what diantha did-第29章
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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 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？〃
*
〃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
