what diantha did-第14部分

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！


furiously　about　her　sister's　〃working　out。〃

Diantha　knew　just　how　hard　it　was　for　her　mother。　　She　had　faced　all
sides　of　the　question　before　deciding。

〃Your　mother　misses　you　badly；　of　course；〃　Ross　wrote　her。　　〃I　go　in　as
often　as　I　can　and　cheer　her　up　a　bit。　　It's　not　just　the　workshe
misses　you。　　By　the　wayso　do　I。〃　　He　expressed　his　views　on　her　new
employment。

Diantha　used　to　cry　over　her　letters　quite　often。　　But　she　would　put
them　away；　dry　her　eyes；　and　work　on　at　the　plans　she　was　maturing；　with
grim　courage。　　〃It's　hard　on　them　now；〃　she　would　say　to　herself。　　〃Its
hard　on　mesome。　　But　we'll　all　be　better　off　because　of　it；　and　not
only　usbut　everybody！〃

Meanwhile　the　happy　and　unhappy　households　of　the　fair　town　buzzed　in
comment　and　grew　green　with　envy。

In　social　circles　and　church　circles　and　club　circles；　as　also　in
domestic　circles；　it　was　noised　abroad　that　Mrs。　Edgar　Porne　had　〃solved
the　servant　question。〃　　News　of　this　marvel　of　efficiency　and　propriety
was　discussed　in　every　household；　and　not　only　so　but　in　barber…shops
and　other　downtown　meeting　places　mentioned。　　Servants　gathered　it　at
dinner…tables；　and　Diantha；　much　amused；　regathered　it　from　her　new
friends　among　the　servants。


Does　she　keep　on　just　the　same？〃　asked　little　Mrs。　Ree　of　Mrs。　Porne　in
an　awed　whisper。

〃Just　the　same　if　not　better。　　I　don't　even　order　the　meals　now；　unless
I　want　something　especial。　　She　keeps　a　calendar　of　what　we've　had　to
eat；　and　what　belongs　to　the　time　of　year；　prices　and　things。　　When　I
used　to　ask　her　to　suggest　（one　does；　you　know：　it　is　so　hard　to　think
up　a　variety！）；　she'd　always　be　ready　with　an　idea；　or　remind　me　that　we
had　had　so　and　so　two　days　before；　till　I　asked　her　if　she'd　like　to
order；　and　she　said　she'd　be　willing　to　try；　and　now　I　just　sit　down　to
the　table　without　knowing　what's　going　to　be　there。〃

〃But　I　should　think　that　would　interfere　with　your　sense　of　freedom；〃
said　Mrs。　Ellen　A　Dankshire；　〃A　woman　should　be　mistress　of　her　own
household。〃

〃Why　I　am！　　I　order　whenever　I　specially　want　anything。　　But　she　really
does　it　moremore　scientifically。　　She　has　made　a　study　of　it。　　And　the
bills　are　very　much　lower。〃

〃Well；　I　think　you　are　the　luckiest　woman　alive！〃　sighed　Mrs。　Ree。　　〃I
wish　I　had　her！〃

Many　a　woman　wished　she　had　her；　and　some；　calling　when　they　knew　Mrs。
Porne　was　out；　or　descending　into　their　own　kitchens　of　an　evening　when
the　strange　Miss　Bell　was　visiting　〃the　help；〃　made　flattering
propositions　to　her　to　come　to　them。　　She　was　perfectly　polite　and
agreeable　in　manner；　but　refused　all　blandishments。

〃What　are　you　getting　at　your　present　placeif　I　may　ask？〃　loftily
inquired　the　great　Mrs。　Thaddler；　ponderous　and　beaded。

〃There　is　surely　no　objection　to　your　asking；　madam；〃　she　replied
politely。　　〃Mrs。　Porne　will　not　mind　telling　you；　I　am　sure。〃

〃Hm！〃　said　the　patronizing　visitor；　regarding　her　through　her　lorgnette。
　〃Very　good。　　Whatever　it　is　I'll　double　it。　　When　can　you　come？〃

〃My　engagement　with　Mrs。　Porne　is　for　six　months；〃　Diantha　answered；
〃and　I　do　not　wish　to　close　with　anyone　else　until　that　time　is　up。　
Thank　you　for　your　offer　just　the　same。〃

〃Peculiarly　offensive　young　person！〃　said　Mrs。　Thaddler　to　her　husband。　
〃Looks　to　me　like　one　of　these　literary　imposters。　　Mrs。　Porne　will
probably　appear　in　the　magazines　before　long。〃

Mr。　Thaddler　instantly　conceived　a　liking　for　the　young　person；　〃sight
unseen。〃

Diantha　acquired　quite　a　list　of　offers；　places　open　to　her　as　soon　as
she　was　free；　at　prices　from　her　present　seven　dollars　up　to　the
proposed　doubling。

〃Fourteen　dollars　a　week　and　found！that's　not　so　bad；〃　she　meditated。　
〃That　would　mean　over　650　clear　in　a　year！　　It's　a　wonder　to　me　girls
don't　try　it　long　enough　to　get　a　start　at　something　else。　　With　even
two　or　three　hundred　aheadand　an　outfitit　would　be　easier　to　make
good　in　a　store　or　any　other　way。　　WellI　have　other　fish　to　fry！〃

So　she　pursued　her　way；　and；　with　Mrs。　Porne's　permissionheld　a　sort
of　girl's　club　in　her　spotless　kitchen　one　evening　a　week　during　the
last　three　months　of　her　engagement。　　It　was　a　〃Study　and　Amusement
Club。〃　　She　gave　them　short　and　interesting　lessons　in　arithmetic；　in
simple　dressmaking；　in　easy　and　thorough　methods　of　housework。　　She　gave
them　lists　of　books；　referred　them　to　articles　in　magazines；　insidiously
taught　them　to　use　the　Public　Library。

They　played　pleasant　games　in　the　second　hour；　and　grew　well　acquainted。
　To　the　eye　or　ear　of　any　casual　visitor　it　was　the　simplest　and　most
natural　affair；　calculated　to　〃elevate　labor〃　and　to　make　home　happy。

Diantha　studied　and　observed。　　They　brought　her　their　poor　confidences；
painfully　similar。　　Always　povertyor　they　would　not　be　there。　　Always
ignorance；　or　they　would　not　stay　there。　　Then　either　incompetence　in
the　work；　or　inability　to　hold　their　little　earningsor　both；　and
further　the　Tale　of　the　Other　Sidethe　exactions　and　restrictions　of
the　untrained　mistresses　they　served；　cases　of　withheld　wages；　cases　of
endless　requirements；　cases　of　most　arbitrary　interference　with　their
receiving　friends　and　〃followers；〃　or　going　out；　and　cases；　common
enough　to　be　horrible；　of　insult　they　could　only　escape　by　leaving。

〃It's　no　wages；　of　courseand　no　recommendation；　when　you　leave　like
thatbut　what　else　can　a　girl　do；　if　she's　honest？〃

So　Diantha　learned；　made　friends　and　laid　broad　foundations。

The　excellence　of　her　cocking　was　known　to　many；　thanks　to　the　weekly
〃entertainments。〃　　No　one　refused。　　No　one　regretted　acceptance。　　Never
had　Mrs。　Porne　enjoyed　such　a　sense　of　social　importance。

All　the　people　she　ever　knew　called　on　her　afresh；　and　people　she　never
knew　called　on　her　even　more　freshly。　　Not　that　she　was　directly
responsible　for　it。　　She　had　not　triumphed　cruelly　over　her　less　happy
friends；　nor　had　she　cried　aloud　on　the　street　corners　concerning　her
good　fortune。　　It　was　not　her　fault；　nor；　in　truth　anyone's。　　But　in　a
community　where　the　〃servant　question〃　is　even　more　vexed　than　in　the
country　at　large；　where　the　local　product　is　quite　unequal　to　the
demand；　and　where　distance　makes　importation　an　expensive　matter；　the
fact　of　one　woman's　having；　as　it　appeared；　settled　this　vexed　question；
was　enough　to　give　her　prominence。

Mrs。　Ellen　A。　Dankshire；　President　of　the　Orchardina　Home　and　Culture
Club；　took　up　the　matter　seriously。

〃Now　Mrs。　Porne；〃　said　she；　settling　herself　vigorously　into　a
comfortable　chair；　〃I　just　want　to　talk　the　matter　over　with　you；　with　a
view　to　the　club。　　We　do　not　know　how　long　this　will　last〃

〃Don't　speak　of　it！〃　said　Mrs。　Porne。

〃and　it　behooves　us　to　study　the　facts　while　we　have　them。〃

〃So　much　is　involved！〃　said　little　Mrs。　Ree；　the　Corresponding
Secretary；　lifting　her　pale　earnest　face　with　the　perplexed　fine　lines
in　it。　　〃We　are　all　so　truly　convinced　of　the　sacredness　of　the　home
duties！〃

〃Well；　what　do　you　want　me　to　do？〃　asked　their　hostess。

〃We　must　have　that　remarkable　young　woman　address　our　club！〃　Mrs。
Dankshire　announced。　　〃It　is　one　case　in　a　thousand；　and　must　be
studied！〃

〃So　noble　of　her！〃　said　Mrs。　Ree。　　〃You　say　she　was　really　a
school…teacher？　　Mrs。　Thaddler　has　put　it　about　that　she　is　one　of　these
dreadful　writing　personsin　disguise！〃

〃O　no；〃　said　Mrs。　Porne。　　〃She　is　perfectly　straightforward　about　it；
and　had　the　best　of　recommendations。　　She　was　a　teacher；　but　it　didn't
agree　with　her　health；　I　believe。〃

〃Perhaps　there　is　a　story　to　it！〃　Mrs。　Ree　advanced；　but　Mrs。　Dankshire
disagreed　with　her　flatly。

〃The　young　woman　has　a　theory；　I　believe；　and　she　is　working　it　out。　　I
respect　her　for　it。　　Now　what　we　want　to　ask　you；　Mrs。　Porne；　is　this：
do　you　think　it　would　make　any　trouble　for　youin　the　household
relations；　you　knowif　we　ask　her　to　read　a　paper　to　the　Club？　　Of
course　we　do　not　wish　to　interfere；　but　it　is　a　remarkable
opportunityvery。　　You　know　the　fine　work　Miss　Lucy　Salmon　has　done　on
this　subject；　and　Miss　Frances　Kellor。　　You　know　how　little　data　we
have；　and　how　great；　how　serious；　a　question　it　is　daily　becoming！　　Now
here　is　a　young　woman　of　brains　and　culture　who　has　apparently　grappled
with　the　question；　her　example　and　influence　must　not　be　lost！　　We　must
hear　from　her。　　The　public　must　know　of　this。〃

〃Such　an　ennobling　example！〃　murmured　Mrs。　Ree。　　〃It　might　lead　numbers
of　other　school…teachers　to　see　the　higher　side　of　the　home　duties！〃

〃Furthermore；〃　pursued　Mrs。　Dankshire；　〃this　has　occured　to　me。　　Would
it　not　be　well　to　have　our　ladies　bring　with　them　to　the　meeting　the
more　intelligent　of　their　servants；　that　they　might　hear　and　see
thethe　dignity　of　household　laborso　ably　set　forth？

〃Isn't　itwouldn't　that　be　aan　almost　dangerous　experiment？〃　urged
Mrs。　Ree；　her　high　narrow　forehead　fairly　creped　with　little　wrinkles：
〃She　mightsay　something；　you　know；　that　they　mighttake　advantage
of！〃

〃Nonsense；　my　dear！〃　replied　Mrs。　Dankshire。　　She　was　very　fond　of　Mrs。
Ree；　but　had　small　respect　for　her　judgment。　　〃What　could　she　say？　　Look
at　what　she　does！　　And　how　beautifullyhow　perfectlyshe　does　it！　　I
would　w