was　favorably　impressed　by　the　girl　herself；　and
honestly　distressed　by　the　dark　stories　he　now　heard　about　Union　House。

〃My　dear　young　lady；〃　　he　said；　〃I　have　called　to　see　you　in　your　own
interests。　　I　do　not；　as　you　perhaps　know；　approve　of　your　schemes。　　I
consider　themahsubversive　of　the　best　interests　of　the　home！　　But　I
think　you　mean　well；　though　mistakenly。　　Now　I　fear　you　are　not　aware
that　this…ahill…considered　undertaking　of　yours；　is　giving　rise　to
considerable　adverse　comment　in　the　community。　　There　isahthere　is　a
great　deal　being　said　about　this　business　of　yours　which　I　am　sure　you
would　regret　if　you　knew　it。　　Do　you　think　it　is　wise；　do　you　think　it
isahright；　my　dear　Miss　Bell；　to　attempt　to　carry　on　aa　place　of
this　sort；　without　the　presence　of　aof　a　Matron　of　assured　standing？〃

Diantha　smiled　rather　coldly。

〃May　I　trouble　you　to　step　into　the　back　parlor；　Dr。　Aberthwaite；〃　she
said；　and　then；

〃May　I　have　the　pleasure　of　presenting　to　you　Mrs。　Henderson　Bellmy
mother？〃

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〃Wasn't　it　great！〃　said　Mrs。　Weatherstone；　〃I　was　there　you　see；　I'd
come　to　call　on　Mrs。　Bellshe's　a　dear；and　in　came　Mrs。　Thaddler〃

〃Mrs。　Thaddler？〃

〃O　I　know　it　was　old　Aberthwaite；　but　he　represented　Mrs。　Thaddler　and
her　clique；　and　had　come　there　to　preach　to　Diantha　about　proprietyI
heard　him；and　she　brought　him　in　and　very　politely　introduced　him　to
her　mother！it　was　rich；　Isabel。〃

〃How　did　Diantha　manage　it？〃　asked　her　friend。

〃She's　been　trying　to　arrange　it　for　ever　so　long。　　Of　course　her　father
objectedyou'd　know　that。　　But　there's　a　sisternot　a　bad　sort；　only
very　limited；　she's　taken　the　old　man　to　board；　as　it　were；　and　I　guess
the　mother　really　set　her　foot　down　for　oncesaid　she　had　a　right　to
visit　her　own　daughter！〃

〃It　would　seem　so；〃　Mrs。　Porne　agreed。　　〃I　_am_　so　glad！　　It　will　be　so
much　easier　for　that　brave　little　woman　now。〃

It　was。

Diantha　held　her　mother　in　her　arms　the　night　she　came；　and　cried　tike　a
baby。

〃O　mother　_dear！_〃　she　sobbed；　〃I'd　no　idea　I　should　miss　you　so　much。　
O　you　blessed　comfort！〃

Her　mother　cried　a　bit　too；　she　enjoyed　this　daughter　more　than　either
of　her　older　children；　and　missed　her　more。　　A　mother　loves　all　her
children；　naturally；　but　a　mother　is　also　a　personand　may；　without
sin；　have　personal　preferences。

She　took　hold　of　Diantha's　tangled　mass　of　papers　with　the　eagerness　of
a　questing　hound。

〃You've　got　all　the　bills；　of　course；〃　she　demanded；　with　her　anxious
rising　inflection。

〃Every　one；〃　said　the　girl。　　〃You　taught　me　that　much。　　What　puzzles　me
is　to　make　things　balance。　　I'm　making　more　than　I　thought　in　some
lines；　and　less　in　others；　and　I　can't　make　it　come　out　straight。〃

〃It　won't；　altogether；　till　the　end　of　the　year　I　dare　say；〃　said　Mrs。
Bell；　〃but　let's　get　clear　as　far　as　we　can。　　In　the　first　place　we　must
separate　your　business；see　how　much　each　one　pays。〃

〃The　first　one　I　want　to　establish；〃　said　her　daughter；　〃is　the　girl's
club。　　Not　just　this　one；　with　me　to　run　it。　　But　to　show　that　any　group
of　twenty　or　thirty　girls　could　do　this　thing　in　any　city。　　Of　course
where　rents　and　provisions　were　high　they'd　have　to　charge　more。　　I　want
to　make　an　average　showing　somehow。　　Now　can　you　disentangle　the　girl
part　front　the　lunch　part　and　the　food　part；　mother　dear；　and　make　it
all　straight？〃

Mrs。　　Bell　could　and　did；　it　gave　her　absolute　delight　to　do　it。　　She
set　down　the　total　of　Diantha's　expenses　so　far　in　the　Service
Department；　as　follows：

Rent　of　Union　House　。　。　。　1；500
Rent　of　furniture　。　。　。　300
One　payment　on　furniture　。　。　。　400
Fuel　and　lights；　etc。　。　。　。　352
Service　of　5　at　10　a　week　each　。　。　。　2；600
Food　for　thirty…seven　。　。　。　3；848
　…
Total　。　。　。　9；000

〃That　covers　everything　but　my　board；〃　said　Mrs。　Bell。

〃Now　your　income　is　easy35　x　4。50　equals　8；190。　　Take　that　from　your
9；000　and　you　are　810　behind。〃

〃Yes；　I　know；〃　said　Diantha；　eagerly；　〃but　if　it　was　merely　a　girl's
club　home；　the　rent　and　fixtures　would　be　much　less。　　A　home　could　be
built；　with　thirty　bedroomsand　all　necessary　conveniencesfor　7；000。
　I've　asked　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Porne　about　it；　and　the　furnishing　needn't　cost
over　2；000　if　it　was　very　plain。　　Ten　per　cent。　of　that　is　a　rent　of
900　you　see。〃

〃I　see；〃　said　her　mother。　　〃Better　say　a　thousand。　　I　guess　it　could　be
done　for　that。〃

So　they　set　down　rent；　1；000。

〃There　have　to　be　five　paid　he