what diantha did-第20章

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Diantha's　group　of　day　workers　had　their　early　breakfast　and　departed；
taking　each　her　neat　lunch…pail；they　ate　nothing　of　their
employers；and　both　kitchen　and　dining　room　would　have　stood　idle　till
supper　time。　　But　the　young　manager　knew　she　must　work　her　plant　for　all
it　was　worth；　and　speedily　opened　the　dining　room　with　the　side　entrance
as　a　〃Caffeteria；〃　with　the　larger　one　as　a　sort　of　meeting　place；
papers　and　magazines　on　the　tables。

From　the　counter　you　took　what　you　liked；　and　seated　yourself；　and　your
friends；　at　one　of　the　many　small　tables　or　in　the　flat…armed　chairs　in
the　big　room；　or　on　the　broad　piazza；　and　as　this　gave　good　food；
cheapness；　a　chance　for　a　comfortable　seat　and　talk　and　a　smoke；　if　one
had　time；　it　was　largely　patronized。

Mr。　Thaddler；　as　an　experienced　_bon　vivant；_　despised　sandwiches。　
〃Picnicky　makeshifts〃　he　called　them；〃railroad　rations〃〃bread　and
leavings；〃　and　when　he　saw　these　piles　on　piles　of　sandwiches；　listed
only　as　〃No。　1；〃　〃No。　2〃　〃No。　3；〃　and　so　on；　his　benevolent　intention
wavered。　　But　he　pulled　himself　together　and　took　a　plateful；　assorted。

〃Come　on；　Porne；〃　he　said；　〃we'll　play　it's　a　Sunday　school　picnic；〃　and
he　drew　himself　a　cup　of　coffee；　finding　hot　milk；　cream　and　sugar
crystals　at　hand。　　〃I　never　saw　a　cheap　joint　where　you　could　fix　it
yourself；　before；〃　he　said；and　suspiciously　tasted　the　mixture。

〃By　jing！　　That's　coffee！〃　he　cried　in　surprise。　　〃There's　no　scum　on
the　milk；　and　the　cream's　cream！〃　　Five　cents！　　She　won't　get　rich　on
this。〃

Then　he　applied　himself　to　his　〃No。　1〃　sandwich；　and　his　determined
expression　gave　way　to　one　of　pleasure。　　〃Why　that's　breadreal　bread！　
I　believe　she　made　it　herself！〃

She　did　in　truth；she　and　Julianna　with　Hector　as　general　assistant。　
The　big　oven　was　filled　several　times　every　morning：　the　fresh　rolls
disappeared　at　breakfast　and　supper；　the　fresh　bread　was　packed　in　the
lunch　pails；　and　the　stale　bread　was　even　now　melting　away　in　large
bites　behind　the　smiling　mouths　and　mustaches　of　many　men。　　Perfect
bread；　excellent　butter；　and　〃What's　the　filling　I'd　like　to　know？〃　
More　than　one　inquiring…minded　patron　split　his　sandwich　to　add　sight　to
taste；　but　few　could　be　sure　of　the　flavorsome　contents；　fatless；
gritless；　smooth　and　even；　covering　the　entire　surface；　the　last
mouthful　as　perfect　as　the　first。　　Some　were　familiar；　some　new；　all
were　delicious。

The　six　sandwiches　were　five　cents；　the　cup　of　coffee　five；　and　the
little　〃drop　cakes；〃　sweet　and　spicy；　were　two　for　five。　　Every　man
spent　fifteen　cents；　some　of　them　more；　and　many　took　away　small　cakes
in　paper　bags；　if　there　were　any　left。

〃I　don't　see　how　you　can　do　it；　and　make　a　profit；〃　urged　Mr。　Eltwood；
making　a　pastorial　call。　　〃They　are　so　good　you　know！〃

Diantha　smiled　cheerfully。　　〃That's　because　all　your　ideas　are　based　on
what　we　call　'domestic　economy；'　which　is　domestic　waste。　　I　buy　in
large　quantities　at　wholesale　rates；　and　my　cook　with　her　little　helper；
the　two　maids；　and　my　own　share　of　the　work；　of　course；　provides　for　the
lot。　　Of　course　one　has　to　know　how。〃

〃Whenever　did　you　findor　did　you　create？those　heavenly　sandwiches？〃
he　asked。

〃I　have　to　thank　my　laundress　for　part　of　that　success；〃　she　said。　
〃She's　a　Dane；　and　it　appears　that　the　Danes　are　so　fond　of　sandwiches
that；　in　large　establishments；　they　have　a　'sandwich　kitchen'　to　prepare
them。　　It　is　quite　a　bit　of　work；　but　they　are　good　and　inexpensive。　
There　is　no　limit　to　the　variety。〃

As　a　matter　of　fact　this　lunch　business　paid　well；　and　led　to　larger
things。

The　girl's　methods　were　simple　and　so　organized　as　to　make　one　hand　wash
the　other。　　Her　house　had　some　twenty…odd　bedrooms；　full　accommodations
for　kitchen　and　laundry　work　on　a　large　scale；　big　dining；　dancing；　and
reception　rooms；　and　broad　shady　piazzas　on　the　sides。　　Its　position　on
a　corner　near　the　business　part　of　the　little　city；　and　at　the　foot　of
the　hill　crowned　with　so　many　millionaires　and　near　millionaires　as
could　get　land　there；　offered　many　advantages；　and　every　one　was　taken。

The　main　part　of　the　undertaking　was　a　House　Worker's　Union；　a　group　of
thirty　girls；　picked　and　trained。　　These；　previously　working　out　as
servants；　had　received　six　dollars　a　week　〃and　found。〃　　They　now　worked
an　agreed　number　of　hours；　were　paid　on　a　basis　by　the　hour　or　day；　and
〃found〃　themselves。　　Each　had　her　own　room；　and　the　broad　porches　and
ball　room　were　theirs；　except　when　engaged　for　dances　and　meetings　of
one　sort　and　another。

It　was　a　stirring　year's　work；　hard　but　exciting；　and　the　only
difficulty　which　really　worried　Diantha　was　the　same　that　worried　the
average　housewifethe　accounts。



WHAT　DIANTHA　DID


XI。

THE　POWER　OF　THE　SCREW。


Your　car　is　too　big　for　one　person　to　stir
　Your　chauffeur　is　a　little　man；　too；
Yet　he　lifts　that　machine；　does　the　little　chauffeur；
　By　the　power　of　a　gentle　jackscrew。


Diantha　worked。

For　all　her　employees　she　demanded　a　ten…hour　day；　she　worked　fourteen；
rising　at　six　and　not　getting　to　bed　till　eleven；　when　her　charges　were
all　safely　in　their　rooms　for　the　night。

They　were　all　up　at　five…thirty　or　thereabouts；　breakfasting　at　six；　and
the　girls　off　in　time　to　reach　their　various　places　by　seven。　　Their　day
was　from　7　A。　M。　to　8。30　P。　M。；　with　half　an　hour　out；　from　11。30　to
twelve；　for　their　lunch；　and　three　hours；　between　2。20　and　5。30；　for
their　own　time；　including　their　tea。　　Then　they　worked　again　from　5。30
to　8。30；　on　the　dinner　and　the　dishes；　and　then　they　came　home　to　a
pleasant　nine　o'clock　supper；　and　had　all　hour　to　dance　or　rest　before
the　10。30　bell　for　bed　time。

Special　friends　and　〃cousins〃　often　came　home　with　them；　and　frequently
shared　the　supperfor　a　quarterand　the　dance　for　nothing。

It　was　no　light　matter　in　the　first　place　to　keep　twenty　girls　contented
with　such　a　regime；　and　working　with　the　steady　excellence　required；　and
in　the　second　place　to　keep　twenty　employers　contented　with　them。　　There
were　failures　on　both　sides；　half　a　dozen　families　gave　up　the　plan；　and
it　took　time　to　replace　them；　and　three　girls　had　to　be　asked　to　resign
before　the　year　was　over。　　But　most　of　them　had　been　in　training　in　the
summer；　and　had　listened　for　months　to　Diantha's　earnest　talks　to　the
clubs；　with　good　results。

〃Remember　we　are　not　doing　this　for　ourselves　alone；〃　she　would　say　to
them。　　〃Our　experiment　is　going　to　make　this　kind　of　work　easier　for　all
home　workers　everywhere。　　You　may　not　like　it　at　first；　but　neither　did
you　like　the　old　way。　　It　will　grow　easier　as　we　get　used　to　it；　and　we
_must_　keep　the　rules；　because　we　made　them！〃

She　laboriously　composed　a　neat　little　circular；　distributed　it　widely；
and　kept　a　pile　in　her　lunch　room　for　people　to　take。

It　read　thus：


UNION　HOUSE
Food　and　Service。

General　Housework　by　the　week　。　。　。　10。00
General　Housework　by　the　day　。　。　。　2。00
　Ten　hours　work　a　day；　and　furnish　their　own　food。
Additional　labor　by　the　hour　。　。　。　　。20
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