what diantha did-第14章

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to　accept　part　payment　in　board　and　lodging　instead　of　cash。　　Such
accommodations　as　are　usually　offered　with　this　position　may　be　rated　at
17。00　a　month。〃

〃O　come　now；　don't　we　board　her　any　better　than　that？〃

〃That's　what　I　thought；　and　I　asked　her　about　it；　and　she　explained　that
she　could　get　a　room　as　good　for　a　dollar　and　a…half　a　weekshe　had
actually　made　inquiries　in　this　very　town！　　And　she　could；　really　a
better　room；　better　furnished；　that　is；　and　service　with　it。　　You　know
I've　always　meant　to　get　the　girl's　room　fixed　more　prettily；　but
usually　they　don't　seem　to　mind。　　And　as　to　foodyou　see　she　knows　all
about　the　cost　of　things；　and　the　materials　she　consumes　are　really　not
more　than　two　dollars　and　a　half　a　week；　if　they　are　that。　　She　even
made　some　figures　for　me　to　prove　itsee。〃

Mr。　Porne　had　to　laugh。

〃Breakfast。　　Coffee　at　thirty…five　cents　per　pound；　one　cup；　one　cent。　
Oatmeal　at　fourteen　cents　per　package；　one　bowl；　one　cent。　　Bread　at
five　cents　per　loaf；　two　slices；　one…half　cent。　　Butter　at　forty　cents
per　pound；　one　piece；　one　and　a…half　cents。　　Oranges　at　thirty　cents　per
dozen；　one；　three　cents。　　Milk　at　eight　cents　per　quart；　on　oatmeal；　one
cent。　　Meat　or　fish　or　egg；　average　five　cents。　　Totalthirteen　cents。〃

〃There！　　And　she　showed　me　dinner　and　lunch　the　same　way。　　I　had　no　idea
food；　just　the　material；　cost　so　little。　　It's　the　labor；　she　says　that
makes　it　cost　even　in　the　cheapest　restaurant。〃

〃I　see；〃　said　Mr。　Porne。　　〃And　in　the　case　of　the　domestic　servant　we
furnish　the　materials　and　she　furnishes　the　labor。　　She　cooks　her　own
food　and　waits　on　herselfnaturally　it　wouldn't　come　high。　　What　does
she　make　it？〃

'Food；　average　per　day　。　。　。　0。35
Room；　1。50　per　w'k；　ave。　per　day　。　。　。　。22
…
　。57

Total；　per　month　。　。　。　17。10

1。50　per　day；　per　month　。　。　。　45。00

〃'Remaining　payable　in　cash；　28。00。'　　Do　I　still　live！　　But　my　dear
Ellie；　that's　only　what　an　ordinary　first…class　cook　charges；　out　here；
without　all　this　fuss！〃

〃I　know　it；　Ned；　but　you　know　we　think　it's　awful；　and　we're　always
telling　about　their　getting　their　board　and　lodging　clearas　if　we
gave'em　that　out　of　the　goodness　of　our　hearts！〃

〃Exactly；　my　dear。　　And　this　amazing　and　arithmetical　young　woman　makes
us　feel　as　if　we　were　giving　her　wampum　instead　of　moneymere　primitive
barter　of　ancient　days　in　return　for　her　twentieth　century　services！　
How　does　she　do　her　workthat's　the　main　question。〃

〃I　never　saw　anyone　do　it　better；　or　quicker；　or　easier。　　That　is；　I
thought　it　was　easy　till　she　brought　me　this　paper。　　Just　read　about　her
work；　and　you'll　feel　as　if　we　ought　to　pay　her　all　your　salary。〃

Mr。　Porne　read：

〃Labor　performed；　average　ten　hours　a　day；　as　follows：　Preparation　of
food　materials；　care　of　fires；　cooking；　table　service；　and　cleaning　of
dishes；　utensils；　towels；　stove；　etc。；　per　mealbreakfast　two　hours；
dinner　three　hours；　supper　or　lunch　one　hoursix　hours　per　day　for　food
service。　　Daily　chamber　work　and　dusting；　etc。；　one　and　one…half　hours
per　day。　　Weekly　cleaning　for　house　of　nine　rooms；　with　halls；　stairs；
closets；　porches；　steps；　walks；　etc。；　sweeping；　dusting；　washing
windows；　mopping；　scouring；　etc。；　averaging　two　hours　per　day。　　Door
service；　waiting　on　tradesmen；　and　extras　one…half　hour　per　day。　　Total
ten　hours　per　day。〃

〃That　sounds　well。　　Does　it　take　that　much　time　every　day？〃

〃Yes；　indeed！　　It　would　take　me　twenty！〃　she　answered。　　〃You　know　the
week　I　was　here　alone　I　never　did　half　she　does。　　Of　course　I　had　Baby；
but　then　I　didn't　do　the　things。　　I　guess　when　it　doesn't　take　so　long
they　just　don't　do　what　ought　to　be　done。　　For　she　is　quick；　awfully
quick　about　her　work。　　And　she's　thorough。　　I　suppose　it　ought　to　be
done　that　waybut　I　never　had　one　before。〃

〃She　keeps　mighty　fresh　and　bright…looking　after　these　herculean
labors。〃

〃Yes；　but　then　she　rests！　　Her　ten　hours　are　from　six…thirty　a。m。；　when
she　goes　into　the　kitchen　as　regularly　as　a　cuckoo　clock；　to
eight…thirty　p。m。　when　she　is　all　through　and　her　kitchen　looks　like
awell　it's　as　clean　and　orderly　as　if　no　one　was　ever　in　it。〃

〃Ten　hoursthat's　fourteen。〃

〃I　know　it；　but　she　takes　out　four。　　She　claims　time　to　eat　her　meals。〃

〃Preposterous！〃

〃Half　an　hour　apiece；　and　half　an　hour　in　the　morning　to　restand　two
in　the　afternoon。　　Anyway　she　is　out；　two　hours　every　afternoon；　riding
in　the　electric　cars！〃

〃That　don't　look　like　a　very　hard　job。　　Her　day　laborer　doesn't　get　two
hours　off　every　afternoon　to　take　excursions　into　the　country！〃

〃No；　I　know　that；　but　he　doesn't　begin　so　early；　nor　stop　so　late。　　She
does　her　square　ten　hours　work；　and　I　suppose　one　has　a　right　to　time
off。〃

〃You　seem　dubious　about　that；　my　dear。〃

〃Yes；　that's　just　where　it's　awkward。　　I'm　used　to　girls　being　in　all
the　time；　excepting　their　day　out。　　You　see　I　can't　leave　baby；　nor
always　take　himand　it　interferes　with　my　freedom　afternoons。〃

〃Wellcan't　you　arrange　with　her　somehow？〃

〃See　if　you　can。　　She　says　she　will　only　give　ten　hours　of　time　for　a
dollar　and　a　half　a　daytisn't　but　fifteen　cents　an　hourI　have　to　pay
a　woman　twenty　that　comes　in。　　And　if　she　is　to　give　up　her　chance　of
sunlight　and　fresh　air　she　wants　me　to　pay　her　extraby　the　hour。　　Or
she　says；　if　I　prefer；　she　would　take　four　hours　every　other　dayand　so
be　at　home　half　the　time。　　I　said　it　was　difficult　to　arrangewith
baby；　and　she　was　very　sympathetic　and　nice；　but　she　won't　alter　her
plans。〃

〃Let　her　go；　and　get　a　less　exacting　servant。〃

〃Butshe　does　her　work　so　well！　　And　it　saves　a　lot；　really。　　She　knows
all　about　marketing　and　things；　and　plans　the　meals　so　as　to　have　things
lap；　and　it's　a　comfort　to　have　her　in　the　house　and　feel　so　safe　and
sure　everything　will　be　done　right。〃

〃Well；　it's　your　province；　my　dear。　　I　don't　profess　to　advise。　　But　I
assure　you　I　appreciate　the　table；　and　the　cleanness　of　everything；　and
the　rested　look　in　your　eyes；　dear　girl！〃

She　slipped　her　hand　into　his　affectionately。　　〃It　does　make　a
difference；〃　she　said。　　〃I　_could_　get　a　girl　for　20。00　and　save　nearly
2。60　a　weekbut　you　know　what　they　are！〃

〃I　do　indeed；〃　he　admitted　fervently。　　〃It's　worth　the　money　to　have
this　thing　done　so　well。　　I　think　she's　right　about　the　wages。　　Better
keep　her。〃

〃Oshe'll　only　agree　to　stay　six　months　even　at　this　rate！〃

〃Wellkeep　her　six　months　and　be　thankful。　　I　thought　she　was　too　good
to　last！〃

They　looked　over　the　offered　contract　again。　　It　closed　with：

〃This　agreement　to　hold　for　six　months　from　date　if　mutually
satisfactory。　　In　case　of　disagreement　two　weeks'　notice　is　to　be　given
on　either　side；　or　two　weeks'　wages　if　preferred　by　the　employer。〃　　It
was　dated；　and　signed　〃Miss　D。　C。　Bell。〃

And　with　inward　amusement　and　great　display　of　penmanship　they　added
〃Mrs。　Isabel　J。　Porne；〃　and　the　contract　was　made。



WHAT　DIANTHA　DID


CHAPTER　VI。

THE　CYNOSURE。


It's　a　singular　thing　that　the　commonest　place
　Is　the　hardest　to　properly　fill；
That　the　labor　imposed　on　a　full　half　the　race
　Is　so　seldom　performed　with　good　will
　To　say　nothing　of　knowledge　or　skill！

What　we　ask　of　all　women；　we　stare　at　in　one；
　And　tribute　of　wonderment　bring；
If　this　task　of　the　million　is　once　fitly　done
　We　all　hold　our　hands　up　and　sing！
　It's　really　a　singular　thing！


Isabel　Porne　was　a　cautious　woman；　and　made　no　acclaim　over　her　new
acquisition　until　its　value　was　proven。　　Her　husband　also　bided　his
time；　and　when　congratulated　on　his　improved　appearance　and　air　of
contentment；　merely　vouchsafed　that　his　wife　had　a　new　girl　who　could
cook。

To　himself　he　boasted　that　he　had　a　new　wife　who　could　loveso　cheerful
and　gay　grew　Mrs。　Porne　in　the　changed　atmosphere　of　her　home。

〃It　is　remarkable；　Edgar；〃　she　said；　dilating　repeatedly　on　the　peculiar
quality　of　their　good　fortune。　　〃It's　not　only　good　cooking；　and　good
waiting；　and　a　clean　housecleaner　than　I　ever　saw　one　before；　and　it's
not　only　the　quietness；　and　regularity　and　economywhy　the　bills　have
gone　down　more　than　a　third！〃

〃Yeseven　I　noticed　that；〃　he　agreed。

〃But　what　I