What Diantha Did...............................................................................................................................................1

Charlotte Perkins Gilman .........................................................................................................................1

CHAPTER I. HANDICAPPED ...............................................................................................................1

CHAPTER II. AN UNNATURAL DAUGHTER ...................................................................................8

CHAPTER III. BREAKERS.................................................................................................................17

CHAPTER IV. A CRYING NEED.......................................................................................................25

CHAPTER V.........................................................................................................................................31

CHAPTER VI. THE CYNOSURE. ......................................................................................................38

CHAPTER VII. HERESY AND SCHISM. ..........................................................................................44

CHAPTER VIII. ...................................................................................................................................51

CHAPTER IX. "SLEEPING IN." .........................................................................................................57

CHAPTER X. UNION HOUSE. ..........................................................................................................66

CHAPTER XI. THE POWER OF THE SCREW. .................................................................................71

CHAPTER XII. LIKE A BANYAN TREE ..........................................................................................84

CHAPTER XIII. ALL THIS. ................................................................................................................93

CHAPTER XIV. AND HEAVEN BESIDE. ......................................................................................101

The Warden house was more impressive in appearance than its neighbors. It had "grounds," instead of a yard

or garden; it had wide pillared porches and "galleries," showing southern antecedents; moreover, it had a

cupola, giving date to the building, and proof of the continuing ambitions of the builders.

The stately mansion was covered with heavy flowering vines, also with heavy mortgages. Mrs. Roscoe

Warden and her four daughters reposed peacefully under the vines, while Roscoe Warden, Jr., struggled

A slender, languid lady was Mrs. Warden, wearing her thin but still brown hair in "waterwaves" over a pale

high forehead. She was sitting on a couch on the broad, roseshaded porch, surrounded by billowing masses

of varicolored worsted. It was her delight to purchase skein on skein of soft, brighthued wool, cut it all up

into short lengths, tie them together again in contrasting colors, and then crochet this hashed rainbow into

afghans of startling aspect. California does not call for afghans to any great extent, but "they make such

acceptable presents," Mrs. Warden declared, to those who questioned the purpose of her work; and she

continued to send them off, on Christmases, birthdays, and minor weddings, in a stream of pillowy bundles.

As they were accepted, they must have been acceptable, and the stream flowed on.

Around her, among the gay blossoms and gayer wools, sat her four daughters, variously intent. The mother, a

poetic soul, had named them musically and with dulcet rhymes: Madeline and Adeline were the two eldest,

Coraline and Doraline the two youngest. It had not occurred to her until too late that those melodious

terminations made it impossible to call one daughter without calling two, and that "Lina" called them all.

"Mis' Immerjin," said a soft voice in the doorway, "dere pos'tively ain't no butter in de house fer supper."

"No butter?" said Mrs. Warden, incredulously. "Why, Sukey, I'm sure we had a tub sent up lastlast

"Nonsense, Dora! It was this week, wasn't it, girls?" The mother appealed to them quite earnestly, as if the

date of that tub's delivery would furnish forth the suppertable; but none of the young ladies save Dora had

"You know I never notice things," said the artistic Cora; and "the delines," as their younger sisters called

"I might borrow some o' Mis' Bell?" suggested Sukey; "dat's nearer 'n' de sto'."

"Yes, do, Sukey," her mistress agreed. "It is so hot. But what have you done with that tubful?"

"Why, some I tuk back to Mis' Bell for what I borrered befo'I'm always most careful to make return for

what I borrersand yo' know, Mis' Warden, dat waffles and sweet potaters and cohn bread dey do take

butter; to say nothin' o' them little cakes you all likes so well an' de fried chicken, an' "

"Never mind, Sukey; you go and present my compliments to Mrs. Bell, and ask her for some; and be sure you

return it promptly. Now, girls, don't let me forget to tell Ross to send up another tub."

"We can't seem to remember any better than you can, mother," said Adeline, dreamily. "Those details are so

"I should think it was Sukey's business to tell him," said Madeline with decision; while the "alines" kept

"There! Sukey's gone!" Mrs. Warden suddenly remarked, watching the stout figure moving heavily away

under the pepper trees. "And I meant to have asked her to make me a glass of shrub! Dora, dear, you run and

"That child is the most practical of any of you," said her mother; which statement was tacitly accepted. It was

Dora poked about in the refrigerator for a bit of ice. She ho no idea of the high cost of ice in that regionit

came from "the store," like all their provisions. It did not occur to her that fish and milk and melons made a

poor combination in flavor; or that the clammy, suboffensive smell was not the natural and necessary odor

of refrigerators. Neither did she think that a sunny corner of the back porch near the chimney, though

convenient, was an illselected spot for a refrigerator. She couldn't find the icepick, so put a big piece of ice

in a towel and broke it on the edge of the sink; replaced the largest fragment, used what she wanted, and left

the rest to filter slowly down through a mass of grease and tealeaves; found the raspberry vinegar, and made

"You're too late," said Dora, hunting for her needle and then for her thimble, and then for her twist; "but

"I'd rather go without than go into the kitchen," said Adeline; "I do despise a kitchen." And this seemed to be

"My mother always liked raspberry shrub," said Mrs. Warden; "and your Aunt Leicester, and your Raymond

Mrs. Warden had a wide family circle, many beloved relatives, "connections" of whom she was duly proud

and "kin" in such widening ramifications that even her carefully reared daughters lost track of them.

"You young people don't seem to care about your cousins at all!" pursued their mother, somewhat severely,

setting her glass on the railing, from whence it was presently knocked off and broken.

"Why should we, Ma?" inquired Cora. "We've never seen one of themexcept Madam Weatherstone!"

"We'll never forget her!" said Madeline, with delicate decision, laying down the silk necktie she was knitting

"Rich enough to do something for Roscoe, I'm sure, if she had a proper family spirit," replied Mrs. Warden.

"Her mother was own cousin to my grandmotherone of the Virginia Paddingtons. Or she might do

"I wish she would!" Adeline murmured, softly, her large eyes turned to the horizon, her hands in her lap over

"Don't be ungrateful, Adeline," said her mother, firmly. "You have a good home and a good brother; no girl

"But there is never anything going on," broke in Coraline, in a tone of complaint; "no parties, no going away

"Now, Cora, don't be discontented! You must not add a straw to dear Roscoe's burdens," said her mother.

"Of course not, mother; I wouldn't for the world. I never saw her but that once; and she wasn't very cordial.

"If she ever comes back again, I'm going to recite for her," said, Dora, firmly.

Her mother gazed fondly on her youngest. "I wish you could, dear," she agreed. "I'm sure you have talent;

and Madam Weatherstone would recognize it. And Adeline's music too. And Cora's art. I am very proud of

Cora sat where the light fell well upon her work. She was illuminating a volume of poems, painting flowers

"I wonder if he'll care for it?" she said, laying down her brush and holding the book at arm's length to get the

"Of course he will!" answered her mother, warmly. "It is not only the beauty of it, but the affection! How are

Dora was laboring at a task almost beyond her fourteen years, consisting of a negligee shirt of outing flannel,

upon the breast of which she was embroidering a large, intricate designfor Roscoe. She was an ambitious

"I guess it'll be done," she said, a little wearily. "What are you going to give him, mother?"

"He's coming," said Adeline, who was still looking down the road; and they all concealed their birthday work

A tall, straight young fellow, with an air of suddenlyfaced maturity upon him, opened the gate under the

He had the finely molded features we see in portraits of handsome ancestors, seeming to call for curling hair

a little longish, and a rich profusion of ruffled shirt. But his hair was sternly short, his shirt severely plain, his

Dora skipped to meet him, Cora descended a decorous step or two. Madeline and Adeline, arm in arm, met

"Well, mother, dear!" Affectionately he stooped and kissed her, and she held his hand and stroked it lovingly.

The sisters gathered about with teasing affection, Dora poking in his coatpocket for the stick candy her

"Yes; I had a little headache"he passed his hand over his forehead"and Joe can run the store till after

supper, anyhow." They flew to get him camphor, cologne, a mentholpencil. Dora dragged forth the wicker

lounge. He was laid out carefully and fanned and fussed over till his mother drove them all away.

"Now, just rest," she said. "It's an hour to supper time yet!" And she covered him with her latest completed

afghan, gathering up and carrying away the incomplete one and its tumultuous constituents.

He was glad of the quiet, the fresh, sweet air, the smell of flowers instead of the smell of molasses and

cheese, soap and sulphur matches. But the headache did not stop, nor the worry that caused it. He loved his

mother, he loved his sisters, he loved their home, but he did not love the grocery business which had fallen so

unexpectedly upon him at his father's death, nor the load of debt which fell with it.

That they need never have had so large a "place" to "keep up" did not occur to him. He had lived there most

of his life, and it was home. That the expenses of running the household were three times what they needed to

be, he did not know. His father had not questioned their style of living, nor did he. That a family of five

Mrs. Warden's health was never good, and since her husband's death she had made daily use of many afghans

on the many lounges of the house. Madeline was "delicate," and Adeline was "frail"; Cora was "nervous,"

Dora was "only a child." So black Sukey and her husband Jonah did the work of the place, so far as it was

done; and Mrs. Warden held it a miracle of management that she could "do with one servant," and the height

of womanly devotion on her daughters' part that they dusted the parlor and arranged the flowers.

Roscoe shut his eyes and tried to rest, but his problem beset him ruthlessly. There was the storetheir one

and only source of income. There was the house, a steady, large expense. There were five women to clothe

and keep contented, beside himself. There was the unappeasable demand of the mortgageand there was

When Mr. Warden died, some four years previously, Roscoe was a lad of about twenty, just home from

college, full of dreams of great service to the world in science, expecting to go back for his doctor's degree

next year. Instead of which the older man had suddenly dropped beneath the burden he had carried with such

visible happiness and pride, such unknown anxiety and straining effort; and the younger one had to step into

He was brave, capable, wholly loyal to his mother and sisters, reared in the traditions of older days as to a

man's duty toward women. In his first grief for his father, and the ready pride with which he undertook to fill

his place, he had not in the least estimated the weight of care he was to carry, nor the time that he must carry

it. A year, a year or two, a few years, he told himself, as they passed, and he would make more money; the

girls, of course, would marry; he could "retire" in time and take up his scientific work again. Thenthere

When he found he loved this young neighbor of theirs, and that she loved him, the first flush of happiness

made all life look easier. They had been engaged six monthsand it was beginning to dawn upon the young

He could not sell the businessand if he could, he knew of no better way to take care of his family. The girls

did not marry, and even when they did, he had figured this out to a dreary certainty, he would still not be free.

To pay the mortgages off, and keep up the house, even without his sisters, would require all the money the

store would bring in for some six years ahead. The young man set his teeth hard and turned his head sharply

She stood at the gate and smiled at him. He sprang to his feet, headacheless for the moment, and joined her.

Mrs. Warden, from the lounge by her bedroom window, saw them move off together, and sighed.

"Poor Roscoe!" she said to herself. "It is very hard for him. But he carries his difficulties nobly. He is a son to

Diantha slipped her hand in his offered armhe clasped it warmly with his, and they walked along together.

"No, thank you; not this time. I must get home and get supper. Besides, I'd rather see just you."

He felt it a pity that there were so many houses along the road here, but squeezed her hand, anyhow.

"Yes, I suppose it is," he answered. "But I ought not to worry. I've got a good home, a good mother, good

sisters, andyou!" And he took advantage of a high hedge and an empty lot on either side of them.

Diantha returned his kiss affectionately enough, but seemed preoccupied, and walked in silence till he asked

"About you, of course," she answered, brightly. "There are things I want to say; and yetI ought not to."

"Now, Ross, will you be perfectly frank with me? May I ask you anan impertinent question?"

"You'll be scandalised, I knowbutwell, here goes. What would you think if Madelineor any of the

"I should think it was a disgrace to the family, and a direct reproach to me," be answered. "But it's no use

talking about that. None of the girls have any such foolish notion. And I wouldn't permit it if they had."

"My widow might have tonot my wife." He held his fine head a trifle higher, and her hand ached for a

"My dearest girl, you've got something far harder than that to do for me, and that's wait."

His face darkened again, and he passed his hand over his forehead. "Sometimes I feel as if I ought not to hold

you at all!" he burst out, bitterly. "You ought to be free to marry a better man."

"There aren't any!" said Diantha, shaking her head slowly from side to side. "And if there weremillionsI

"Then we'll just wait," said he, setting his teeth on the word, as if he would crush it. "It won't be hard with

you to help. You're better worth it than Rachael and Leah together." They walked a few steps silently.

"I don't let myself think of it. I'll take that up later. We're young enough, both of us, to wait for our

"And have you any ideawe might as well face the worsthow many years do you think that will be,

He was a little annoyed at her persistence. Also, though he would not admit the thought, it did not seem quite

the thing for her to ask. A woman should not seek too definite a period of waiting. She ought to trustto just

"I can face a thing better if I know just what I'm facing," said the girl, quietly, "and I'd wait for you, if I had

He looked relieved. "Why, no, indeed, darling. It oughtn't to be at the outside more than five. Or six," he

"You see, father had no time to settle anything; there were outstanding accounts, and the funeral expenses,

and the mortgages. But the business is good; and I can carry it; I can build it up." He shook his broad

shoulders determinedly. "I should think it might be within five, perhaps even less. Good things happen

They were at her gate now, and she stood a little while to say goodnight. A step inside there was a seat,

walled in by evergreen, roofed over by the wide acacia boughs. Many a long goodnight had they exchanged

Diantha's heart was full of love for him, and pride and confidence in him; but it was full of other feelings, too,

which he could not fathom. His trouble was clearer to her than to him; as heavy to bear. To her mind, trained

in all the minutiae of domestic economy, the Warden family lived in careless wastefulness. That five

womenfor Dora was older than she had been when she began to do houseworkshould require servants,

seemed to this New Englandborn girl mere laziness and pride. That two voting women over twenty should

prefer being supported by their brother to supporting themselves, she condemned even more sharply.

Moreover, she felt well assured that with a different family to "support," Mr. Warden would never have

broken down so suddenly and irrecoverably. Even that funeralher face hardened as she thought of the

conspicuous "lot," the continual flowers, the monument (not wholly paid for yet, that monument, though this

she did not know)all that expenditure to do honor to the man they had worked to death (thus brutally

Diantha put it) was probably enough to put off their happiness for a whole year.

She rose at last, her hand still held in his. "I'm sorry, but I've got to get supper, dear," she said, "and you must

"Yes, for a little while, after we close up," said he, and took himself off, not too suddenly, walking straight

and proud while her eves were on him, throwing her a kiss from the corner; but his step lagging and his

headache settling down upon him again as he neared the large house with the cupola.

Diantha watched him out of sight, turned and marched up the path to her own door, her lips set tight, her

wellshaped head as straightly held as his. "It's a shame, a cruel, burning shame!" she told herself

rebelliously. "A man of his ability. Why, he could do anything, in his own work! And he loved it so!

The stiffrayed windmill stood like a tall mechanical flower, turning slowly in the light afternoon wind; its

faint regular metallic squeak pricked the dry silence wearingly. Rampant fuchsias, redjewelled, heavy, ran

up its framework, with crowding heliotrope and nasturtiums. Thick straggling roses hung over the kitchen

windows, and a row of dusty eucalyptus trees rustled their stiff leaves, and gave an ineffectual shade to the

It was one of those small frame houses common to the northeastern states, which must be dear to the hearts of

their dwellers. For no other reason, surely, would the cold grey steeproofed little boxes be repeated so

faithfully in the broad glow of a semitropical landscape. There was an attempt at a "lawn," the pet ambition

of the transplanted easterner; and a further attempt at "flowerbeds," which merely served as a sort of

The parlor, behind the closed blinds, was as New England parlors are; minus the hint of cosiness given by

even a fireless stove; the little bedrooms baked under the roof; only the kitchen spoke of human living, and

the living it portrayed was not, to say the least, joyous. It was clean, clean with a cleanness that spoke of

conscientious labor and unremitting care. The zinc mat under the big cookstove was scoured to a dull

There was no dust nor smell of dust; no grease spots, no litter anywhere. But the place bore no atmosphere of

contented pride, as does a Dutch, German or French kitchen, it spoke of Labor, Economy and Dutyunder

In the dead quiet of the afternoon Diantha and her mother sat there sewing. The sun poured down through the

dangling eucalyptus leaves. The dry air, rich with flower odors, flowed softly in, pushing the white sash

curtains a steady inch or two. Eeerrr!Eeerrr!came the faint whine of the windmill.

To the older woman rocking in her small splint chair by the rosedraped window, her thoughts dwelling on

long dark green grass, the shade of elms, and cows kneedeep in rivershallows; this was Californiahot,

To the younger, the long seam of the turned sheet pinned tightly to her knee, her needle flying firmly and

steadily, and her thoughts full of pouring moonlight through acacia boughs and Ross's murmured words, it

was Californiarich, warm, full of sweet bloom and fruit, of boundless vitality, promise, and

"Why don't you stop it Mother dear? There's surely no hurry about these things."

"Nonot particularly," her mother answered, "but there's plenty else to do." And she went on with the long

"What do you do it for anyway, MotherI always hated this joband you don't seem to like it."

"They wear almost twice as long, child, you know. The middle gets worn and the edges don't. Now they're

reversed. As to liking it" She gave a little smile, a smile that was too tired to be sarcastic, but which

"What kind of work do you like bestreally?" her daughter inquired suddenly, after a silent moment or two.

"WhyI don't know," said her mother. "I never thought of it. I never tried any but teaching. I didn't like that.

"I liked arithmetic best. I always loved arithmetic, when I went to schoolused to stand highest in that."

Mrs. Bell smiled again, wanly. "Seems to me sometimes as if I couldn't tell sometimes what part I like least!"

she answered. Then with sudden heat"O my Child! Don't you marry till Ross can afford at least one girl

Diantha put her small, strong hands behind her head and leaned back in her chair. "We'll have to wait some

time for that I fancy," she said. "But, Mother, there is one part you likekeeping accounts! I never saw

anything like the way you manage the money, and I believe you've got every bill since yon were married."

"YesI do love accounts," Mrs. Bell admitted. "And I can keep run of things. I've often thought your

Diantha gave a fierce little laugh. She admired her father in some ways, enjoyed him in some ways, loved

him as a child does if not illtreated; but she loved her mother with a sort of passionate pity mixed with

pride; feeling always nobler power in her than had ever had a fair chance to grow. It seemed to her an

interminable dull tragedy; this graceful, eager, blackeyed woman, spending what to the girl was literally a

She knew her mother's idea of duty, knew the clear head, the steady will, the active intelligence holding her

relentlessly to the task; the chafe and fret of seeing her husband constantly attempting against her judgment,

and failing for lack of the help he scorned. Young as she was, she realized that the nervous breakdown of

these later years was wholly due to that common misery of "the square man in the round hole."

She folded her finished sheet in accurate lines and laid it awaytaking her mother's also. "Now you sit still

And from pantry to table she stepped, swiftly and lightly, setting out what was needed, greased her pans and

Her mother watched her admiringly. "How easy you do it!" she said. "I never could make bread without

Diantha smiled. "I ought to do it easily by this time. Father's got to have hot bread for supperor thinks he

"I guess you have," said Mrs. Bell proudly. "You were only eleven when you made your first batch. I can

remember just as well! I had one of my bad headaches that nightand it did seem as if I couldn't sit up! But

your Father's got to have his biscuit whether or no. And you said, 'Now Mother you lie right still on that sofa

and let me do it! I can!' And you could!you did! They were bettern' mine that first timeand your Father

"Yes," said Diantha, with a deeper note of feeling than her mother caught, "I've been at it ever since!"

"Except when I taught school at Medville," Diantha corrected. "When I taught here I made 'em just the

"So you did," agreed her mother. "So you did! No matter how tired you wereyou wouldn't admit it. You

"If I was tired it was not of making biscuits anyhow. I was tired enough of teaching school though. I've got

She covered the biscuits with a light cloth and set them on the shelf over the stove; then poked among the

greasewood roots to find what she wanted and started a fire. "Why don't you get an oil stove? Or a gasoline?

"Yes," her mother agreed. "I've wanted one for twenty years; but you know your Father won't have one in the

house. He says they're dangerous. What are you going to tell me, dear? I do hope you and Ross haven't

"Only he's so tied up!" said the girl, brushing every chip from the hearth. "He's perfectly helpless there, with

"Ross is a good son," said Mrs. Bell, "and a good brother. I never saw a better. He's certainly doing his duty.

Now if his father'd lived you two could have got married by this time maybe, though you're too young yet."

Diantha washed and put away the dishes she had used, saw that the pantry was in its usual delicate order, and

"Yes, you're twentyone," her mother allowed. "It don't seem possible, but you are. My first baby!" she

"If Ross has to wait for all those girls to marryand to pay his father's debtsI'll be old enough," said

Her mother watched her quick assured movements with admiration, and listened with keen sympathy. "I

know it's hard, dear child. You've only been engaged six monthsand it looks as if it might be some years

before Ross'll be able to marry. He's got an awful load for a boy to carry alone."

"I should say he had!" Diantha burst forth. "Five helpless women!or three women, and two girls. Though

Cora's as old as I was when I began to teach. And not one of 'em will lift a finger to earn her own living."

"They weren't brought up that way," said Mrs. Bell. "Their mother don't approve of it. She thinks the home is

Diantha put her pan of white puffballs into the oven, sliced a quantity of smoked beef in thin shavings, and

made white sauce for it, talking the while as if these acts were automatic. "I don't agree with Mrs. Warden on

that point, nor with Ross, nor with you, Mother," she said, "What I've got to tell you is thisI'm going away

Mrs. Bell stopped rocking, stopped fanning, and regarded her daughter with wide frightened eyes.

Diantha drew a deep breath and stood for a moment looking at the feeble little woman in the chair. Then she

"It's not because I don't love you, Mother. It's because I do. And it's not because I don't love Ross either:it's

because I do. I want to take care of you, Mother, and make life easier for you as long as you live. I want to

She stood up hastily, for a step sounded on the back porch. It was only her sister, who hurried in, put a dish

"I just ran in," said she, "to bring those berries. Aren't they beauties? The baby's asleep. Gerald hasn't got in

yet. Supper's all ready, and I can see him coming time enough to run back. Why, Mother! What's the matter?

"What are you doing to Mother, Diantha?" demanded young Mrs. Peters. "Bless me! I thought you and she

never had any differences! I was always the black sheep, when I was at home. Maybe that's why I left so

She looked very pretty and complacent, this young matron and mother of nineteen; and patted the older

"You might as well know now as later," said her sister. "I have decided to leave home, that's all."

"To leave home!" Mrs. Peters sat up straight and stared at her. "To leave home!And Mother!"

"Well?" said Diantha, while the tears rose and ran over from her mother's eyes. "Well, why not? You left

"That's different!" said her sister sharply. "I left to be married,to have a home of my own. And besides I

"That's one reason I can go now better than later on," Diantha said. "You are close by in case of any trouble."

"Can't you earn money enough by teaching?" the Mother broke in eagerly. "I know you haven't got the same

Diantha shook her head. "No, Mother, I've had enough of that. I've taught for four years. I don't like it, I don't

do well, and it exhausts me horribly. And I should never get beyond a thousand or fifteen hundred dollars a

"Well, I declare!" said her sister. "What do you expect to get? I should think fifteen hundred dollars a year

"Why not?" said Diantha firmly. "Henderson didwhen he was eighteen. None of you blamed him."

"I don't see what that's got to do with it," her mother ventured. "Henderson's a boy, and boys have to go, of

course. A mother expects that. But a girlWhy, Diantha! How can I get along without you! With my

"I should think you'd be ashamed of yourself to think of such a thing!" said young Mrs. Peters.

A slow step sounded outside, and an elderly man, tall, slouching, carelessly dressed, entered, stumbling a

"Father hasn't got used to that rug in fourteen years!" said his youngest daughter laughingly. "And Mother

will straighten it out after him! I'm bringing Gerald up on better principles. You should just see him wait on

"A man should be master in his own household," Mr. Bell proclaimed, raising a dripping face from the basin

"You won't have much household to be master of presently," said Mrs. Peters provokingly. "Half of it's going

Mr. Bell came out of his towel and looked from one to the other for some explanation of this attempted joke,

"I think it's nonsense myself," said the pretty young womanher hand on the doorknob. "But you'd better

enjoy those biscuits of Di's while you canyou won't get many more! There's Geraldgood night!" And off

Diantha set the plateful on the table, puffy, brown, and crisply crusted. "Supper's ready," she said. "Do sit

down, Mother," and she held the chair for her. "Minnie's quite right, Father, though I meant not to tell you till

Mr. Bell regarded his daughter with a stern, slow stare; not so much surprised as annoyed by an untimely

jesting. He ate a hot biscuit in two unFletcherized mouthfuls, and put more sugar in his large cup of tea.

"You've got your Mother all worked up with your nonsense," said he. "What are you talking about anyway?"

Diantha met his eyes unflinchingly. He was a tall old man, still handsome and impressive in appearance, had

been the head of his own household beyond question, ever since he was left the only son of an idolizing

mother. But he had never succeeded in being the head of anything else. Repeated failures in the old New

England home had resulted in his ruthlessly selling all the property there; and bringing his delicate wife and

three young children to California. Vain were her protests and objections. It would do her goodbest place

in the world for childrengood for nervous complaints too. A wife's duty was to follow her husband, of

course. She had followed, willy nilly; and it was good for the childrenthere was no doubt of that.

Mr. Bell had profited little by his venture. They had the ranch, the flowers and fruit and ample living of that

rich soil; but he had failed in oranges, failed in raisins, failed in prunes, and was now failing in

But Mrs. Bell, though an ineffectual housekeeper, did not fail in the children. They had grown up big and

vigorous, sturdy, handsome creatures, especially the two younger ones. Diantha was goodlooking enough.

Roscoe Warden thought her divinely beautiful. But her young strength had been heavily taxed from

childhood in that complex process known as "helping mother." As a little child she had been of constant

service in caring for the babies; and early developed such competence in the various arts of house work as

filled her mother with fond pride, and even wrung from her father some grudging recognition. That he did not

value it more was because he expected such competence in women, all women; it was their natural field of

ability, their duty as wives and mothers. Also as daughters. If they failed in it that was by illness or

He ate another of Diantha's excellent biscuits, his greyishred whiskers slowly wagging; and continued to eye

her disapprovingly. She said nothing, but tried to eat; and tried still harder to make her heart go quietly, her

cheeks keep cool, and her eyes dry. Mrs. Bell also strove to keep a cheerful countenance; urged food upon

her family; even tried to open some topic of conversation; but her gentle words trailed off into unnoticed

Mr. Bell ate until he was satisfied and betook himself to a comfortable chair by the lamp, where he unfolded

the smart local paper and lit his pipe. "When you've got through with the dishes, Diantha," he said coldly, "I'll

Diantha cleared the table, lowered the leaves, set it back against the wall, spreading the turkeyred cloth upon

it. She washed the dishes,her kettle long since boiling, scalded them, wiped them, set them in their places;

washed out the towels, wiped the pan and hung it up, swiftly, accurately, and with a quietness that would

have seemed incredible to any mistress of heavyfooted servants. Then with heightened color and firmset

Her mother was patiently darning large socks with many holesa kind of work she specially disliked.

"You'll have to get some new socks, Father," she ventured, "these are pretty well gone."

"O they'll do a good while yet," he replied, not looking at them. "I like your embroidery, my dear."

That pleased her. She did not like to embroider, but she did like to be praised.

Diantha took some socks and set to work, redchecked and excited, but silent yet. Her mother's needle

Finally Mr. Bell laid down his finished paper and his emptied pipe and said, "Now then. Out with it."

This was not a felicitious opening. It is really astonishing how little diplomacy parents exhibit, how difficult

they make it for the young to introduce a proposition. There was nothing for it but a bald statement, so

"Don't you have work enough to do at home?" he inquired, with the same air of quizzical superiority which

She would cut short this form of discussion: "I am going away to earn my living. I have given up

schoolteachingI don't like it, and, there isn't money enough in it. I have planswhich will speak for

"So," said Mr. Bell, "Plans all made, eh? I suppose you've considered your Mother in these plans?"

"You think it'll be good for your Mother's health to lose your assistance, do you?"

"I know she'll miss me; but I haven't left the work on her shoulders. I am going to pay for a girlto do the

work I've done. It won't cost you any more, Father; and you'll save somefor she'll do the washing too. You

didn't object to Henderson's goingat eighteen. You didn't object to Minnie's goingat seventeen. Why

"I haven't objectedso far," replied her father. "Have your plans also allowed for the affection and duty you

"I have done my dutyas well as I know how," she answered. "Now I am twentyone, and

"O yes. You have a righta legal rightif that's what you base your idea of a child's duty on! And while

you're talking of rightshow about a parent's rights? How about common gratitude! How about what you

owe to mefor all the care and pains and cost it's been to bring you up. A child's a rather expensive

Diantha flushed. she had expected this, and yet it struck her like a blow. It was not the first time she had

"I have considered that position, Father. I know you feel that wayyou've often made me feel it. So I've

been at some pains to work it outon a money basis. Here is an accountas full as I could make it." She

To medical and dental expenses . . . $110.00 To school expenses . . . $76.00 To clothing, in full . . . $1,130.00

To board and lodging at $3.00 a week . . . $2,184.00 To incidentals . . . $100.00 $3.600.00

He studied the various items carefully, stroking his beard, half in anger, half in unavoidable amusement.

Perhaps there was a tender feeling too, as he remembered that doctor's billthe first he ever paid, with the

other, when she had scarlet fever; and saw the exact price of the high chair which had served all three of the

The clothing total was so large that it made him whistlehe knew he had never spent $1,130.00 on one girl's

Materials, three years at an average of $10 a year . . . $30.00 Five years averaging $20 each year . . . $100.00

Five years averaging $30 each year . . . $50.00 Five years averaging $50 each year . . . $250.00

The rest was "Mother's labor, averaging twenty full days a year at $2 a day, $40 a year. For fifteen years,

$600.00. Mother's laboron one child's, clothesfooting up to $600.00. It looked strange to see cash value

The school expenses puzzled him a bit, for she had only gone to public schools; but she was counting books

and slates and even pencilsit brought up evenings long passed by, the sewing wife, the studying children,

"Broken, Dina," her Mother would gently correct, while he demanded, "How did you break it?" and scolded

her for her careless tomboy ways. Slatesthree, $1.50they were all down. And slates didn't cost so much

come to think of it, even the rededged ones, wound with black, that she always wanted.

Board and lodging was put low, at $3.00 per week, but the items had a footnote as to houserent in the

country, and food raised on the farm. Yes, he guessed that was a full rate for the plain food and bare little

And quite a large margin left here, called miscellaneous, which he smiled to observe made just an even

figure, and suspected she had put in for that purpose as well as from generosity.

"I didn't take tableboardnor a roomthe first yearnor much the second. I've allowed $1.00 a week for

that, and $2.00 for the thirdthat takes out two, you see. Then it's $156 a year till I was fourteen and earned

board and wages, two more years at $156and I've paid since I was seventeen, you know."

"WellI guess you didI guess you did." He grinned genially. "Yes," he continued slowly, "I guess that's a

fair enough account. 'Cording to this, you owe me $3,600.00, young woman! I didn't think it cost that much

It was the other side. He had never once thought of such a side to the case. This account was as clear and

honest as the first and full of exasperating detail. She laid before him the second sheet of figures and watched

"It was a clear expense for ten yearsnot counting help with the babies. Then I began to do housework

regularlywhen I was ten or eleven, two hours a day; three when I was twelve and thirteenreal work

you'd have had to pay for, and I've only put it at ten cents an hour. When Mother was sick the year I was

fourteen, and I did it all but the washingall a servant would have done for $3.00 a week. Ever since then I

have done three hours a day outside of school, full grown work now, at twenty cents an hour. That's what we

Two years, two hours a day at 10c. an hour . . . $146.00 Two years, three hours a day at 10c. an hour . . .

$219.00 One year, full wages at $5.00 a week . . . $260.00 Six years and a half, three hours a day at 20c . . .

Mr. Bell meditated carefully on these figures. To think of that child's labor footing up to two thousand dollars

and over! It was lucky a man had a wife and daughters to do this work, or he could never support a family.

Then came her schoolteaching years. She had always been a fine scholar and he had felt very proud of his

California salaries were higher than eastern ones, and times had changed too; the year he taught school he

remembered the salary was only $300.00and he was a man. This girl got $600, next year $700, $800,

$900; why it made $3,000 she had earned in four years. Astonishing. Out of this she had a balance in the

bank of $550.00. He was pleased to see that she had been so saving. And her clothing accountlittle enough

he admitted for four years and six months, $300.00. All incidentals for the whole time, $50.00this with her

"Twentyone hundred dollars unaccounted for, young lady!besides this nest egg in the bankI'd no idea

"Given it to you, Father," said she quietly, and handed him the third sheet of figures.

Board and lodging at $4.00 a week for 4 1/2 years made $936.00, that he could realize; but "cash advance"

$1,164 morehe could not believe it. That time her mother was so sick and Diantha had paid both the doctor

and the nurseyeshe had been much cramped that yearand nurses come high. For Henderson, Jr.'s,

expenses to San Francisco, and again for Henderson when he was out of a jobMr. Bell remembered the

boy's writing for the money, and his not having it, and Mrs. Bell saying she could arrange with Diantha.

Arrange! And that girl had kept this niggardly account of it! For Minnie's trip to the Yosemiteand what

was this?for his raisin experimentfor the new horse they simply had to have for the drying apparatus

that year he lost so much money in apricotsand for the spraying materialsyes, he could not deny the

Her labor . . . $2,047.00 Her board . . . $936.00 Her "cash advanced" . . . $1,164.00 $4,147.00

Diantha revolved her pencil between firm palms, and looked at him rather quizzically; while her mother

rocked and darned and wiped away an occasional tear. She almost wished she had not kept accounts so well.

"This is the most shameful piece of calculation I ever saw in my life," said he. "I never heard of such a thing!

You go and count up in cold dollars the work that every decent girl does for her family and is glad to! I

"And to think," said he, gripping the back of a chair and looking down at her fiercely, "to think that a girl

who can earn nine hundred dollars a year teaching school, and stay at home and do her duty by her family

besides, should plan to desert her mother outrightnow she's old and sick! Of course I can't stop you! You're

of age, and children nowadays have no sense of natural obligation after they're grown up. You can go, of

course, and disgrace the family as you proposebut you needn't expect to have me consent to it or approve

of itor of you. It's a shameful thingand you are an unnatural daughterthat's all I've got to say!"

Mr. Bell took his hat and went outa conclusive form of punctuation much used by men in discussions of

If Diantha imagined that her arithmetical victory over a toosordid presentation of the parental claim was a

It is easy to sayputting an epic in an epigram"She seen her duty and she done it!" but the space and time

covered are generally as far beyond our plans as the estimates of an amateur mountain climber exceed his

Her determination was not concealed by her outraged family. Possibly they thought that if the matter was

well aired, and generally discussed, the daring offender might reconsider. Wellaired it certainly was, and

widely discussed by the parents of the little town before young people who sat in dumbness, or made faint

defense. It was also discussed by the young people, but not before their parents.

She had told Ross, first of all, meaning to have a quiet talk with him to clear the ground before arousing her

own family; but he was suddenly away just as she opened the subject, by a man on a wheelsome wretched

business about the store of courseand sent word that night that he could not come up again. Couldn't come

up the next night either. Two long daystwo long evenings without seeing him. Wellif she went away

But she had so many things to explain, so much to say to make it right with him; she knew well what a blow

it was. Now it was all over townand she had had no chance to defend her position.

The neighbors called. Tall bony Mrs. Delafield who lived nearest to them and had known Diantha for some

years, felt it her duty to make a special appealor attack rather; and brought with her stout Mrs. Schlosster,

Diantha retired to her room when she saw these two bearing down upon the house; but her mother called her

to make a pitcher of lemonade for themand having entered there was no escape. They harried her with

questions, were increasingly offended by her reticence, and expressed disapproval with a fullness that

"I have as much right to go into business as any other citizen, Mrs. Delafield," she said with repressed

intensity. "I am of age and live in a free country. What you say of children no longer applies to me."

"And what is this mysterious business you're goin' intoif one may inquire? Nothin you're ashamed to

"If a woman refuses to mention her age is it because she's ashamed of it?" the girl retorted, and Mrs.

"Never have I heard such talk from a maiden to her elders," said Mrs. Schlosster. "In my country the young

Mrs. Bell objected inwardly to any reprimand of her child by others; but she agreed to the principle advanced

Diantha listened to quite a volume of detailed criticism, inquiry and condemnation, and finally rose to her feet

"You must excuse me now," she said with set lips. "I have some necessary work to do."

She marched upstairs, shut her bedroom door and locked it, raging inwardly. "Its none of their business! Not

a shadow! Why should Mother sit there and let them talk to me like that! One would think childhood had no

This reminded her of her younger sister's airs of superior wisdom, and did not conduce to a pleasanter frame

of mind. "With all their miserable little conventions and idiocies! And what 'they'll say,' and 'they'll think'! As

She heard the ladies going out, still talking continuously, a faint response from her mother now and then, a

growing quiet as their steps receded toward the gate; and then another deeper voice took up the theme and

It was the minister! Diantha dropped into her rocker and held the arms tight. "Now I'll have to take it again I

"Diantha!" called her mother, "Here's Dr. Major;" and the girl washed her face and came down again.

Dr. Major was a heavy elderly man with a strong mouth and a warm hand clasp. "What's all this I hear about

you, young lady?" he demanded, holding her hand and looking her straight in the eye. "Is this a new kind of

He did not look nor sound condemnatory, and as she faced him she caught a twinkle in the wise old eyes.

"You can call it that if you want to," she said, "Only I thought the Prodigal Son just spent his moneyI'm

"I want you to talk to Diantha, Doctor Major," Mrs. Bell struck in. "I'm going to ask you to excuse me, and

go and lie down for a little. I do believe she'll listen to you more than to anybody."

The mother retired, feeling sure that the good man who had known her daughter for over fifteen years would

It came, heavy and solid, based on reason, religion, tradition, the custom of ages, the pastoral habit of control

and protection, the father's instinct, the man's objection to a girl's adventure. But it was courteous, kind, and

rationally put, and she met it point by point with the wholesouled arguments of a new position, the

"I can see that you think its your duty, young, womanthat's the main thing. I think you're wrong. But what

you believe to be right you have to do. That's the way we learn my dear, that's the way we learn!

Wellyou've been a good child ever since I've known you. A remarkably good child. If you have to sow this

kind of wild oats" they both smiled at this, "I guess we can't stop you. I'll keep your secret"

"Its not a secret really," the girl explained, "I'll tell them as soon as I'm settled. Then they can tellif they

"WellI won't tell till I hear of it then. Andyes, I guess I can furnish that document with a clean

She read it, a girlish giggle lightening the atmosphere. "Thank you!" she said earnestly. "Thank you ever so

"If you get stuck anywhere just let me know," he said rising. "This Proddy Gal may want a return ticket yet!"

"O Dr. Major," cried her mother from the window, "Don't go! We want you to stay to supper of course!"

But he had other calls to make, he said, and went away, his big hands clasped behind him; his head bent,

Diantha leaned against a pearly eucalyptus trunk and watched him. She would miss Dr. Major. But who was

She went to meet themperforce. Mrs. Warden had always been kind and courteous to her; the girls she had

not seen very much of, but they had the sweet Southern manner, were always polite. Ross's mother she must

love. Ross's sisters tooif she could. Why did the bottom drop out of her courage at sight of them?

"You dear child!" said Mrs. Warden, kissing her. "I know just how you feel! You want to help my boy! That's

"You've no idea how badly Ross feels!" said Madeline. "Mrs. Delafield dropped in just now and told us. You

"He didn't believe it of course," Adeline put in. "And he wouldn't say a thingnot a thing to blame you."

"We said we'd come over right offand tried to bring himbut he said he'd got to go back to the store,"

"Come in! Come in!" said Mrs. Bell hospitably. "Have this rocker, Mrs. Wardenwouldn't you like some

"No indeed!" Mrs. Warden protested. "Don't get a thing. We're going right back, it's near supper time. No, we

can't think of staying, of course not, no indeed!But we had to come over and hear about this dear child's

There they satfive pairs of curious eyesand her mother's sad onesall kindall utterly incapable of

She moistened her lips and plunged desperately. "It is nothing dreadful, Mrs. Warden. Plenty of girls go away

"What are you going to do?" the girls protested variously, and Mrs. Warden, with a motherly smile,

"I don't want to leave them," protested Diantha, trying to keep her voice steady. "It is simply that I have made

"Do what better?" asked Mrs. Warden with sweet patience, which reduced Diantha to the bald statement,

"And is that better than staying with your mother and your lover?" pursued the gentle inquisitor; while the

girls tried, "What do you want to earn more money for?" and "I thought you earned a lot before."

Now Diantha did not wish to state in so many words that she wanted more money in order to marry

soonershe had hardly put it to herself that way. She could not make them see in a few moments that her

plan was to do far more for her mother than she would otherwise ever be able to. And as to making them

understand the larger principles at stakethe range and depth of her full purposethat would be physically

"I am sorry!" she said with trembling lips. "I am extremely sorry. ButI cannot explain!"

Mrs. Warden drew herself up a little. "Cannot explain to me?Your mother, of course, knows?"

"Diantha is naturally more frank with me than withanyone," said Mrs. Bell proudly, "But she does not

Her daughter looked at her with vivid gratitude, but the words "made public" were a little unfortunate

"Of course," Mrs. Warden agreed, with her charming smile, "that we can quite understand. I'm sure I should

always wish my girls to feel so. Madelinejust show Mrs. Bell that necktie you're makingshe was asking

The necktie was produced and admired, while the other girls asked Diantha if she had her fall dressmaking

done yetand whether she found wash ribbon satisfactory. And presently the whole graceful family

Diantha sat on the floor by her mother, put her head in her lap and cried. "How splendid of you, Mother!" she

sobbed. "How simply splendid! I will tell you nowififyou won't tell even Fatheryet."

"That's what I kept still for!" said the girl. "It's hard enough, goodness knowsas it is! Its nothing wicked, or

Her mother smiled through her tears. "If you say that, my dear child, I know there's no stopping you. And I

hate to argue with youeven for your own sake, because it is so much to my advantage to have you here.

"Its natural for the young to go. We expect itin time. But you are so young yetandwell, I had hoped

"Mother! can't you see Ross'll never be ready! Look at that family! And the way they live! And those

mortgages! I could wait and teach and save a little even with Father always losing money; but I can't see Ross

Her mother stroked her fair hair softly, not surprised that her own plea was so lost in thought of the brave

"And besides," the girl went on "If I waitedand savedand married Rosswhat becomes of you, I'd like

to know? What I can't stand is to have you grow older and sickerand never have any good time in all your

Mrs. Bell smiled tenderly. "You dear child!" she said; as if an affectionate fiveyear old had offered to get

her a rainbow, "I know you mean it all for the best. But, O my dearest ! I'd rather have youhereat home

She could not see the suffering in her daughter's face; but she felt she had made an impression, and followed

it up with heartbreaking sincerity. She caught the girl to her breast and held her like a little child. "O my

A familiar step outside, heavy, yet uncertain, and they both looked at each other with frightened eyes.

"It will be in a moment, Father," cried Diantha springing to her feet. "At leastin a few moments."

"Don't fret the child, Father," said Mrs. Henderson softly. "She's feeling bad enough."

He got out the small damp local paper and his pipe, and composed himself in obvious patience: yet somehow

this patience seemed to fill the kitchen, and to act like a ball and chain to Diantha's feet.

She got supper ready, at last, making griddlecakes instead of biscuit, and no comment was made of the

change: but the tension in the atmosphere was sharply felt by the two women; and possibly by the tall old

"I'm going over to see Edwards about that new incubator," he said when the meal was over, and departed; and

Mrs. Bell, after trying in vain to do her mending, wiped her clouded glasses and went to bed.

Diantha made all neat and tidy; washed her own wet eyes again, and went out under the moon. In that broad

tender mellow light she drew a deep breath and stretched her strong young arms toward the sky in dumb

"I knew it would be hard," she murmured to herself, "That is I knew the factsbut I didn't know the

She stood at the gate between the cypresses, sat waiting under the acacia boughs, walked restlessly up and

down the path outside, the dry pepper berries crush softly under foot; bracing herself for one more

"He will understand!" he told herself, over and over, but at the bottom of her heart she knew he wouldn't.

He came at last; a slower, wearier step than usual; came and took both her hands in his and stood holding

them, looking at her questioningly. Then he held her face between his palms and made her look at him. Her

He stilled it with a kiss, and drew her to a seat on the bench beside him. "My poor Little Girl! You haven't

had a chance yet to really tell me about this thing, and I want you to right now. Then I'm going to kill about

She squeezed his hand, but found it very difficult to speak. His love, his sympathy, his tenderness, were so

delicious after this day's trialsand before those further ones she could so well anticipate. She didn't wish to

cry any more, that would by no means strengthen her position, and she found she couldn't seem to speak

"One would think to hear the good people of this town that you were about to leave home and mother

forwell, for a trip to the moon!" he added. "There isn't any agreement as to what you're going to do, but

they're unanimous as to its being entirely wrong. Now suppose you tell me about it."

"I will," said Diantha. "I began to the other night, you know, you first of courseit was too bad! your having

to go off at that exact moment. Then I had to tell motherbecausewell you'll see presently. Now

She flashed a grateful look at him. "It is this way, my dear. I have two, three, yes four, things to

"I won't question your second, nor your imposing third, but isn't the first oneyour own personal

She rose hurriedly and took a step or two up and down. "I don't supposein spite of your loving me, that I

can make you see it as I do. But I'll be just as clear as I can. There are some years before us before we can be

together. In that time I intend to go away and undertake a business I am interested in. My purpose is

todevelop the work, to earn money, to help my family, and towell, not to hinder you."

"I don't understand, I confess," he said. "Don't you propose to tell me what this 'work' is?"

"YesI willcertainly. But not yet dear! Let me try to show you how I feel about it."

"Wait," said he. "One thing I want to be sure of. Are you doing this with any quixotic notion of helping

mein my business? Helping me to take care of my family? Helping me to" he stood up now, looking

"Would there be anything wrong in my meaning exactly that?" she asked, holding her own head a little

"It would be absolutely wrong, all of it," he answered. "I cannot believe that the woman I love wouldcould

"Look here, Ross!" said the girl earnestly. "Suppose you knew where there was a gold mine knew it and

"Well, suppose it wasn't a gold mine, but a business, a new system like those cigar storesorsome patent

amusement specialtyor anything that you knew was better than what you're doingwouldn't you have a

"Why it's the same thing! Don't you see? I have plans that will be of real benefit to all of us, something worth

while to do and not only for us but for everybody a real piece of progressand I'm going to leave my

He smiled lovingly at her but shook his head slowly. "You dear, brave, foolish child!" he said. "I don't for one

moment doubt your noble purposes. But you don't get the man's point of viewnaturally. What's more you

"There are no others," he answered. "Come! come! my darling, don't add this new difficulty to what we've

got to carry! I know you have a hard time of it at home. Some day, please God, you shall have an easier one!

And I'm having a hard time tooI don't deny it. But you are the greatest joy and comfort I have, dearyou

know that. If you go awayit will be harder and slower and longerthat's all. I shall have you to worry

about too. Let somebody else do the goldmine, dearyou stay here and comfort your Mother as long as

He tried to put his arm around her again, but she drew back. "Dear," she said. "If I deliberately do what I

"Do?" The laughed bitterly. "What can I do? I'm tied by the leg herel can't go after you. I've nothing to pull

you out of a scrape with if you get in one. I couldn't do anything butstand it."

"And if I go ahead, and do what you don't likeand make yousufferwould youwould you rather be

"Free of you? Free of you ?" He caught her and held her and kissed her over and over.

"You are mine!" he said. "You have given yourself to me! You cannot leave me. Neither of us is freeever

"Both of us are freeto do what we think right, always Ross! I wouldn't try to stop you if you thought it was

your duty to go to the North Pole!" She held him a little way off. "Let me tell you, dear. Sit downlet me

"I don't think I want to know the details," he said. "It doesn't much matter what you're going to doif you

really go away. I can't stop youI see that. If you think this thing is your 'duty' you'll do it if it kills us

alland you too! If you have to goI shall do nothingcan do nothingbut wait till you come back to

me! Whatever happens, darlingno matter how you faildon't ever be afraid to come back to me."

He folded his arms nowdid not attempt to hold hergave her the freedom she asked and promised her the

love she had almost feared to loseand her whole carefully constructed plan seemed like a child's sand

He was not even looking at her; she saw his strong, cleancut profile dark against the moonlit house, a settled

patience in its lines. Duty! Here was duty, surely, with tenderest happiness. She was leaning toward

himher hand was seeking his, when she heard through the fragrant silence a sound from her mother's

roomthe faint creak of her light rocking chair. She could not sleepshe was sitting up with her trouble,

The quiet everyday tragedy of that distasteful lifethe slow withering away of youth and hope and ambition

into a gray waste of ineffectual submissive labornot only of her life, but of thousands upon thousands like

Ross had turned to herwas holding out his arms to her. "You won't go, my darling!" he said.

It was a poor dinner. Cold in the first place, because Isabel would wait to thoroughly wash her long artistic

hands; and put on another dress. She hated the smell of cooking in her garments; hated it worse on her white

fingers; and now to look at the graceful erect figure, the round throat with the silver necklace about it, the soft

smooth hair, silverfilletted, the negative beauty of the dovecolored gown, specially designed for home

evenings, one would never dream she had set the table so welland cooked the steak so abominably.

Isabel was never a cook. In the many servantless gaps of domestic life in Orchardina, there was always a

"Dear," said Mr. Porne, "might I petition to have the steak less cooked? I know you don't like to do it, so why

"I'm sorry," she answered, "I always forget about the steak from one time to the next."

"I thought you liked it better than anything," she with marked gentleness. "I'll get you other thingsoftener."

"It's a shame you should have this to do, Isabel. I never meant you should cook for me. Indeed I didn't dream

"And I never dreamed you cared so much about it," she replied, still with repression. "I'm not complaining,

"It's not you, dear girl! You're all right! It's just this everlasting bother. Can't you get anybody that will stay?"

I can't seem to get anybody on any terms, so far. I'm going again, tomorrow. Cheer up, dearthe baby

He sat on the rosebowered porch and smoked while she cleared the table. At first he had tried to help her on

these occasions, but their methods were dissimilar and she frankly told him she preferred to do it alone.

So she slipped off the silk and put on the gingham again, washed the dishes with the labored accuracy of a

trained mind doing unfamiliar work, made the bread, redressed at last, and joined him about nine o'clock.

His hand stole out to take hers. "I am sorry, dear. It's awfully rough on you women out here. How do they all

"Most of them stand it much better than I do, Ned. You see they don't want to be doing anything else."

"Yes. That's the mischief of it!" he agreed; and she looked at him in the clear moonlight, wondering exactly

So they sat awhile enjoying the soft silence, and the rich flower scents about them, till Eddie did wake

She slept little that night, lying quite still, listening to her husband's regular breathing so near her, and the

lighter sound from the crib. "I am a very happy woman," she told herself resolutely; but there was no

outpouring sense of love and joy. She knew she was happy, but by no means felt it. So she stared at the moon

She had planned the little house herself, with such love, such hope, such tender happy care! Not her first

work, which won high praise in the school in Paris, not the prizewinning plan for the library, now gracing

Orchardina's prettiest square, was as dear to her as this most womanly taskthe making of a home.

It was the library success which brought her here, fresh from her foreign studies, and Orchardina accepted

with western cordiality the youth and beauty of the young architect, though a bit surprised at first that "I. H.

Wright" was an Isabel. In her further work of overseeing the construction of that library, she had met Edgar

Porne, one of the numerous eager young real estate men of that region, who showed a liberal enthusiasm for

the general capacity of women in the professions, and a much warmer feeling for the personal attractions of

Together they chose the lot on peppershaded Inez Avenue; together they watched the rising of the concrete

walls and planned the garden walks and seats, and the tiny precious pool in the far corner. He was so

sympathetic! so admiring! He took as much pride in the big "drawing room" on the third floor as she did

herself. "Architecture is such fine work to do at home!" they had both agreed. "Here you have your north

lightyour big tableplenty of room for work! You will grow famouser and famouser," he had lovingly

insisted. And she had answered, "I fear I shall be too contented, dear, to want to be famous."

That was only some year and ahalf ago,but Isabel, lying there by her sleeping husband and sleeping child,

was stark awake and only by assertion happy. She was thinking, persistently, of dust. She loved a delicate

cleanliness. Her art was a precise one, her studio a workshop of white paper and fine pointed hard pencils, her

painting the mechanical perfection of an even wash of color. And she saw, through the floors and walls and

the darkness, the dust in the little shaded parlortwo days' dust at least, and Orchardina is very dusty!dust

in the diningroom gathered since yesterdaythe dust in the kitchenshe would not count time there, and

the dusthere she counted it inexorablythe dust of eight days in her great, light workroom upstairs. Eight

Lying there, wideeyed and motionless, she stood outside in thought and looked at the houseas she used to

look at it with him, before they were married. Then, it had roused every blessed hope and dream of wedded

joyit seemed a casket of uncounted treasures. Now, in this dreary mood, it seemed not only a mere

workshop, but one of alien tasks, continuous, impossible, like those set for the Imprisoned Princess by bad

fairies in the old tales. In thought she entered the wellproportioned doorthe Gate of Happinessand a

musty smell greeted hershe had forgotten to throw out those flowers! She turned to the parlorno, the

piano keys were gritty, one had to clean them twice a day to keep that room as she liked it.

From room to room she flitted, in her mind, trying to recall the exquisite things they meant to her when she

had planned them; and each one now opened glaring and blank, as a place to work inand the work undone.

"If I were an abler woman!" she breathed. And then her common sense and common honesty made her reply

to herself: "I am able enoughin my own work! Nobody can do everything. I don't believe Edgar'd do it any

better than I do.He don't have to!and then such a wave of bitterness rushed over her that she was afraid,

He awakened instantly. "What is it, Dear?" he asked. "Too tired to sleep, you poor darling? But you do love

"O yes !" she answered. "I do. Of course I do! I'm just tired, I guess. Goodnight, Sweetheart."

When he finally sat down to the hurriedly spread breakfasttable, Mr. Porne, long coffeeless, found it a bit

difficult to keep his temper. Isabel was a little stiff, bringing in dishes and cups, and paying no attention to

"Well if you won't I will!" burst forth the father at last, and ran upstairs, returning presently with a fine boy of

some eleven months, who ceased to bawl in these familiar arms, and contented himself, for the moment, with

"I'm very sorry," she said. "The oatmeal is burned again. You'll have to eat cornflakes. Andthe cream is

sourthe ice didn't comeor at least, perhaps I was out when it cameand then I forgot it. . . . . I had to go

to the employment agency in the morning! . . . . I'm sorry I'm soso incompetent."

"So am I," he commented drily. "Are there any crackers for instance? And how about coffee?"

She brought the coffee, such as it was, and a can of condensed milk. Also crackers, and fruit. She took the

"If you have to get it yourself I'll allow for seventhirty," said he, trying to be cheerful, though she seemed

little pleased by it. "Now don't take it so hard, Ellie. You are a firstclass architect, anyhowone can't be

everything. We'll get another girl in time. This is just the common lot out here. All the women have the same

"Most women seem better able to meet it!" she burst forth. "It's not my trade! I'm willing to work, I like to

work, but I can't bear housework! I can't seem to learn it at all! And the servants will not do it properly!"

"Perhaps they know your limitations, and take advantage of them! But cheer up, dear. It's no killing matter.

Order by phone, don't forget the ice, and I'll try to get home early and help. Don't cry, dear girl, I love you,

He kissed her till she had to smile back at him and give him a loving hug; but after he had gone, the gloom

settled upon her spirits once more. She bathed the baby, fed him, put him to sleep; and came back to the table.

The screen door had been left ajar and the house was buzzing with flies, hot, with a week's accumulating

disorder. The bread she made last night in fear and trembling, was hanging fatly over the pans; perhaps sour

Then she stood, undetermined, looking about that messy kitchen while the big flies bumped and buzzed on

the windows, settled on every dish, and swung in giddy circles in the middle of the room. Turning swiftly she

shut the door on them. The diningroom was nearly as bad. She began to put the cups and plates together for

removal; but set her tray down suddenly and went into the comparative coolness of the parlor, closing the

She was quite tired enough to cry after several nights of broken rest and days of constant discomfort and

"Of course I love him!" she said to herself aloud but softly, remembering the baby, "And no doubt he loves

me! I'm glad to be his wife! I'm glad to be a mother to his child! I'm glad I married him! But this is not

what he offered! And it's not what I undertook! He hasn't had to change his business!"

She marched up and down the scant space, and then stopped short and laughed drily, continuing her

"'Do you love me?' they ask, and, 'I will make you happy!' they say; and you get marriedand after that it's

"They don't say, 'Will you be my Cook?' 'Will you be my Chamber maid?' 'Will you give up a good clean

wellpaid business that you lovethat has big hope and power and beauty in itand come and keep house

"Love him? I'd be in Paris this minute if I didn't! What has 'love' to do with dust and grease and flies!"

Then she did drop on the small sofa and cry tempestuously for a little while; but soon arose, fiercely ashamed

of her weakness, and faced the day; thinking of the old lady who had so much to do she couldn't think what to

"Eddie will sleep till halfpast tenif I'm lucky. It's now nearly halfpast nine," she meditated aloud. "If I

do the upstairs work I might wake him. I mustn't forget the bread, the dishes, the parlorO those flies!

Stepping softly, and handling the dishes with slow care, she cleaned the breakfast table and darkened the

diningroom, flapping out some of the flies with a towel. Then she essayed the parlor, dusting and arranging

with undecided steps. "It ought to be swept," she admitted to herself; "I can't do itthere isn't time. I'll make

"I'd rather plan a dozen houses!" she fiercely muttered, as she fussed about. "YesI'd rather build 'emthan

Then were her hopes dashed by a rising wail from above. She sat quite still awhile, hoping against hope that

In her low chair by the window she held him and produced bright and jingling objects from the tall

workbasket that stood near by, sighing again as she glanced at its accumulated mending.

Master Eddy grew calm and happy in her arms, but showed a growing interest in the pleasing materials

produced for his amusement, and a desire for closer acquaintance. Then a penetrating odor filled the air, and

with a sudden "O dear!" she rose, put the baby on the sofa, and started toward the kitchen.

Mrs. Porne stopped in her tracks and looked at the door. It remained opaque and immovable. She looked at

the babywho jiggled his spools and crowed. Then she flew to the oven and dragged forth the bread, not

A nice looking young woman stood before her, in a plain travelling suit, holding a cheap dresssuit case in

one hand and a denim "rollbag" in the other, who met her with a cheerful inquiring smile.

"I am," answered that lady, somewhat shortly, her hand on the doorknob, her ear on the baby, her nose still

remorsefully in the kitchen, her eyes fixed sternly on her visitor the while; as she wondered whether it was

She was about to add that she didn't want anything, when the young lady produced a card from the Rev.

Benjamin A. Miner, Mrs. Porne's particularly revered minister, and stated that she had heard there was a

"I don't know" said Mrs. Porne, reading the card without in the least grasping what it said. "I"

Just then there was a dull falling sound followed by a sharp rising one, and she rushed into the parlor without

When she could hear and be heard again, she found Mrs. Bell seated in the shadowy little hall, serene and

cool. "I called on Mr. Miner yesterday when I arrived," said she, "with letters of introduction from my former

minister, told him what I wanted to do, and asked him if he could suggest anyone in immediate need of help

in this line. He said he had called here recently, and believed you were looking for someone. Here is the letter

I showed him," and she handed Mrs. Porne a most friendly and appreciative recommendation of Miss D. Bell

by a minister in Jopalez, Inca Co., stating that the bearer was fully qualified to do all kinds of housework,

experienced, honest, kind, had worked seven years in one place, and only left it hoping to do better in

Backed by her own pastor's approval this seemed to Mrs. Porne fully sufficient. The look of the girl pleased

her, though suspiciously above her station in manner; service of any sort was scarce and high in Orchardina,

"I can stop now if you like," said the stranger. "This is my baggage. But we must arrange terms first. If you

like to try me I will come this week from noon today to noon next Friday, for seven dollars, and then if you

are satisfied with my work we can make further arrangements. I do not do laundry work, of course, and don't

"I take care of my baby myself!" said Mrs. Porne, thinking the new girl was presuming, though her manner

was most gently respectful. But a week was not long, she was well recommended, and the immediate

pressure in that kitchen where the harvest was so ripe and the laborers so few"Wellyou may try the

Then we may look for strength and skill, Experience, good health, good will, Art and science well combined,

Honest soul and able mind, Servants built upon this plan, One to wait on every man, Patiently from youth to

When the parson's gay on Mondays, When we meet a month of Sundays, We may look for them and find

When young Mrs. Weatherstone swept her trailing crepe from the automobile to her friend's door, it was

opened by a quick, softfooted maid with a pleasant face, who showed her into a parlor, not only cool and

Mrs. Porne came flying down to meet her, with such a look of rest and comfort as roused instant notice.

"Why, Belle! I haven't seen you look so bright in ever so long. It must be the new maid!"

The visitor looked puzzled. "Is she aa friend?" she ventured, not sure of her ground.

"I should say she was! A friend in need! Sit here by the window, Vivaand I'll tell you all about itas far

She gaily recounted her climax of confusion and weariness, and the sudden appearance of this ministering

angel. "She arrived at about quarter of ten. I engaged her inside of five minutes. She was into a gingham

Mrs. Porne laughed unblushingly. "There was enough for ten women it seemed to me! Let's seeit's about

five nowseven hours. We have nine rooms, besides the halls and stairs, and my shop. She hasn't touched

She took her guest out into the hall, through the library and diningroom, upstairs where the pleasant

"She said that if I didn't mind she'd give it a superficial general cleaning today and be more thorough later!"

Mrs. Weatherstone looked about her with a rather languid interest. "I'm very glad for you, Belle,

"Nuisance! It's slow death! to me at least," Mrs. Porne answered. "But I don't see why you should mind. I

thought Madam Weatherstone ran thatpalace, of yours, and you didn't have any trouble at all."

"Oh yes, she runs it. I couldn't get along with her at all if she didn't. That's her life. It was my mother's too.

"Its twenty, I think. But my dear Belle, if you imagine that when you have twenty servants you have neither

"Give me my drawing tools and plans and I'm happybut this business"she swept a white hand wearily

"Of course I enjoy it, but so does Edgar. Can't a woman enjoy her home, just as a man does, without running

the shop? I enjoy ocean travel, but I don't want to be either a captain or a common sailor!"

Mrs. Weatherstone smiled, a little sadly. "You're lucky, you have other interests," she said. "How about our

Mrs. Porne flushed. "I'm sorry, Viva. You ought to have given it to someone else. I haven't gone into that

workroom for eight solid days. No help, and the baby, you know. And I was always dogtired."

"That's all right, dear, there's no very great rush. You can get at it now, can't youwith this other Belle to the

Mrs. Weatherstone smiled her faint smile. "Wellwhy not? Like a seamstress, I suppose."

"Exactly. That's what she said. "If this labor was as important as that of seamstress or governess why not the

same courtesyOh she's a most superior and opinionated young person, I can see that."

"I like her looks," admitted Mrs. Weatherstone, "but can't we look over those plans again; there's something I

In her shop and at her work Isabel Porne was a different woman. She was eager and yet calm; full of ideas

and ideals, yet with a practical knowledge of details that made her houses dear to the souls of women.

She pointed out in the new drawings the practical advantages of kitchen and pantry; the simple but thorough

ventilation, the deep closets, till her friend fairly laughed at her. "And you say you're not domestic!"

"I'm a domestic architect, if you like," said Isabel; "but not a domestic servant.I'll remember what you say

about those windowsit's a good idea," and she made a careful note of Mrs. Weatherstone's suggestion.

That lady pushed the plans away from her, and went to the many cushioned lounge in the wide west window,

Isabel was puzzled. "I knew you so well in school," she said, "and that gay year in Paris. You were always a

"Nothing that anybody can help," said her friend. "Nothing that matters. What does matter, anyway? Fuss and

fuss and fuss. Dress and entertain. Travel till you're tired, and rest till you're crazy! Thenwhen a real thing

happensthere's all this!" and she lifted her black draperies disdainfully. "And mourning notepaper and

Isabel put an arm around her. "Don't mind, dearyou'll get over thisyou are young enough yetthe

But Mrs. Weatherstone only smiled her faint smile again. "I loved another man, first," she said. "A real one.

He died. He never cared for me at all. I cared for nothing elsenothing in life. That's why I married Martin

Weatherstonenot for his old millionsbut he really caredand I was sorry for him. Now he's dead. And

"Maybe if you took hold of the houseif you ran things yourself,"ventured Mrs. Porne.

Mrs. Weatherstone laughed. "And turn out the old lady? You don't know her. Why she managed her son till

he ran away from herand after he got so rich and imported her from Philadelphia to rule over Orchardina

in general and his household in particular, she managed that poor little first wife of his into her grave, and

that wretched boyhe's the only person that manages her! She's utterly spoiled himthat was his father's

"O I guess soif I let her have her own way. And she certainly saves me a great deal of trouble. Speaking of

At the gate puffed the big car, a person in livery rang the bell, and Mrs. Weatherstone kissed her friend

warmly, and passed like a heavy shadow along the rosebordered path. In the tonneau sat a massive old lady

in sober silks, with a set impassive countenance, severely correct in every feature, and young Mat

Weatherstone, sulky because he had to ride with his grandmother now and then. He was not a nice young

Diantha found it hard to write her home letters, especially to Ross. She could not tell them of all she meant to

do; and she must tell them of this part of it, at once, before they heard of it through others.

To leave hometo leave schoolteaching, to leave loveand "go out to service" did not seem a step up,

that was certain. But she set her red lips tighter and wrote the letters; wrote them and mailed them that

Her mother's answer was affectionate, patient, and trustful, though not understanding.

"The idea! " wrote Mrs. Susie. "A girl with a good home to live in and another to look forward toand able

to earn money respectably! to go out and work like a common Irish girl! Why Gerald is so mortified he can't

face his friendsand I'm as ashamed as I can be! My own sister! You must be crazy simply crazy! "

It was hard on them. Diantha had faced her own difficulties bravely enough; and sympathized keenly with her

mother, and with Ross; but she had not quite visualized the mortification of her relatives. She found tears in

her eyes over her mother's letter. Her sister's made her both sorry and angrya most disagreeable

feelingas when you step on the cat on the stairs. Ross's letter she held some time without opening.

She was in her little upstairs room in the evening. She had swept, scoured, scalded and carbolized it, and the

hospitally smell was now giving way to the soft richness of the outer air. The "hoo! hoo!" of the little

mourning owl came to her ears through the whispering night, and large moths beat noiselessly against the

window screen. She kissed the letter again, held it tightly to her heart for a moment, and opened it.

"Dearest: I have your letter with itssomewhat surprisingnews. It is a comfort to know where you are,

"I can readily imagine that this is but the preliminary to something else, as you say so repeatedly; and I can

"In the first place I love you. I shall love you always, whatever you do. But I will not disguise from you that

"I suppose you expect by some mysterious process to "develope" and "elevate" this housework business; and

to make money. I should not love you any better if you made a millionand I would not take money from

youyou know that, I hope. If in the years we must wait before we can marry, you are happier away from

"I shall not argue nor plead with you, Dear Girl; I know you think you are doing right; and I have no right,

nor power, to prevent you. But if my wish were right and power, you would be here tonight, under the

Diantha slipped down in a little heap by the bed, her face on the letterher arms spread wide. The letter

But the hands were tightclenched, and if you had been near enough you might have heard a dogged

repetition, monotonous as a Tibetan prayer mill: "It is right. It is right. It is right." And then. "Help

When Mr. Porne came home that night he found the wifely smile which is supposed to greet all returning

husbands quite genuinely in evidence. "O Edgar!" cried she in a triumphant whisper, "I've got such a nice

girl! She's just as neat and quick; you've no idea the work she's done todayit looks like another place

already. But if things look queer at dinner don't notice itfor I've just given her her head. I was so tired, and

baby bothered so, and she said that perhaps she could manage all by herself if I was willing to risk it, so I

took baby for a carride and have only just got back. And I think the dinner's going to be lovely!"

It was lovely. The diningroom was cool and flyless. The table was set with an assured touch. A few of

Orchardina's ever ready roses in a glass bowl gave an air of intended beauty Mrs. Porne had had no time for.

The food was wellcooked and wellserved, and the attendance showed an intelligent appreciation of when

Mrs. Porne quite glowed with exultation, but her husband gently suggested that the newness of the broom

was visibly uppermost, and that such palpable perfections were probably accompanied by some drawbacks.

But he liked her looks, he admitted, and the cooking would cover a multitude of sins.

On this they rested, while the week went by. It was a full week, and a short one. Mrs. Porne, making hay

while the sun shone, caught up a little in her sewing and made some consciencetormenting calls.

When Thursday night came around she was simply running over with information to give her husband.

"Such a talk as I have had with Miss Bell! She is so queer! But she's nice too, and it's all reasonable enough,

what she says. You know she's studied this thing all out, and she knows about itstatistics and things. I was

astonished till I found she used to teach school. Just think of it! And to be willing to work out! She certainly

does her work beautiful, butit doesn't seem like having a servant at all. I feel as if Iboarded with her!"

"O yes, she never presumes. But I mean the capable way she managesI don't have to tell her one thing, nor

to oversee, nor criticize. I spoke of it and she said, 'If I didn't understand the business I should have no right

"That's a new point of view, isn't it?" asked her husband. "Don't they usually make you teach them their trade

"Why she's sorigid. I'll read you herI don't know what to call it. She's written out a definite proposition

as to her staying with us, and I want you to study it, it's the queerest thing I ever saw."

The document was somewhat novel. A clear statement of the hours of labor required in the position, the

quality and amount of the different kinds of work; the terms on which she was willing to undertake it, and all

prefaced by a few remarks on the status of household labor which made Mr. Porne open his eyes.

Thus Miss Bell; "The ordinary rate for labor in this state, unskilled labor of the ordinary sort, is $2.00 a day.

This is in return for the simplest exertion of brute force, under constant supervision and direction, and

"Household labor calls for the practice of several distinct crafts, and, to be properly done, requires thorough

training and experience. Its performer is not only in a position of confidence, as necessarily entrusted with the

care of the employer's goods and with knowledge of the most intimate family relations; but the work itself, in

maintaining the life and health of the members of the household, is of most vital importance.

"In consideration of existing economic conditions, however, I am willing to undertake these intricate and

responsible duties for a seven day week at less wages than are given the streetdigger, for $1.50 a day."

"Good gracious, my dear!" said Mr. Porne, laying down the paper, "This young woman does appreciate her

"And feel under obligations at that!" answered his wife. "But you read ahead. It is most instructive. We shall

"'In further consideration of the conditions of the time, I am willing to accept part payment in board and

lodging instead of cash. Such accommodations as are usually offered with this position may be rated at

"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 ahalf 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.

"Breakfast. Coffee at thirtyfive 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, onehalf cent. Butter at forty cents per pound, one

piece, one and ahalf 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

'Food, average per day . . . $0.35 Room, $1.50 per w'k, ave. per day . . . .22 .57

"'Remaining payable in cash, $28.00.' Do I still live! But my dear Ellie, that's only what an ordinary

"I know it, Ned, but you know we think it's awful, and we're always telling about their getting their board and

"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

"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."

"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 onehalf 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 onehalf hour per day. Total ten hours per 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

"Yes, but then she rests! Her ten hours are from sixthirty a.m., when she goes into the kitchen as regularly as

a cuckoo clock, to eightthirty p.m. when she is all through and her kitchen looks like awell it's as clean

"Half an hour apiece, and half an hour in the morning to restand two in the afternoon. Anyway she is out,

"That don't look like a very hard job. Her day laborer doesn't get two hours off every afternoon to take

"No, I know that, but he doesn't begin so early, nor stop so late. She does her square ten hours work, and I

"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."

"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

"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

"Well, it's your province, my dear. I don't profess to advise. But I assure you I appreciate the table, and the

She slipped her hand into his affectionately. "It does make a difference," she said. "I could get a girl for

"I do indeed," he admitted fervently. "It's worth the money to have this thing done so well. I think she's right

"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

And with inward amusement and great display of penmanship they added "Mrs. Isabel J. Porne," and the

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

To himself he boasted that he had a new wife who could loveso cheerful and gay grew Mrs. Porne in the

"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!"

"But what I enjoy the most is the atmosphere, " she continued. "When I have to do the work, the house is a

perfect nightmare to me!" She leaned forward from her low stool, her elbows on her knees, her chin in her

"Edgar! You know I love you. And I love my babyI'm no unfeeling monster! But I can tell you frankly that

if I'd had any idea of what housework was like I'd never have given up architecture to try it."

"Lucky for me you hadn't!" said he fondly. "I know it's been hard for you, little girl. I never meant that you

should give up architecturethat's a business a woman could carry on at home I thought, the designing part

"Yes," she said, with reminiscent bitterness, "there they areand there they might have stayed,

Mrs. Porne laughed. "Yes. I hated it at first, but she asked if I could give her any real reason why the cook

should be called by her first name more than the seamstress or governess. I tried to say that it was shorter, but

she smiled and said that in this case it was longer!Her name is DianthaI've seen it on letters. And it is

"Yesvery oftenfrom Topolaya where she came from. I'm afraid she's engaged." Mrs. Porne sighed

"I don't doubt it!" said Mr. Porne. "That would account for her six months' arrangement! Well, my

"I do!" she boasted. "Whole stacks! I've had a seamstress in, and got all my clothes in order and the baby's.

We've had lot of dinnerparties and teas as you knowall my "social obligations" are cleared off! We've had

your mother for a visit, and mine's coming nowand I wasn't afraid to have either of them! There's no fault

to be found with my housekeeping now! And there are two things better than thatyes, three."

"The best thing is to see you look so young and handsome and happy again," said her husband, with a kiss.

"Yesthat's one. Another is that now I feel so easy and lighthearted I can love you and babyasas I do!

He nodded sympathetically. "I know, dear," he said. "I feel that way myselfsometimes. What's the other?"

"Why that's best of aIl!" she cried triumphantly. "I can Work again! When Baby's asleep I get hours at a time;

and even when he's awake I've fixed a place where he can playand I can draw and planjust as I used

"And that is even more to you than loving?" he asked in a quiet inquiring voice.

"It's more because it means both! " She leaned to him, glowing, "Don't you see? First I had the work and

loved it. Then you cameand I loved youbetter! Then Baby came and I loved himbest? I don't

There was a brief interim and then she drew back, blushing richly. "Now stopI want to explain. When the

housework got to be such a nightmareand I looked forward to a whole lifetime of it and no improvement;

then I just ached for my workand couldn't do it! And thenwhy sometimes dear, I just wanted to run

away! Actually! From both of you!you see, I spent five years studyingI was a real architectand it did

hurt to see it go. And nowO now I've got It and You too, darling! And the Baby!O I'm so happy!"

"Thanks to the Providential Miss Bell," said he. "If she'll stay I'll pay her anything!"

Peace, order, comfort, cleanliness and economy reigned in the Porne household, and the lady of the house

blossomed into richer beauty and happiness; her contentment marred only by a sense of flying time.

Miss Bell fulfilled her carefully specified engagement to the letter; rested her peaceful hour in the morning;

walked and rode in the afternoon; familiarized herself with the length and breadth of the town; and visited

continuously among the servants of the neighborhood, establishing a large and friendly acquaintance. If she

wore rubber gloves about the rough work, she paid for them herself; and she washed and ironed her simple

and pretty costumes herselfwith the result that they stayed pretty for surprising periods.

She wrote letters long and loving, to Ross daily; to her mother twice a week; and by the help of her sister's

authority succeeded in maintaining a fairly competent servant in her deserted place.

"Father was bound he wouldn't," her sister wrote her; "but I stood right up to him, I can now I'm

married!and Gerald toothat he'd no right to take it out of mother even if he was mad with you. He made

a fuss about your paying for the girlbut that was only showing off he couldn't pay for her just

nowthat's certain. And she does very wella good strong girl, and quite devoted to mother." And then she

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

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

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 barbershops and other downtown meeting places mentioned.

Servants gathered it at dinnertables; and Diantha, much amused, regathered it from her new friends among

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

"Why I am! I order whenever I specially want anything. But she really does it moremore scientifically. She

"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

"What are you getting at your present placeif I may ask?" loftily inquired the great Mrs. Thaddler,

"There is surely no objection to your asking, madam," she replied politely. "Mrs. Porne will not mind telling

"Hm!" said the patronizing visitor, regarding her through her lorgnette. "Very good. Whatever it is I'll double

"My engagement with Mrs. Porne is for six months," Diantha answered, "and I do not wish to close with

"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."

Diantha acquired quite a list of offers; places open to her as soon as she was free; at prices from her present

"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

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

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

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

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"

"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!"

"We must have that remarkable young woman address our club!" Mrs. Dankshire announced. "It is one case

"So noble of her!" said Mrs. Ree. "You say she was really a schoolteacher? Mrs. Thaddler has put it about

"O no," said Mrs. Porne. "She is perfectly straightforward about it, and had the best of recommendations. She

"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 schoolteachers to see

"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

"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

"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 wager now may I try an experiment Mrs. Porne?" and she stood up, taking out her handkerchief.

Mrs. Dankshire climbed heavily upon a carefully selected chair and passed her large clean plainhemmed

"I knew it!" she proclaimed proudly from her eminence, and showed the cloth still white. "That," she

"I don't see how she gets the time!" breathed Mrs. Ree, shaking her head in awed amazement, and reflecting

that she would not dare trust Mrs. Dankshire's handkerchief on her picture tops.

"We must have her address the Club," the president repeated. "It will do worlds of good. Let me seea paper

onwe might say 'On the True Nature of Domestic Industry.' How does that strike you, Mrs. Ree?"

"We will. We have come for that purpose. But we felt it right to ask you about it first," said Mrs. Dankshire.

"Why I have no control over Miss Bell's movements, outside of working hours," answered Mrs. Porne. "And

I don't see that it would make any difference to our relations. She is a very selfpoised young woman, but

extremely easy to get along with. And I'm sure she could write a splendid paper. You'd better ask her, I

"Would you call her in?" asked Mrs. Dankshire, "or shall we go out to the kitchen?"

The kitchen was as clean as the parlor; and as prettily arranged. Miss Bell was making her preparation for

lunch, and stopped to receive the visitors with a serenely civil airas of a country storekeeper.

"I am very glad to meet you, Miss Bell, very glad indeed," said Mrs. Dankshire, shaking hands with her

warmly. "We have at heard so much of your beautiful work here, and we admire your attitude! Now would

you be willing to give a paperor a talkto our club, the Home and Culture Club, some Wednesday, on

Mrs. Ree took Miss Bell's hand with something of the air of a Boston maiden accosting a saint from

Hindoostan. "If you only would!" she said. "I am sure it would shed light on this great subject!"

"I should be delighted to have you do it," said her employer. "I know it would be very useful."

"WellI will come on the first Wednesday in April. If anything should happen to prevent I will let you

know in good season, and if you should wish to postpone or alter the programshould think better of the

They went away quite jubilant, Miss Bell's acceptance was announced officially at the next clubmeeting,

Oh, the Home is Utterly Perfect! And all its works within! To say a word about it To criticize or doubt

Mr. Porne took an afternoon off and came with his wife to hear their former housemaid lecture. As many

other men as were able did the same. All the members not bedridden were present, and nearly all the guests

So many were the acceptances that a downtown hall had been taken; the floor was more than filled, and in the

gallery sat a block of servant girls, more gorgeous in array than the ladies below whispering excitedly among

themselves. The platform recalled a "tournament of roses," and, sternly important among all that fragrant

loveliness, sat Mrs. Dankshire in "the chair" flanked by Miss Torbus, the Recording Secretary, Miss Massing,

the Treasurer, and Mrs. Ree, tremulous with importance in her official position. All these ladies wore an air

of high emprise, even more intense than that with which they usually essayed their public duties. They were

At the side, and somewhat in the rear of the President, on a chair quite different from "the chair," discreetly

gowned and of a bafflingly serene demeanor, sat Miss Bell. All eyes were upon hereven some opera

"She's a peach," was another, "Tell youthe chap that gets her is well heeled!" said a third.

The ladies bent their hats toward one another and conferred in flowing whispers; and in the gallery eager

On the small table before Mrs. Dankshire, shaded by a magnificent bunch of roses, lay that core and crux of

all parliamentry dignity, the gavel; an instrument no selfrespecting chairwoman may be without; yet which

In spite of its large size and high social standing, the Orchardina Home and Culture Club contained some

elements of unrest, and when the yearly election of officers came round there was always need for careful

work in practical politics to keep the reins of government in the hands of "the right people."

Mrs. Thaddler, conscious of her New York millions, and Madam Weatherstone, conscious of her

Philadelphia lineage, with Mrs. Johnston A. Marrow ("one of the Boston Marrows!" was awesomely

whispered of her), were the heads of what might be called "the conservative party" in this small parliament;

while Miss Miranda L. Eagerson, describing herself as 'a journalist,' who held her place in local society

largely by virtue of the tacit dread of what she might do if offendedled the more radical element.

Most of the members were quite content to follow the lead of the solidly established ladies of Orchard

Avenue; especially as this leadership consisted mainly in the pursuance of a masterly inactivity. When wealth

and aristocracy combine with that common inertia which we dignify as "conservatism" they exert a powerful

Nevertheless there were many alert and conscientious women in this large membership, and when Miss

Eagerson held the floor, and urged upon the club some active assistance in the march of events, it needed all

On this auspicious occasion, however, both sides were agreed in interest and approval. Here was a subject

appealing to every woman present, and every man but such few as merely "boarded"; even they had

Solemnly rose Mrs. Dankshire, her full silks rustling about her, and let one clear tap of the gavel fall into the

In the silence that followed she uttered the momentous announcements: "The meeting will please come to

order," "We will now hear the reading of the minutes of the last meeting," and so on most conscientiously

Perhaps it is their more frequent practice of religious rites, perhaps their devout acceptance of social rulings

and the dictates of fashion, perhaps the lifelong reiterance of small duties at home, or all these things

together, which makes women so seriously letterperfect in parliamentry usage. But these stately ceremonies

were ended in course of time, and Mrs. Dankshire rose again, even more solemn than before, and came

"Membersand guests," she said impressively, "this is an occasion which brings pride to the heart of every

member of the Home and Culture Club. As our name implies, this Club is formed to serve the interests of The

"Its second purpose," pursued the speaker, with that measured delivery which showed that her custom, as one

member put it, was to "first write and then commit," "is to promote the cause of Culture in this community.

Our aim is Culture in the broadest sense, not only in the curricula of institutions of learning, not only in those

spreading branches of study and research which tempts us on from height to height"("proof of arboreal

ancestry that," Miss Eagerson confided to a friend, whose choked giggle attracted condemning eyes)"but

"Most of us, however widely interested in the higher education, are stilland find in this our highest

honorwives and mothers." These novel titles called forth another round of applause.

"As such," continued Mrs. Dankshire, "we all recognize the difficultthe wellnigh insuperable problems of

"We know how on the one hand our homes yawn unattended"("I yawn while I'm attendingeh?" one

gentleman in the rear suggested to his neighbor)while on the other the ranks of mercenary labor are

overcrowded. Why is it that while the peace and beauty, the security and comfort, of a good home, with easy

labor and high pay, are open to every young woman, whose circumstances oblige her to toil for her living,

she blindly refuses these true advantages and loses her health and too often what is far more precious!in

the din and tumult of the factory, or the dangerous exposure of the public counter."

Madam Weatherstone was much impressed at this point, and beat her black fan upon her black glove

emphatically. Mrs. Thaddler also nodded; which meant a good deal from her. The applause was most

"Fortunately for the world there are some women yet who appreciate the true values of life." A faint blush

crept slowly up the face of Diantha, but her expression was unchanged. Whoso had met and managed a

"We have with us on this occasion one, as we my say, our equal in birth and breeding,"Madam

Weatherstone here looked painfully shocked as also did the Boston Marrow; possibly Mrs. Dankshire, whose

parents were Iowa farmers, was not unmindful of this, but she went on smoothly, "and whose first

employment was the honored task of the teacher; who has deliberately cast her lot with the domestic worker,

and brought her trained intelligence to bear upon the solution of this great questionThe True Nature of

Domestic Service. In the interests of this problem she has consented to address usI take pleasure in

Diantha rose calmly, stepped forward, bowed to the President and officers, and to the audience. She stood

quietly for a moment, regarding the faces before her, and produced a typewritten paper. It was clear, short,

She set forth that the term "domestic industry" did not define certain kinds of labor, but a stage of labor; that

all labor was originally domestic; but that most kinds had now become social, as with weaving and spinning,

for instance, for centuries confined to the home and done by women only; now done in mills by men and

women; that this process of socialization has now been taken from the home almost all the manufacturesas

of wine, beer, soap, candles, pickles and other specialties, and part of the laundry work; that the other

processes of cleaning are also being socialized, as by the vacuum cleaners, the professional windowwashers,

rug cleaners, and similar professional workers; and that even in the preparation of food many kinds are now

specialized, as by the baker and confectioner. That in service itself we were now able to hire by the hour or

A growing rustle of disapproval began to make itself felt, which increased as she went on to explain how the

position of the housemaid is a survival of the ancient status of woman slavery, the family with the male head

"The keynote of all our difficulty in this relation is that we demand celibacy of our domestic servants," said

"Since it is natural for women to marry, the result is that our domestic servants consist of a constantly

changing series of young girls, apprentices, as it were; and the complicated and important duties of the

The audience disapproved somewhat of this, but more of what followed. She showed (Mrs. Porne nodding

her head amusedly), that so far from being highly paid and easy labor, house service was exacting and

responsible, involving a high degree of skill as well as moral character, and that it was paid less than ordinary

Then, as whispers and sporadic little spurts of angry talk increased, the clear quiet voice went on to state that

this last matter, the position of a strange young girl in our homes, was of itself a source of much of the

"We speak of giving them the safety and shelter of the home,"here Diantha grew solemn;"So far from

sharing our homes, she gives up her own, and has none of ours, but the poorest of our food and a cramped

lodging; she has neither the freedom nor the privileges of a home; and as to shelter and safetythe domestic

worker, owing to her peculiarly defenceless position, furnishes a terrible percentage of the unfortunate."

"In England shopworkers complain of the old custom of 'sleeping in'their employers furnishing them with

lodging as part payment; this also is a survival of the old apprentice method. With us, only the domestic

"Let us now consider the economic side of the question. 'Domestic economy' is a favorite phrase. As a matter

of fact our method of domestic service is inordinately wasteful. Even where the wife does all the housework,

without pay, we still waste labor to an enormous extent, requiring one whole woman to wait upon each man.

If the man hires one or more servants, the wastes increase. If one hundred men undertake some common

business, they do not divide in two halves, each man having another man to serve himfifty productive

laborers, and fifty cooks. Two or three cooks could provide for the whole group; to use fifty is to waste 47 per

"But our waste of labor is as nothing to our waste of money. For, say twenty families, we have twenty

kitchens with all their furnishings, twenty stoves with all their fuel; twenty cooks with all their wages; in cash

and barter combined we pay about ten dollars a week for our cooks$200 a week to pay for the cooking for

"Three expert cooks, one at $20 a week and two at $15 would save to those twenty families $150 a week and

give them better food. The cost of kitchen furnishings and fuel, could be reduced by ninetenths; and beyond

all that comes our incredible waste in individual purchasing. What twenty families spend on individual

patronage of small retailers, could be reduced by more than half if bought by competent persons in wholesale

quantities. Moreover, our whole food supply would rise in quality as well as lower in price if it was bought

Nobody said anything, but the visible attitude of the house seemed to say that it led straight to perdition.

"The solution for which so many are looking is no new scheme of any sort; and in particular it is not that oft

At this a wave of relief spread perceptibly. The irritation roused by those preposterous figures and

"The inefficiency of a dozen tottering households is not removed by combining them," said Diantha. This

was of dubious import. "Why should we expect a group of families to "keep house" expertly and

economically together, when they are driven into companionship by the fact that none of them can do it

"Every family is a distinct unit," the girl continued. "Its needs are separate and should be met separately. The

separate house and garden should belong to each family, the freedom and group privacy of the home. But the

separate home may be served by a common water company, by a common milkman, by a common baker, by

a common cooking and a common cleaning establishment. We are rapidly approaching an improved system

of living in which the private home will no more want a cookshop on the premises than a blacksmith's shop

or soapfactory. The necessary work of the kitchenless house will be done by the hour, with skilled labor;

and we shall order our food cooked instead of raw. This will give to the employees a respectable wellpaid

profession, with their own homes and families; and to the employers a saving of about twothirds of the

expense of living, as well as an end of all our difficulties with the servant question. That is the way to

elevateto enoble domestic service. It must cease to be domestic serviceand become world service."

"Madam President! Madam President!" resounded from several points at once. Madam WeatherstoneMrs.

Thaddlerno! yesthey really were both on their feet. Applause was going onirregularlysoon

dropped. Only, from the group in the gallery it was wholehearted and consistent.

Mrs. Dankshire, who had been growing red and redder as the paper advanced, who had conferred in alarmed

whispers with Mrs. Ree, and Miss Massing, who had even been seen to extend her hand to the gavel and

"Order, please! You will please keep order. You have heard thewe will nowthe meeting is now open for

discussion, Mrs. Thaddler!" And she sat down. She meant to have said Madam Weatherstone, by Mrs.

"I wish to say," said that much beaded lady in a loud voice, "that I was against thisunfortunate

Two tight little dimples flickered for an instant about the corners of Diantha's mouth.

Madam Weatherstone arose, rather sulkily, and looked about her. An agitated assembly met her eye, buzzing

"Order!" said Mrs. Dankshire, "ORDER, please!" and rapped three times with the gavel.

"I have attended many meetings, in many clubs, in many states," said Madam Weatherstone, "and have heard

much that was foolish, and some things that were dangerous. But I will say that never in the course of all my

experience have I heard anything so foolish and so dangerous, as this. I trust that thedoubtless well

meantattempt to throw light on this subjectfrom the wrong quarterhas been a lesson to us all. No club

could survive more than one such lamentable mistake!" And she sat down, gathering her large satin wrap

"Madam President!" broke forth Miss Eagerson. "I was up firstand have been standing ever since"

"One moment, Miss Eagerson," said Mrs. Dankshire superbly, "The Rev. Dr. Eltwood."

If Mrs. Dankshire supposed she was still further supporting the cause of condemnation she made a painful

mistake. The cloth and the fine bearing of the young clergyman deceived her; and she forgot that he was said

Dr. Eltwood came to the platform with the easy air of one to whom platforms belonged by right.

"Ladies," he began in tones of cordial good will, "both employer and employed!and gentlemenwhom I

am delighted to see here today! I am grateful for the opportunity so graciously extended to me"he bowed

"And I am grateful for the opportunity previously enjoyed, of listening to the most rational, practical, wise,

true and hopeful words I have ever heard on this subject. I trust there will be enough openminded

womenand menin Orchardina to make possible among us that higher business development of a great

art which has been so convincingly laid before us. This club is deserving of all thanks from the community

for extending to so many the privilege of listening to our valued fellowcitizenMiss Bell."

He bowed againto Miss Belland to Mrs. Dankshire, and resumed his seat, Miss Eagerson taking

"Mr. Eltwood is right!" she said. "Miss Bell is right! This is the true presentation of the subject, 'by one who

knows.' Miss Bell has pricked our pretty bubble so thoroughly that we don't know where we're standingbut

she knows! Housework is a businesslike any other businessI've always said so, and it's got to be done in

a business way. Now I for one" but Miss Eagerson was rapped down by the Presidential gavel; as Mrs.

"It is not my habit to make public speeches," she began, "nor my desire; but this is a time when prompt and

decisive action needs to be taken. This Club cannot afford to countenance any such farrago of mischievous

nonsense as we have heard today. I move you, Madam President, that a resolution of condemnation be

She stalked back again, while Mrs. Marrow of Boston, in clear, cold tones seconded the motion.

But another voice was heardfor the first time in that assemblyMrs. Weatherstone, the pretty, delicate

widower daughterinlaw of Madam Weatherstone, was on her feet with "Madam President! I wish to speak

"Won't you come to the platform, Mrs. Weatherstone?" asked Mrs. Dankshire graciously, and the little lady

"I wish to protest, as a member of the Club, and as a woman, against the gross discourtesy which has been

offered to the guest and speaker of the day. In answer to our invitation Miss Bell has given us a scholarly and

Cries of "Madam President" arose everywhere, many speakers were on their feet. Mrs. Dankshire tapped

frantically with the little gavel, but Miss Eagerson, by sheer vocal power, took and held the floor.

"I move that we take a vote on this question," she cried in piercing tones. "Let every woman who knows

Quite a large proportion of the audience stood upvery informally. Those who did not, did not mean to

acknowledge lack of intelligence and sense of decency, but to express emphatic disapproval of Miss

"I move you, Madam President," cried Mrs. Thaddler, at the top of her voice, "that every member who is

guilty of such grossly unparlimentary conduct be hereby dropped from this Club!"

"We hereby resign!" cried Miss Eagerson. " We drop you! We'll have a New Woman's Club in Orchardina

with some warmth in its heart and some brains in its headeven if it hasn't as much money in its pocket!"

Amid stern rappings, hissings, cries of "Orderorder," and frantic "Motions to adjourn" the meeting broke

up; the club elements dissolving and reforming into two bodies as by some swift chemical reaction.

Great was the rejoicing of the daily press; some amusement was felt, though courteously suppressed by the

Some ladies were so shocked and grieved as to withdraw from clublife altogether. Others, in stern dignity,

upheld the shaken standards of Home and Culture; while the most conspicuous outcome of it all was the

Behind the straight purple backs and smooth purple legs on the box before them, Madam Weatherstone and

Mrs. Weatherstone rolled home silently, a silence of thunderous portent. Another purple person opened the

door for them, and when Madam Weatherstone said, "We will have tea on the terrace," it was brought them

"I was astonished at your attitude, Viva," began the old lady, at length. "Of course it was Mrs. Dankshire's

fault in the first place, but to encourage that,outrageous person! How could you do it!"

"A sudden access of courage, I suppose," she said. "I was astonished at myself."

"I wholly disagree with you!" replied her motherinlaw. "Never in my life have I heard such nonsense. Talk

like that would be dangerous, if it were not absurd! It would destroy the home! It would strike at the roots of

Viva eyed her quietly, trying to bear in mind the weight of a tradition, the habits of a lifetime, the effect of

"It doesn't seem so to me," she said slowly, "I was much interested and impressed. She is evidently a young

woman of knowledge and experience, and put her case well. It has quite waked me up."

"It has quite upset you!" was the reply. "You'll be ill after this, I am sure. Hadn't you better go and lie down

"Thank you," said Viva, rising and walking to the edge of the broad terrace. "You are very kind. No. I do not

wish to lie down. I haven't felt so thoroughly awake in" she drew a pink cluster of oleander against her

cheek and thought a moment"in several years." There was a new look about her certainly.

"Nervous excitement," her motherinlaw replied. "You're not like yourself at all tonight. You'll certainly

Viva turned at this and again astonished the old lady by serenely kissing her. "Not at all!" she said gaily. "I'm

She went to her room, drew a chair to the wide west window with the far off view and sat herself down to

think. Diantha's assured poise, her clear reasoning, her courage, her common sense; and something of

tenderness and consecration she discerned also, had touched deep chords in this woman's nature. It was like

the sound of far doors opening, windows thrown up, the jingle of bridles and clatter of hoofs, keen bugle

Orchardina Society, eagerly observing "young Mrs. Weatherstone" from her first appearance, had always

classified her as "delicate." Beside the firm features and high color of the matroninoffice, this pale quiet

slender woman looked like a meek and transient visitor. But her white forehead was broad under its

softhanging eaves of hair, and her chin, though lacking in prognathous prominence or bulldog breadth, had

She was strangely roused and stirred by the afternoon's events. "I'm like that man in 'Phantastes'," she thought

contemptuously, "who stayed so long in that dungeon because it didn't occur to him to open the door! Why

don't I?" she rose and walked slowly up and down, her hands behind her. "I will!" she said at last.

Then she dressed for dinner, revolving in her mind certain suspicions long suppressed, but now flaming out

in clear conviction in the light of Diantha's words. "Sleeping in, indeed!" she murmured to herself. "And

She looked herself in the eye in the long mirror. Her gown was an impressive one, her hair coiled high, a gold

She rang. Little Ilda, the newest maid, appeared, gazing at her in shy admiration. Mrs. Weatherstone looked

at her with new eyes. "Have you been here long?" she asked. "What is your name?"

"No, ma'am," said the childshe was scarce more. "Only a week and two days. My name is Ilda."

"Ah," said Mrs. Weatherstone, musing to herself, "and I engaged Mrs. Halsey!" "Do you like it here?" she

"Oh yes, ma'am!" said Ilda. "That is" she stopped, blushed, and continued bravely. "I like to work for you,

Ilda went, more impressed than ever with the desirability of her new place, and mistress.

As she was about to pass the door of Mr. Matthew Weatherstone, that young gentleman stepped out and

"You must give me a kiss first!" said heand since there seemed no escape and she was in haste, she

Mrs. Halsey, little accustomed to take orders from her real mistress, and resting comfortably in her room, had

"A pretty time o' day!" said the housekeeper with some asperity, hastily buttoning her gown; and she

That lady was sitting, cool and gracious, her long ivory papercutter between the pages of a new magazine.

"Pack, ma'am? I'm not accustomed to doing packing. I'll send one of the maids. Is it your things, ma'am?"

"No," said Mrs. Weatherstone. "It is yours I refer to. I wish you to pack your things and leave the housein

an hour. One of the maids can help you, if necessary. Anything you cannot take can be sent after you. Here is

Mrs. Halsey was nearly a head taller than her employer, a stout showy woman, handsome enough,

redlipped, and with a moist and crafty eye. This was so sudden a misadventure that she forgot her usual

caution. "You've no right to turn me off in a minute like this!" she burst forth. "I'll leave it to Madam

"If you will look at the terms on which I engaged you, Mrs. Halsey, you will find that a month's warning, or a

month's wages, was specified. Here are the wagesas to the warning, that has been given for some months

"By yourself, Mrs. HalseyI think you understand me. Oscar will take your things as soon as they are

Mrs. Halsey met her steady eye a momentsaw more than she cared to faceand left the room.

She took care, however, to carry some letters to Madam Weatherstone, and meekly announced her discharge;

also, by some coincidence, she met Mr. Matthew in the hall upstairs, and weepingly confided her grievance to

When hurried servants were sent to find their young mistress they reported that she must have gone out, and

in truth she had; out on her own roof, where she sat quite still, though shivering a little now and then from the

This meal, in the mind of Madam Weatherstone, was the crowning factor of daily life; and, on state

occasions, of social life. In her cosmogony the central sun was a round mahogany table; all other details of

housekeeping revolved about it in varying orbits. To serve an endless series of dignified delicious meals,

notably dinners, was, in her eyes, the chief end of woman; the most high purpose of the home.

Therefore, though angry and astounded, she appeared promptly when the meal was announced; and when her

daughterinlaw, serene and royally attired, took her place as usual, no emotion was allowed to appear

"I was," replied Viva, with equal decorum. "It is charming outside at this time in the eveningdon't you

Young Matthew was gloomy and irritable throughout the length and breadth of the meal; and when they were

left with their coffee in the drawing room, he broke out, "What's this I hear about Mrs. Halsey being fired

"That is what I wish to know, Viva," said the grandmother. "The poor woman is greatly distressed. Is there

The younger lady glanced from one to the other, and wondered to see how little she minded it. "The door was

there all the time!" she thought to herself, as she looked her stepson in the eye and said, "Hardly

He stared at her in dumb amazement, so she went on, "No, there is no mistake at all. I discharged Mrs. Halsey

about an hour before dinner. The terms of the engagement were a month's warning or a month's wages. I gave

"But! but!" Madam Weatherstone was genuinely confused by this sudden inexplicable, yet perfectly polite

piece of what she still felt to be in the nature of 'interference' and 'presumption.' "I have had no fault to find

"I have, you see," said her daughterinlaw smiling. "I found her unsatisfactory and shall replace her with

something better presently. How about a little music, Matthew? Won't you start the victrolla?"

Matthew wouldn't. He was going out; went out with the word. Madam Weatherstone didn't wish to hear

ithad a headachemust go to her roomwent to her room forthwith. There was a tension in the

athmosphere that would have wrung tears from Viva Weatherstone a week ago, yes, twentyfour hours ago.

As it was she rose to her feet, stretching herself to her full height, and walked the length of the great empty

room. She even laughed a little. "It's open!" said she, and ordered the car. While waiting for it she chatted

Diantha sat at her window, watching the big soft, brilliant moon behind the eucalyptus trees. After the close

of the strenuous meeting, she had withdrawn from the crowd of excited women anxious to shake her hand

and engage her on the spot, had asked time to consider a number of good opportunities offered, and had

survived the cold and angry glances of the now smaller but far more united Home and Culture Club. She

declined to talk to the reporters, and took refuge first in an open car. This proved very unsatisfactory, owing

to her sudden prominence. Two persistent newspaper men swung themselves upon the car also and insisted

"I see," said Diantha, "But you are still men? And gentlemen, I suppose? I am a woman, and I do not wish to

"Miss Bell Declines to Be Interviewed," wrote the reporters, and spent themselves on her personal

But Miss Bell got off at the next corner and took a short cut to the house where she had rented a room.

Diantha politely but firmly declined to see them and started for the stairs; but they merely stood in front of

her and asked questions. The girl's blood surged to her cheeks; she smiled grimly, kept absolute silence,

The reporters described her appearanceunfavorably this time; and they described the housealso

unfavorably. They said that "A group of adoringeyed young men stood about the doorway as the flushed

heroine of the afternoon made her brusque entrance." These adorers consisted of the landlady's Johnny, aged

thirteen, and two satellites of his, still younger. They did look at Diantha admiringly; and she was a little

Too irritated and tired to go out for dinner, she ate an orange or two, lay down awhile, and then eased her

mind by writing a long letter to Ross and telling him all about it. That is, she told him most of it, all the

pleasant things, all the funny things; leaving out about the reporters, because she was too angry to be just, she

told herself. She wrote and wrote, becoming peaceful as the quiet moments passed, and a sense grew upon

"Dearest," her swift pen flew along, "I really feel much encouraged. An impression has been made. One or

two men spoke to me afterward; the young minister, who said such nice things; and one older man, who

looked prosperous and reliable. 'When you begin any such business as you have outlined, you may count on

me, Miss Bell,' he said, and gave me his card. He's a lawyerP. L. Wiscomb; nice man, I should think.

Another big, sheepishlooking man said, 'And me, Miss Bell.' His name is Thaddler; his wife is very

disagreeable. Some of the women are favorably impressed, but the oldfashioned kindmy! 'If hate killed

She wrote herself into a good humor, and dwelt at considerable length on the pleasant episode of the minister

and young Mrs. Weatherstone's remarks. "I liked her," she wrote. "She's a nice womaneven if she is rich."

"Beg pardon, Miss, but it's not a reporter; it's." The landlady stretched her lean neck around the door edge

Diantha rose to her feet, a little bewildered. "I'll be right down," she said. But a voice broke in from the hall,

"I beg your pardon, Miss Bell, but I took the liberty of coming up; may I come in?"

She came in, and the landlady perforce went out. Mrs. Weatherstone held Diantha's hand warmly, and looked

into her eyes. "I was a schoolmate of Ellen Porne," she told the girl. "We are dear friends still; and so I feel

that I know you better than you think. You have done beautiful work for Mrs. Porne; now I want you to do to

"You, too," said Mrs. Weatherstone. "Now I want you to come to meright away. You have done me so

much good already. I was just a New England bred school teacher myself at first, so we're even that far. Then

Diantha was a little slow in understanding the quick fervor of this new friend; a trifle suspicious, even; being

a cautious soul, and somewhat overstrung, perhaps. Her visitor, brighteyed and eager, went on. "I gave up

school teaching and married a fortune. You have given it up to do a more needed work. I think you are

wonderful. Now, I know this seems queer to you, but I want to tell you about it. I feel sure you'll understand.

At home, Madam Weatherstone has had everything in charge for years and years, and I've been too lazy or

too weak, or too indifferent, to do anything. I didn't care, somehow. All the machinery of living, and no living

no good of it all! Yet there didn't seem to be anything else to do. Now you have waked me all upyour

paper this afternoonwhat Mr. Eltwood saidthe way those poor, dull, blind women took it. And yet I was

just as dull and blind myself! Well, I begin to see things now. I can't tell you all at once what a difference it

has made; but I have a very definite proposition to make to you. Will you come and be my housekeeper,

Diantha opened her eyes wide and looked at the eager lady as if she suspected her nervous balance.

"The other one got a thousand a yearyou are worth more. Now, don't decline, please. Let me tell you about

it. I can see that you have plans ahead, for this business; but it can't hurt you much to put them off six months,

say. Meantime, you could be practicing. Our place at Santa Ulrica is almost as big as this one; there are lots

of servants and a great, weary maze of accounts to be kept, and it wouldn't be bad practice for younow,

Diantha's troubled eyes lit up. "Noyou are right there," she said. "If I could do it!"

"You'll have to do just that sort of thing when you are running your business, won't you?" her visitor went on.

Diantha meditated. "No, I wasn't going to. I was going to start somewheretake a cottage, a dozen girls or

"Well, you might be able to run that on the side," said Mrs. Weatherstone. "And you could train my girls, get

in new ones if you like; it doesn't seem to me it would conflict. But to speak to you quite frankly, Miss Bell, I

They discussed the matter for some time, Diantha objecting mainly to the suddenness of it all. "I'm a slow

thinker," she said, "and this is soso attractive that I'm suspicious of it. I had the other thing all

"Exactly! Well, you shall have your cottage and our girls and give them part time. Orhow many have you

"Excellent! Now, I tell you what to do. I will engage all those girls. I'm making a change at the house, for

various reasons. You bring them to me as soon as you like; but you I want at once. I wish you'd come home

Diantha's scanty baggage was all in sight. She looked around for an excuse. Mrs. Weatherstone stood up

And the purple chauffeur, his disapproving back ineffectual in the darkness, rolled them home.

Armies of young maidens cross our oceans; Leave their mother's love, their father's care; Maidens, young and

Strange the land and language, laws and customs; Ignorant and all alone they come; Maidens young and

When on earth was safety for young maidens Far from mother's love and father's care? We preserve The

The sun had gone down on Madam Weatherstone's wrath, and risen to find it unabated. With condensed

disapprobation written on every wellcut feature, she came to the coldly gleaming breakfast table.

That Mrs. Halsey was undoubtedly gone, she had to admit; yet so far failed to find the exact words of reproof

for a woman of independent means discharging her own housekeeper when it pleased her.

Young Mathew unexpectedly appeared at breakfast, perhaps in anticipation of a sort of Roman holiday in

which his usually late and apologetic stepmother would furnish the amusement. They were both surprised to

find her there before them, looking uncommonly fresh in crisp, sheer white, with deeptoned violets in her

She ate with every appearance of enjoyment, chatting amiably about the lovely morningthe flowers, the

"Shall I attend to the orders this morning?" asked Madam Weatherstone with an air of noble patience.

"A new housekeeper! When?" The old lady was shaken by this inconceivable promptness.

"Last night," said her daughterinlaw, looking calmly across the table, her color rising a little.

Young Mathew smiled. This was amusing, though not what he had expected. "How extremely alert and

"You can't have got much of a personat a minute's notice," said his grandmother. "Or perhaps you have

"No," said Viva. "I have wanted to get rid of Mrs. Halsey for some time, but the new one I found yesterday."

"BellMiss Diantha Bell," she answered, looking as calm as if announcing the day of the week, but

inwardly dreading the result somewhat. Like most of such terrors it was overestimated.

There was a little pauserather an intense little pause; and then"Isn't that the girl who set 'em all by the

ears yesterday?" asked the young man, pointing to the morning paper. "They say she's a goodlooker."

Madam Weatherstone rose from the table in some agitation. "I must say I am very sorry, Viva, that you

should have been soprecipitate! This young woman cannot be competent to manage a house like thisto

say nothing of her scandalous ideas. Mrs. Halsey wasto my mindperfectly satisfactory. I shall miss her

"So shall I," muttered Mat, under his breath, as he strolled after her; "unless the new one's equally amiable."

Viva Weatherstone watched them go, and stood awhile looking after the wellbuilt, welldressed,

"I don't know ," she said to herself, "but I do feelthinkimaginea good deal. I'm sure I hope not!

That girl had undertaken what she described to Ross as "a large ordera very large order."

"It's the hardest thing I ever undertook," she wrote him, "but I think I can do it; and it will be a tremendous

help. Mrs. Weatherstone's a bricka perfect brick! She seems to have been very unhappyfor ever so

longand to have submitted to her domineering old motherinlaw just because she didn't care enough to

resist. Now she's got waked up all of a suddenshe says it was my paper at the clubmore likely my awful

example, I think! and she fired her old housekeeperI don't know what forand rushed me in.

"So here I am. The salary is good, the work is excellent training, and I guess I can hold the place. But the old

The home letters she now received were rather amusing. Ross, sternly patient, saw little difference in her

position. "I hope you will enjoy your new work," he wrote, "but personally I should prefer that you did

notso you might give it up and come home sooner. I miss you as you can well imagine. Even when you

"I had a half offer for the store the other day, but it fell through. If I could sell that incubus and put the money

into a ranchfruit, hens, anythingthen we could all live on it; more cheaply, I think; and I could find time

for some research work I have in mind. You remember that guineapig experiment I want so to try?"

Diantha remembered and smiled sadly. She was not much interested in guineapigs and their potential

capacities, but she was interested in her lover and his happiness. "Ranch," she said thoughtfully; "that's not a

Her mother wrote the same patient loving letters, perfunctorily hopeful. Her father wrote none"A woman's

businessthis letterwritin'," he always held; and George, after one scornful upbraiding, had "washed his

hands of her" with some sense of relief. He didn't like to write letters either.

But Susie kept up a lively correspondence. She was attached to her sister, as to all her immediate relatives

and surroundings; and while she utterly disapproved of Diantha's undertaking, a sense of sisterly duty, to say

nothing of affection, prompted her to many letters. It did not, however, always make these agreeable reading.

"Mother's pretty well, and the girl she's got now does nicelythat first one turned out to be a failure. Father's

as cranky as ever. We are all well here and the baby (this was a brand new baby Diantha had not seen) is just

a Darling! You ought to be here, you unnatural Aunt! Gerald doesn't ever speak of youbut I do just the

same. You hear from the Wardens, of course. Mrs. Warden's got neuralgia or something; keeps them all busy.

They are much excited over this new place of yoursyou ought to hear them go on! It appears that Madam

Weatherstone is a connection of theirsone of the F. F. V's, I guess, and they think she's something

wonderful. And to have you working there! well, you can just see how they'd feel; and I don't blame them.

It's no use arguing with youbut I should think you'd have enough of this disgraceful foolishness by this

Diantha tried to be very philosophic over her home letters; but they were far from stimulating. "It's no use

arguing with poor Susie!" she decided. "Susie thinks the sun rises and sets between kitchen, nursery and

"I'm awfully sorry the Wardens feel soand make Ross unhappybut of course I knew they would. It can't

Mrs. Porne called on her friend most promptly, with a natural eagerness and curiosity.

"How does it work? Do you like her as much as you thought? Do tell me about it, Viva. You look like

"I certainly feel like one," Viva answered. "I've seen slaves in housework, and I've seen what we fondly call

Mrs. Porne sighed. "Isn't it just wonderfulthe way she does things! Dear me! We do miss her! She trained

that Swede for usand she does pretty wellbut not like 'Miss Bell'! I wish there were a hundred of her!"

"If there were a hundred thousand she wouldn't go round!" answered Mrs. Weatherstone. "How selfish we

are! That is the kind of woman we all want in our homesand fuss because we can't have them."

"Edgar says he quite agrees with her views," Mrs. Porne went on. "Skilled labor by the dayfood sent in.

He says if she cooked it he wouldn't care if it came all the way from Alaska! She certainly can cook! I wish

Mrs. Weatherstone nodded her head firmly. "She will. She's planning. This was really an interruptionher

coming here, but I think it will be a helpshe's not had experience in large management before, but she

"Mrs. Thaddler's simply furious, I hear," said the visitor. "Mrs. Ree was in this morning and told me all about

it. Poor Mrs. Ree! The home is church and state to her; that paper of Miss Bell's she regards as simple

"I was so proud of you, Viva, standing up for her as you did. How did you ever dare?"

"Why I got my courage from the girl herself. She wassuperb! Talk of blasphemy! Why I've committed lese

majeste and regicide and the Unpardonable Sin since that meeting!" And she told her friend of her brief

passage at arms with Mrs. Halsey. "I never liked the woman," she continued; "and some of the things Miss

Bell said set me thinking. I don't believe we half know what's going on in our houses."

"Well, Mrs. Thaddler's so outraged by 'this scandalous attack upon the sanctities of the home' that she's going

about saying all sorts of things about Miss Bell. O lookI do believe that's her car!"

Even as they spoke a toneless voice announced, "Mr. and Mrs. Thaddler," and Madam Weatherstone

"I think you are trying a dangerous experiment!" said Mrs. Thaddler to her young hostess. "A very dangerous

Mr. Thaddler, stout and sulky, sat as far away as he could and talked to Mrs. Porne. "I'd like to try that same

"Indeed we didand would still if we had the chance," she replied. "We think her a very exceptional young

Mr. Thaddler chuckled. "She is that!" he agreed. "Gad! How she did set things humming! They're humming

He glanced rather rancorously at his wife, and Mrs. Porne wished, as she often had before, that Mr. Thaddler

"Scandalous!" Mrs. Thaddler was saying to Madam Weatherstone. "Simply scandalous! Never in my life did

"There you have it!" said Mr. Thaddler, under his breath. "Sanctity of the fiddlesticks! There was a lot of

truth in what that girl said!" Then he looked rather sheepish and flushed a littlewhich was needless; easing

Madam Weatherstone and Mrs. Thaddler were at one on this subject; but found it hard to agree even so, no

love being lost between them; and the former gave evidence of more satisfaction than distress at this

"dangerous experiment" in the house of her friends. Viva sat silent, but with a look of watchful intelligence

Mr. Thaddler went home disappointed in the real object of his callhe had hoped to see the Dangerous

"They will rue it!" she announced. "Madam Weatherstone is ashamed of her daughterinlawI can see

"That young woman is not there as cook!" she replied tartly. "What she is there for we shall see later! Mark

Diantha had her hands full. Needless to say her sudden entrance was resented by the corps of servants

accustomed to the old regime. She had the keys; she explored, studied, inventoried, examined the accounts,

worked out careful tables and estimates. "I wish Mother were here!" she said to herself. "She's a regular

She brought the results to her employer at the end of the week. "This is tentative," she said, "and I've allowed

margins because I'm new to a business of this size. But here's what this house ought to cost youat the

Mrs. Weatherstone was impressed. "Aren't you a littlespectacular?" she suggested.

Diantha went over it carefully; the number of rooms, the number of servants, the hours of labor, the amount

"This is only preparatory, of course," she said. "I'll have to check it off each month. If I may do the ordering

There was much to say here, questions of competence, of impertinence, of personal excellence with

"incompatibility of temper." Diantha was given a free hand, with full liberty to experiment, and met the

She soon discharged the unsatisfactory ones, and substituted the girls she had selected for her summer's

experiment, gradually adding others, till the household was fairly harmonious, and far more efficient and

By the time the family moved down to Santa Ulrica, there was quite a new spirit in the household. Mrs.

Weatherstone fully approved of the Girls' Club Diantha had started at Mrs. Porne's; and it went on merrily in

"I'm very glad I came to you, Mrs. Weatherstone," said the girl. "You were quite right about the experience; I

As she won and held the confidence of her subordinates, and the growing list of club members, she learned

their personal stories; what had befallen them in other families, and what they liked and disliked in their

"The men are not so bad," explained Catharine Kelly, at a club meeting, meaning the men servants; "they

respect an honest girl if she respects herself; but it's the young mastersand sometimes the old ones!"

"It's all nonsense," protested Mrs. James, widowed cook of long standing. "I've worked out for twentyfive

"I've heard of it," said Molly Connors, "I've a cousin that's workin' in New York; and she's had to leave two

good places on account of their misbehavin' theirselves. She's a fine girl, but too goodlookin'."

Diantha studied types, questioned them, drew them out, adjusted facts to theories and theories to facts. She

found the weakness of the whole position to lie in the utter ignorance and helplessness of the individual

servant. "If they were only organized," she thought"and knew their own power!Well; there's plenty of

As her acquaintance increased, and as Mrs. Weatherstone's interest in her plans increased also, she started the

small summer experiment she had planned, for furnishing labor by the day. Mrs. James was an excellent

cook, though most unpleasant to work with. She was quite able to see that getting up frequent lunches at three

dollars, and dinners at five dollars, made a better income than ten dollars a week even with several days

A group of younger women, under Diantha's sympathetic encouragement, agreed to take a small cottage

together, with Mrs. James as a species of chaperone; and to go out in twos and threes as chambermaids and

waitresses at 25 cents an hour. Two of them could set in perfect order one of the small beach cottage in an

hour's time; and the occupants, already crowded for room, were quite willing to pay a little more in cash "not

It was a modest attempt, elastic and easily alterable and based on the special conditions of a shore resort: Mrs.

Weatherstone's known interest gave it social backing; and many ladies who heartily disapproved of Diantha's

theories found themselves quite willing to profit by this very practical local solution of the "servant question."

The "club girls" became very popular. Across the deep hot sand they ploughed, and clattered along the

warping boardwalks, in merry pairs and groups, finding the work far more varied and amusing than the

endless repetition in one household. They had pleasant evenings too, with plenty of callers, albeit somewhat

"It is both foolish and wicked!" said Madam Weatherstone to her daughterinlaw, "Exposing a group of

silly girls to such danger and temptations! I understand there is singing and laughing going on at that house

"Yes, there is," Viva admitted. "Mrs. James insists that they shall all be in bed at elevenwhich is very wise.

"There will be a scandal in this community before long!" said the old lady solemnly. "And it grieves me to

Diantha heard all this from the linen room while Madam Weatherstone buttonholed her daughterinlaw in

"She's right, I'm afraid!" said Diantha to herself"there will be a scandal if I'm not mighty careful and this

Even as she spoke she caught Ilda's childish giggle in the lower hall, and looking over the railing saw her

Later on, Diantha tried seriously to rouse her conscience and her common sense. "Don't you see, child, that it

can't do you anything but harm? You can't carry on with a man like that as you can with one of your own

friends. He is not to be trusted. One nice girl I had here simply left the placehe annoyed her so."

Ilda was a little sulky. She had been quite a queen in the small Norwegian village she was born in. Young

men were young menand they might evenperhaps! This severe young housekeeper didn't know

So Ilda was rather unconvinced, though apparently submissive, and Diantha kept a careful eye upon her. She

saw to it that Ilda's room had a bolt as well as key in the door, and kept the room next to it empty; frequently

using it herself, unknown to anyone. "I hate to turn the child off," she said to herself, conscientiously

revolving the matter. "She isn't doing a thing more than most girls doshe's only a little fool. And he's not

"Doesn't your pet club house go well, 'Miss Bell?' You seem troubled about something."

"I am," Diantha admitted. "I believe I'll have to tell you about itbut I hate to. Perhaps if you'll come and

She led her to a window that looked on the garden, the rich, vivid, flowercrowded garden of Southern

California by the sea. Little Ilda, in a fresh black frock and snowy, frilly cap and apron, ran out to get a rose;

The girl was not as severe with him as she ought to have beenthat was evident; but it was also evident that

she was frightened and furious when he suddenly held her fast and kissed her with much satisfaction. As soon

as her arms were free she gave him a slap that sounded smartly even at that distance; and ran crying into the

"She's foolish, I admit," said Diantha,"but she doesn't realize her danger at all. I've tried to make her. And

now I'm more worried than ever. It seems rather hard to discharge hershe needs care."

"I'll speak to that young man myself," said Mrs. Weatherstone. "I'll speak to his grandmother too!"

"Owould you?" urged Diantha. "She wouldn't believe anything except that the girl 'led him on'you know

that. But I have an idea that we could convince herif you're willing to do something rather

"What's that?" asked her employer; and Diantha explained. It was melodramatic, but promised to be

"I'm very much afraid it wouldn't be the first time," Diantha reluctantly assured her. "It's no use being

"If we could only make his grandmother sure!" cried Madam Weatherstone. "That would save me a deal of

trouble and misunderstanding. See hereI think I can manage itwhat makes you think it's tonight?"

"I can't be absolutely certain" Diantha explained; and told her the reasons she had.

Urging her motherinlaw's presence on the ground of needing her experienced advice, Mrs. Weatherstone

brought the august lady to the room next to Ilda's late that evening, the housekeeper in attendance.

"We mustn't wake the servants," she said in an elaborate whisper. "They need sleep, poor things! But I want

to consult you about these communicating doors and the locksmith is coming in the morning.you see this

opens from this side." She turned the oiled key softly in the lock. "Now Miss Bell thinks they ought to be left

"I think you are absurd to bring me to the top floor, at this time of night, for a thing like this!" said the old

lady. "They should be permanently locked, to my mind! There's no question about it."

Viva, still in low tones, discussed this point further; introduced the subject of wallpaper or hard finish;

pointed out from the window a tall eucalyptus which she thought needed heading; did what she could to keep

A sound of muffled speech came from the next rooma man's voice dimly heard. Madam Weatherstone

Viva laid a hand on her arm. "Sh!" said she. "Let us make sure!" and she softly unlatched the door.

A brilliant moon flooded the small chamber. They could see little Ilda, huddled in the bedclothes, staring at

her door from which the key had fallen. Another key was being insertedturnedbut the bolt held.

"Go away! Go away!" begged the girl, low and breathlessly. "Oh how can you! Go away quick!"

"Scream away!" he answered. "I'll just say I came up to see what the screaming's about, that's all. You open

the doorif you don't want anybody to know I'm here! I won't hurt you anyI just want to talk to you a

Madam Weatherstone was speechless with horror, her daughterinlaw listened with set lips. Diantha looked

from one to the other, and at the frightened child before them who was now close to the terrible door.

"O please! please! go away!" she cried in desperation. "O what shall I do! What shall I do!"

"You can't do anything," he answered cheerfully. "And I'm coming in anyhow. You'd better keep still about

this for your own sake. Stand from under!" Madam Weatherstone marched into the room. Ilda, with a little

There was a jump, a scramble, two knuckly hands appeared, a long leg was put through the transom, two legs

wildly wriggling, a descending body, and there stood before them, flushed, dishevelled, his coat up to his

He did not notice the stern rigidity of the figure which stood between him and the moonlight, but clasped it

warmly to his heart."Now I've got you, Ducky!" cried he, pressing all too affectionate kisses upon the face

He had expected to find a helpless cowering girl; afraid to cry out because her case would be lost if she did;

What he did find was so inexplicable as to reduce him to gibbering astonishment. There stood his imposing

grandmother, so overwhelmed with amazement that her trenchant sentences failed her completely; his

stepmother, wearing an expression that almost suggested delight in his discomfiture; and Diantha, as grim as

Poor little Ilda burst into wild sobs and choking explanations, clinging to Diantha's hand. "If I'd only listened

to you!" she said. "You told me he was bad! I never thought he'd do such an awful thing!"

Young Mathew fumbled at the door. He had locked it outside in his efforts with the passkey. He was red,

red to his earsvery red, but there was no escape. He faced themthere was no good in facing the door.

Diantha took the weeping Ilda to her room for the night. Madam Weatherstone and Mrs. Weatherstone went

"She did not encourage him to enter her room, as you saw and heard," said Viva with repressed intensity.

"She is only a child, a helpless child, a foreigner, away from home, untaught, unprotected," Viva answered

Ross Warden endured his grocery business; strove with it, toiled at it, concentrated his scientific mind on

alien tasks of financial calculation and practical psychology, but he liked it no better. He had no interest in

But there were five mouths at home; sweet affectionate feminine mouths no doubt, but requiring food. Also

two in the kitchen, wider, and requiring more food. And there were five backs at home to be covered, to use

the absurd metaphoras if all one needed for clothing was a four foot patch. The amount and quality of the

covering was an unceasing surprise to Ross, and he did not do justice to the fact that his womenfolk really

In his heart he longed always to be free of the whole hated load of tradesmanship. Continually his thoughts

"I could make it keep us, anyhow," he would plan to himself; "and I could get at that guinea pig idea. Or

maybe hens would do." He had a theory of his own, or a personal test of his own, rather, which he wished to

apply to a well known theory. It would take some years to work it out, and a great many fine pigs, and be of

no possible value financially. "I'll do it sometime," he always concluded; which was cold comfort.

His real grief at losing the companionship of the girl he loved, was made more bitter by a total lack of

sympathy with her aims, even if she achieved themin which he had no confidence. He had no power to

change his course, and tried not to be unpleasant about it, but he had to express his feelings now and then.

"Are you coming back to me?" he wrote. "How con you bear to give so much pain to everyone who loves

you? Is your wonderful salary worth more to you than being here with your motherwith me? How can you

say you love meand ruin both our lives like this? I cannot come to see youI would not come to see

youcalling at the back door! Finding the girl I love in a cap and apron! Can you not see it is wrong, utterly

wrong, all this mad escapade of yours? Suppose you do make a thousand dollars a yearI shall never touch

your moneyyou know that. I cannot even offer you a home, except with my family, and I know how you

"But I am as stubborn as you are, dear girl; I will not live on my wife's moneyyou will not live in my

mother's houseand we are drifting apart. It is not that I care less for you dear, or at all for anyone else, but

Mrs. Warden wrote now and then and expatiated on the sufferings of her son, and his failing strength under

the unnatural strain, till Diantha grew to dread her letters more than any pain she knew. Fortunately they

Her own family was much impressed by the thousand dollars, and found the occupation of housekeeper a

long way more tolerable than that of housemaid, a distinction which made Diantha smile rather bitterly.

Even her father wrote to her once, suggesting that if she chose to invest her salary according to his advice he

"They'd double and treble fast enough!" she admitted to herself; but she wrote as pleasant a letter as she

Her mother seemed stronger, and became more sympathetic as the months passed. Large affairs always

appealed to her more than small ones, and she offered valuable suggestions as to the account keeping of the

big house. They all assumed that she was permanently settled in this well paid position, and she made no

confidences. But all summer long she planned and read and studied out her progressive schemes, and

Laundress after laundress she studied personally and tested professionally, finding a general level of

mediocrity, till finally she hit upon a melancholy Danea big rawboned redfaced womanwhose husband

had been a miller, but was hurt about the head so that he was no longer able to earn his living. The huge

fellow was docile, quiet, and endlessly strong, but needed constant supervision.

"He'll do anything you tell him, Miss, and do it well; but then he'll sit and dream about itI can't leave him

at all. But he'll take the clothes if I give him a paper with directions, and come right back." Poor Mrs. Thorald

Diantha offered her the position of laundress at Union House, with two rooms for their own, over the laundry.

"There'll be work for him, too," she said. "We need a man there. He can do a deal of the heavier workbe

There was to be cook, and two capable second maids. The work of the house must be done thoroughly well,

Diantha determined; "and the food's got to be goodor the girls wont stay." After much consideration she

selected one Julianna, a "person of color," for her kitchen: not the jovial and sloppy personage usually

figuring in this character, but a tall, angular, and somewhat cynical woman, a misanthrope in fact, with a

small son. For men she had no respect whatever, but conceded a grudging admiration to Mr. Thorald as "the

usefullest biddablest male person" she had ever seen. She also extended special sympathy to Mrs. Thorald on

account of her peculiar burden, and the Swedish woman had no antipathy to her color, and seemed to take a

Diantha offered her the place, boy and all. "He can be 'bell boy' and help you in the kitchen, too. Can't you,

Hector?" Hector rolled large adoring eyes at her, but said nothing. His mother accepted the proposition, but

without enthusiasm. "I can't keep no eye on him, Miss, if I'm cookin' an less'n you keep your eye on him

"I suppose, as a matter o' fac' its de name of de last nigger I married," she replied. "Dere was several of 'em,

all havin' different names, and to tell you de truf Mis' Bell, I got clean mixed amongst 'em. But Julianna's my

So Diantha had to waive her theories about the surnames of servants in this case.

"I'm afraid you have seen much trouble, Julianna," she continued sympathetically; "They deserted you, I

Julianna laid her long spoon upon the table and stood up with great gravity. "No'm," she said again, "dey

Marital difficulties in bulk were beyond Diantha's comprehension, and she dropped the subject.

Union House opened in the autumn. The vanished pepper trees were dim with dust in Orchardina streets as

the long rainless summer drew to a close; but the social atmosphere fairly sparkled with new interest. Those

who had not been away chattered eagerly with those who had, and both with the incoming tide of winter

"That 'Miss Bell' has got Mrs. Weatherstone fairly infatuated with her crazy schemes."

"Do you know that Bell girl has actually taken Union House? Going to make a Girl's Club of it!"

"Did you ever hear of such a thing! Diantha Bell's really going to try to run her absurd undertaking right here

They did not know that the young captain of industry had deliberately chosen Orchardina as her starting point

on account of the special conditions. The even climate was favorable to "going out by the day," or the

delivery of meals, the number of wealthy residents gave opportunity for catering on a large scale; the

crowding tourists and health seekers made a market for all manner of transient service and cooked food, and

the constant lack of sufficient or capable servants forced the people into an unwilling consideration of any

In a year's deliberate effort Diantha had acquainted herself with the rank and file of the town's housemaids

and day workers, and picked her assistants carefully. She had studied the local conditions thoroughly, and

knew her ground. A big faded building that used to be "the Hotel' in Orchardina's infant days, standing,

awkward and dingy on a site too valuable for a house lot and not yet saleable as a business block, was the

A half year with Mrs. Weatherstone gave her $500 in cash, besides the $100 she had saved at Mrs. Porne's;

"You are a painfully perfect person, Miss Bell," said her last employer, pleasantly, "but you have ceased to be

my housekeeper and I hope you will continue to be my friend. As a friend I claim the privilege of being

disagreeable. If you have a fault it is conceit. Immovable Colossal Conceit! And Obstinacy!"

"It's all I've foundso far," gaily retorted Mrs. Weatherstone. "Don't you see, child, that you can't afford to

wait? You have reasons for hastening, you know. I don't doubt you could, in a series of years, work up this

business all stark alone. I have every confidence in those qualities I have mentioned! But what's the use?

You'll need credit for groceries and furniture. I am profoundly interested in this business. I am more than

willing to advance a little capital, or to ensure your credit. A man would have sense enough to take me up at

"I believe you are right," Diantha reluctantly agreed. "And you shan't lose by it!"

Her friends were acutely interested in her progress, and showed it in practical ways. The New Woman's Club

furnished five families of patrons for the regular service of cooked food, which soon grew, with satisfaction,

to a dozen or so, varying from time to time. The many families with invalids, and lonely invalids without

families, were glad to avail themselves of the special delicacies furnished at Union House. Picnickers found it

easier to buy Diantha's marvelous sandwiches than to spend golden morning hours in putting up inferior ones

at home; and many who cooked for themselves, or kept servants, were glad to profit by this outside source on

There was opposition too; both the natural resistance of inertia and prejudice, and the active malignity of Mrs.

"That place'll cost her all of $10,000 a year, with those twentyfive to feed, and they only pay $4.50 a

"It does look impossible," his wife agreed, "but such is my faith in Diantha Bell I'd back her against

Mrs. Weatherstone was not alarmed at all. "If she should failwhich I don't for a moment expectit wont

ruin me," she told Isabel. "And if she succeeds, as I firmly believe she will, why, I'd be willing to risk almost

Mrs. Thaddler was making herself rather disagreeable. She used what power she had to cry down the

undertaking, and was so actively malevolent that her husband was moved to covert opposition. He never

argued with his wifeshe was easily ahead of him in that art, and, if it came to recriminations, had certain

controvertible charges to make against him, which mode him angrily silent. He was convinced in a dim way

that her ruthless domineering spirit, and the sheer malice she often showed, were more evil things than his

own bad habits; and that even in their domestic relation her behavior really caused him more pain and

"That Diantha Bell is a fine girl," he said to himself. "A damn fine girl, and as straight as a string!"

There had crept out, through the quenchless leak of servants talk, a varicolored version of the incident of

Mathew and the transom; and the town had grown so warm for that young gentleman that he had gone to

Alaska suddenly, to cool off, as it were. His Grandmother, finding Mrs. Thaddler invincible with this new

weapon, and what she had so long regarded as her home now visibly Mrs. Weatherstone's, had retired in regal

dignity to her old Philadelphia establishment, where she upheld the standard of decorum against the

As Mr. Thaddler thought of this sweeping victory, he chuckled for the hundredth time. "She ought to make

Diantha had never liked Mr. Thaddler; she did not like that kind of man in general, nor his manner toward her

in particular. Moreover he was the husband of Mrs. Thaddler. She did not know that he was still the largest

owner in the town's best grocery store, and when that store offered her special terms for her exclusive trade,

She told Ross about it, as a matter well within his knowledge, if not his liking, and he was mildly interested.

"I am much alarmed at this new venture," he wrote, "but you must get your experience. I wish I could save

you. As to the groceries, those are wholesale rates, nearly; they'll make enough on it. Yours is a large order

When she opened her "Business Men's Lunch" Mr. Thaddler had a still better opportunity. He had a

reputation as a high flyer, and had really intended to sacrifice himself on the altar of friendship by patronizing

and praising this "undertaking" at any cost to his palate; but no sacrifice was needed.

Diantha's group of day workers had their early breakfast and departed, taking each her neat

lunchpail,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

From the counter you took what you liked, and seated yourself, and your friends, at one of the many small

tables or in the flatarmed 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

"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,

"By jing! That's coffee!" he cried in surprise. "There's no scum on the milk, and the cream's cream!" Five

Then he applied himself to his "No. 1" sandwich, and his determined expression gave way to one of pleasure.

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

inquiringminded 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

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

"I don't see how you can do it, and make a profit," urged Mr. Eltwood, making a pastorial call. "They are so

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."

"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."

The girl's methods were simple and so organized as to make one hand wash the other. Her house had some

twentyodd 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

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

It was a stirring year's work, hard but exciting, and the only difficulty which really worried Diantha was the

For all her employees she demanded a tenhour day, she worked fourteen; rising at six and not getting to bed

They were all up at fivethirty 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

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

She laboriously composed a neat little circular, distributed it widely, and kept a pile in her lunch room for

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

What annoyed the young manager most was the uncertainty and irregularity involved in her work, the facts

In the house all ran smoothly. Solemn Mrs. Thorvald did the laundry work for thirtyfiveby 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

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

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

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

Diantha had her own lunch, and then sat at the receipt of custom during the lunch hour, making change and

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 bedrooms, 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

In the handcart 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

And then she would draw on all her powers to reason with, laugh at, and persuade some dissatisfied girl; or,

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 into thin even slices, not a crust

The filling for her sandwiches was made from fish, flesh, and fowl; from cheese and jelly and fruit and

vegetables; and so named or numbered that the general favorites were gradually determined.

Mr. Thaddler chatted with her over the counter, as far as she would allow it, and discoursed more fully with

"Porne," he said, "where'd that girl come from anyway? She's a genius, that's what she is; a regular genius."

"She's all that," said Mr. Porne, "and a benefactor to humanity thrown in. I wish she'd start her food delivery,

though. I'm tired of those two Swedes already. Ocome from? Up in Jopalez, Inca County, I believe."

"New England stock I bet," said Mr. Thaddler. "Its a damn shame the way the women go on about her."

"No, not all of 'em,but enough of 'em to make mischief, you may be sure. Women are the devil,

Mr. Porne smiled without answer, and Mr. Thaddler went sulking awaya bag of cakes bulging in his

The little wooden hotel in Jopalez boasted an extra visitor a few days later. A big red faced man, who strolled

about among the tradesmen, tried the barber's shop, loafed in the post office, hired a rig and traversed the

length and breadth of the town, and who called on Mrs. Warden, talking real estate with her most politely in

spite of her protestation and the scornful looks of the four daughters; who bought tobacco and matches in the

grocery store, and sat on the piazza thereof to smoke, as did other gentlemen of leisure.

Ross Warden occasionally leaned at the door jamb, with folded arms. He never could learn to be easily

sociable with ranchmen and teamsters. Serve them he must, but chat with them he need not. The stout

gentleman essayed some conversation, but did not get far. Ross was polite, but far from encouraging, and

presently went home to supper, leaving a carrothaired boy to wait upon his lingering customers.

"Nice young feller enough," said the stout gentleman to himself, "but raised on ramrods. Never got 'em from

those women folks of his, either. He has a row to hoe!" And he departed as he had come.

Mr. Eltwood turned out an unexpectedly useful friend to Diantha. He steered club meetings and "sociables"

into her large rooms, and as people found how cheap and easy it was to give parties that way, they continued

the habit. He brought his doctor friends to sample the lunch, and they tested the value of Diantha's invalid

Hungry tourists were wholly without prejudice, and prized her lunches for their own sake. They descended

upon the caffeteria in chattering swarms, some days, robbing the regular patrons of their food, and sent

sudden orders for picnic lunches that broke in upon the routine hours of the place unmercifully.

But of all her patrons, the families of invalids appreciated Diantha's work the most. Where a little shack or

tent was all they could afford to live in, or where the tiny cottage was more than filled with the patient,

A girl could be had for an hour or two; or two girls, together, with amazing speed, could put a small house in

dainty order while the sick man lay in his hammock under the pepper trees; and be gone before he was

fretting for his bed again. They lived upon her lunches; and from them, and other quarters, rose an increasing

"I want to establish the day service first," said Diantha. "It is a pretty big business I find, and I do get tired

sometimes. I can't afford to slip up, you know. I mean to take it up next fall, though."

"All right. And look here; see that you begin in first rate shape. I've got some ideas of my own about those

They discussed the matter more than once, Diantha most reluctant to take any assistance; Mrs. Weatherstone

"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

"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

"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

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

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

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

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

While it matured, Mrs. Thaddler matured hers. With steady dropping she had let fall far and wide her

"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

"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

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

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

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

"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 thisahillconsidered 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

"May I trouble you to step into the back parlor, Dr. Aberthwaite," she said; and then;

"Wasn't it great!" said Mrs. Weatherstone; "I was there you see, I'd come to call on Mrs. Bellshe's a

"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

"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

"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

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 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

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 thirtyseven . . . $3,848

"Now your income is easy35 x $4.50 equals $8,190. Take that from your $9,000 and you are $810

"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

"I see," said her mother. "Better say a thousand. I guess it could be done for that."

"There have to be five paid helpers in the house," Diantha went on, "the cook, the laundress, the two maids,

and the matron. She must buy and manage. She could be one of their mothers or aunts."

Mrs. Bell smiled. "Do you really imagine, Diantha, that Mrs. O'Shaughnessy or Mrs. Yon Yonson can

Diantha flushed a little. "No, mother, of course not. But I am keeping very full reports of all the work. Just

the schedule of laborthe hoursthe exact things done. One laundress, with machinery, can wash for

thirtyfive, (its only six a day you see), and the amount is regulated; about six dozen a day, and all the flat

"In a Girl's Club alone the cook has all day off, as it were; she can do the down stairs cleaning. And the two

"Yes. But two girls together, who know how, can do a room in 8 minuteseasily. They are small and simple

you see. Make the bed, shake the mats, wipe the floors and windows,you watch them!"

"I have watched them," the mother admitted. "They are as quick asas millworkers!"

"Well," pursued Diantha, "they spend three hours on dishes and tables, and seven on cleaning. The bedrooms

take 280 minutes; that's nearly five hours. The other two are for the bath rooms, halls, stairs, downstairs

windows, and so on. That's all right. Then I'm keeping the menusjust what I furnish and what it costs.

Anybody could order and manage when it was all set down for her. And you seeas you have figured

"Yes," Mrs. Bell admitted, " if the rent was what you allow, and if they all work all the time!"

"That's the hitch, of course. But mother; the girls who don't have steady jobs do work by the hour, and that

brings in more, on the whole. If they are the right kind they can make good. If they find anyone who don't

"M'm!" said Mrs. Bell. "Well, it's an interesting experiment. But how about you? So far you are $410

"Yes, because my rent's so big. But I cover that by letting the rooms, you see."

Mrs. Bell considered the orders of this sort. "So far it averages about $25.00 a week; that's doing well."

"It will be less in summermuch less," Diantha suggested. "Suppose you call it an average of $15.00."

"Call it $10.00," said her mother ruthlessly. "At that it covers your deficit and $110 over."

"Which isn't much to live on," Diantha agreed, "but then comes my special catering, and the lunches."

Here they were quite at sea for a while. But as the months passed, and the work steadily grew on their hands,

Mrs. Bell became more and more cheerful. She was up with the earliest, took entire charge of the financial

part of the concern, and at last Diantha was able to rest fully in her afternoon hours. What delighted her most

was to see her mother thrive in the work. Her thin shoulders lifted a little as small dragging tasks were

forgotten and a large growing business substituted. Her eyes grew bright again, she held her head as she did

in her keen girlhood, and her daughter felt fresh hope and power as she saw already the benefit of the new

All Diantha's friends watched the spread of the work with keenly sympathetic intent; but to Mrs.

"It's going to be one of the finest businesses in the world!" she said, "And one of the largest and best paying.

Now I'll have a surprise ready for that girl in the spring, and another next year, if I'm not mistaken!"

There were long and vivid discussions of the matter between her and her friends the Pornes, and Mrs. Porne

But while these unmentioned surprises were pending, Mrs. Weatherstone departed to New Yorkto Europe;

and was gone some months. In the spring she returned, in Aprilwhich is late June in Orchardina. She

"I do hope, Mrs. Bell, that you'll back me up," she said. "You have the better business head I think, in the

"She has," Diantha admitted. "She's ten times as good as I am at that; but she's no more willing to carry

"Obligation is one thinginvestment is another," said her guest. "I live on my moneythat is, on other

people's work. I am a base capitalist, and you seem to me good material to invest in. Sotake it or leave

She then produced from her hand bag some papers, and, from her car outside, a large object carefully boxed,

about the size and shape of a plate warmer. This being placed on the table before them, was uncovered, and

"I had one made in Paris," she explained, "and the rest copied here to save paying duty. Lift it!"

"Aluminum," she said, proudly, "Silver platednew process! And bamboo at the corners you see. All lined

and interlined with asbestos, rubber fittings for silver ware, plate racks, food compartmentssee?"

She pulled out drawers, opened little doors, and rapidly laid out a table service for five.

"It will hold food for fivethe average family, you know. For larger orders you'll have to send more. I had to

"Aren't they! Aluminum, silvered! If your washers are careful they won't get dented, and you can't break

"It's the prettiest thing I ever saw," she said. "Look, Diantha; here's for soup, here's for wateror wine if you

want, all your knives and forks at the side, Japanese napkins up here. Its lovely, butI should

Mrs. Weatherstone smiled. "I've had twentyfive of them made. They cost, with the fittings, $100 apiece,

$2,500. I will rent them to you, Miss Bell, at a rate of 10 per cent. interest; only $250 a year!"

"You can't break them, I tell you," said the cheerful visitor, "and dents can be smoothed out in any tin

Diantha was looking at her, her eyes deep with gratitude. "Iyou know what I think of you!" she said.

Mrs. Weatherstone laughed. "I'm not through yet," she said. "Look at my next piece of impudence!" This was

"I went to several factories," she gleefully explained, "here and abroad. A Yankee firm built it. It's in my

It was a light gasolene motor wagon, the body built like those oldfashioned moving wagons which were also

used for excursions, wherein the floor of the vehicle was rather narrow, and set low, and the seats ran

lengthwise, widening out over the wheels; only here the wheels were lower, and in the space under the seats

"Now, Diantha Bell," she said, "here's something you haven't thought of, I do believe! This estimable vehicle

will carry thirty people inside easily," and she showed them how each side held twelve, and turnup seats

accommodated six more; "and outside,"she showed the lengthwise picture"it carries twentyfour

containers. If you want to send all your twentyfive at once, one can go here by the driver.

"Now then. This is not an obligation, Miss Bell, it is another valuable investment. I'm having more made. I

expect to have use for them in a good many places. This cost pretty near $3,000, and you get it at the same

good interest, for $300 a year. What's more, if you are smart enoughand I don't doubt you are,you can

Diantha was dumb, but her mother wasn't. She thanked Mrs. Weatherstone with a hearty appreciation of her

"Don't be a goose, Diantha," she said. "You will set up your food business in first class style, and I think you

can carry it successfully. But Mrs. Weatherstone's right; she's got a new investment here that'll pay her better

And still Diantha found it difficult to express her feelings. She had lived under a good deal of strain for many

months now, and this sudden opening out of her plans was a heavenly help indeed.

Mrs. Weatherstone went around the table and sat by her. "Child," said she, "you don't begin to realize what

you've done for meand for Isobeland for ever so many in this town, and all over the world. And besides,

don't you think anybody else can see your dream? We can't do it as you can, but we can see what it's going to

"It is true that the tourists are gone, mostly," said Mrs. Weatherstone, as she urged it, "but you see there are

ever so many residents who have more trouble with servants in summer than they do in winter, and hate to

These were distributed among the Orchardinians, setting their tongues wagging anew, as a fresh breeze stirs

The stealthy inroads of lunches and evening refreshments had been deprecated already; this new kind of

servant who wasn't a servant, but held her head up like anyone else ("They are as independent

asas'salesladies,'" said one critic), was also viewed with alarm; but when even this domestic assistant

was to be removed, and a square case of food and dishes substituted, all Archaic Orchardina was horrified.

There were plenty of new minds in the place, however; enough to start Diantha with seven full orders and

Her work at the club was now much easier, thanks to her mother's assistance, to the smoother running of all

the machinery with the passing of time, and further to the fact that most of her girls were now working at

summer resorts, for shorter hours and higher wages. They paid for their rooms at the club still, but the work

of the house was so much lightened that each of the employees was given two weeks of vacationon full

The lunch department kept on a pretty regular basis from the patronage of resident business men, and the

young managerin her ambitious momentsplanned for enlarging it in the winter. But during the summer

her whole energies went to perfecting the menus and the service of her food delivery.

Mrs. Porne was the very first to order. She had been waiting impatiently for a chance to try the plan, and,

with her husband, had the firmest faith in Diantha's capacity to carry it through.

"We don't save much in money," she explained to the eager Mrs. Ree, who hovered, fascinated, over the

dangerous topic, "but we do in comfort, I can tell you. You see I had two girls, paid them $12 a week; now I

keep just the one, for $6. My food and fuel for the four of us (I don't count the babies either timethey

remain as before), was all of $16, often more. That made $28 a week. Now I pay for three meals a day,

delivered, for three of us, $15 a weekwith the nurse's wages, $21. Then I pay a laundress one day, $2, and

her two meals, $.50, making $23.50. Then I have two maids, for an hour a day, to clean; $.50 a day for six

But! there's another room! We have the cook's room for an extra guest; I use it most for a sewing room,

though and the kitchen is a sort of day nursery now. The house seems as big again!"

"But the food?" eagerly inquired Mrs. Ree. "Is it as good as your own? Is it hot and tempting?"

Mrs. Ree was fascinated by the new heresy. As a staunch adherent of the old Home and Culture Club, and its

older ideals, she disapproved of the undertaking, but her curiosity was keen about it.

Mrs. Porne smiled patiently. "You remember Diantha Bell's cooking I am sure, Mrs. Ree," she said. "And

Julianna used to cook for dinner partieswhen one could get her. My Swede was a very ordinary cook, as

most of these untrained girls are. Do take off your hat and have dinner with us,I'll show you," urged Mrs.

"We'll arrange all that by 'phone," her hostess explained; and she promptly sent word to the Ree household,

Mrs. Porne smiled. "Haven't you seen the little circular? Here's one, 'Extra meals to regular patrons 25 cents.'

Mrs. Ree had a lively sense of paltering with Satan as she sat down to the Porne's dinner table. She had seen

the delivery wagon drive to the door, had heard the man deposit something heavy on the back porch, and was

now confronted by a butler's tray at Mrs. Porne's left, whereon stood a neat square shining object with silvery

Mrs. Porne opened it, and an inner front was shown, with various small doors and drawers.

"No, thank goodness, I don't," replied her hostess. "If there's anything tiresome it is to order meals and always

know what's coming! That's what men get so tired of at restaurants; what they hate so when their wives ask

them what they want for dinner. Now I can enjoy my dinner at my own table, just as if I was a guest."

"It isa taxsometimes," Mrs. Ree admitted, adding hastily, "But one is glad to do itto make home

Mr. Porne's eyes sought his wife's, and love and contentment flashed between them, as she quietly set upon

"Aluminum, silver plated," said Mr. Porne. "They've learned how to do it at last. It's a problem of weight, you

see, and breakage. Aluminum isn't pretty, glass and silver are heavy, but we all love silver, and there's a

It did look rather impressive; silver tumblers, silver dishes, the whole dainty serviceand so surprisingly

"You see she knows that it is very important to please the eye as well as the palate," said Mr. Porne. "Now

speaking of palates, let us all keep silent and taste this soup." They did keep silent in supreme contentment

while the soup lasted. Mrs. Ree laid down her spoon with the air of one roused from a lovely dream.

"I never thought there were when we kept servants," said he. "Three was about their limit, and greasy, at

"Not at the table d'hote price," Mrs. Porne answered. "We never pretended to have a fish course

ourselvesdo you?" Mrs. Ree did not, and eagerly disclaimed any desire for fish. The meat was roast beef,

"Don't you miss the carving, Mr. Porne?" asked the visitor. "I do so love to see a man at the head of his own

"I do miss it, Mrs. Ree. I miss it every day of my life with devout thankfulness. I never was a good carver, so

it was no pleasure to me to show off; and to tell you the truth, when I come to the table, I like to eatnot saw

"We never get roast beef like this I'm sure," Mrs. Ree admitted, "we can't get it small enough for our family."

"And a little roast is always spoiled in the cooking. Yes this is far better than we used to have," agreed her

Mrs. Ree enjoyed every mouthful of her meal. The soup was hot. The salad was crisp and the ice cream hard.

There was sponge cake, thick, light, with sugar freckles on the dark crust. The coffee was perfect and almost

"I don't understand about the heat and cold," she said; and they showed her the asbestoslined compartments

and perfectly fitting places for each dish and plate. Everything went back out of sight; small leavings in a

special drawer, knives and forks held firmly by rubber fittings, nothing that shook or rattled. And the case

"No, there are Japanese napkins at the top here. We like our own napkins, and we didn't use a cloth, anyway."

"We put ours away. This plated ware they furnish is perfectly good. We could use ours of course if we

wanted to wash it. Some do that and some have their own case marked, and their own silver in it, but it's a

Mrs. Ree experienced peculiarly mixed feelings. As far as food went, she had never eaten a better dinner. But

"It certainly tastes good," she said. "Delicious, in fact. I am extremely obliged to you, Mrs. Porne, I'd no idea

"I don't see how she does it. All those cases and dishes, and the delivery wagon!"

That was the universal comment in Orchardina circles as the months passed and Union House continued in

In the fleeting opportunities offered by the Caffeteria, and in longer moments, rather neatly planned for, with

some remnants of an earlier ingenuity, Mr. Thaddler contrived to become acquainted with Mrs. Bell. Diantha

never quite liked him, but he won her mother's heart by frank praise of the girl and her ventures.

"I never saw a smarter woman in my life," he said; "and no airs. I tell you, ma'am, if there was more like her

this world would be an easier place to live in, and I can see she owes it all to you, ma'am."

This the mother would never admit for a moment, but expatiated loyally on the scientific mind of Mr.

"Of course he hated to let her go," replied the lady. "We both did. But he is very proud of her now."

"I guess there's somebody else who's proud of her, too," he suggested. "Excuse me, ma'am, I don't mean to

intrude, but we know there must be a good reason for your daughter keeping all Orchardina at a distance.

"Of course not; and why should she? Nice, womanly business, I am sure. I hope nobody'd expect a girl who

can keep house for a whole township to settle down to bossing one man and a hired girl."

In course of time he got a pretty clear notion of how matters stood, and meditated upon it, seriously rolling

his big cigar about between pursed lips. Mr. Thaddler was a good deal of a gossip, but this he kept to himself,

The business grew. It held its own in spite of fluctuations, and after a certain point began to spread steadily.

Mrs. Bell's coming and Mr. Eltwood's ardent championship, together with Mr. Thaddler's, quieted the

dangerous slanders which had imperilled the place at one time. They lingered, subterraneously, of course.

People never forget slanders. A score of years after there were to be found in Orchardina folk who still

whispered about dark allegations concerning Union House; and the papers had done some pretty serious

damage; but the fame of good food, good service, cheapness and efficiency made steady headway.

In view of the increase and of the plans still working in her mind, Diantha made certain propositions to Mr.

Porne, and also to Mrs. Porne, in regard to a new, specially built clubhouse for the girls.

"I have proved what they can do, with me to manage them, and want now to prove that they can do it

themselves, with any matron competent to follow my directions. The house need not be so expensive; one big

diningroom, with turnup tables like those ironingboard seattables, you knowthen they can dance

there. Small reception room and office, hall, kitchen and laundry, and thirty bedrooms, forty by thirty, with an

Mrs. Porne agreed to make plans, and did so most successfully, and Mr. Porne found small difficulty in

persuading an investor to put up such a house, which visibly could be used as a boardinghouse or small

It was built of concrete, a plain simple structure, but fine in proportions and pleasantly colored.

Diantha kept her plans to herself, as usual, but they grew so fast that she felt a species of terror sometimes,

"Steady, now!" she would say. "This is real business, just plain business. There's no reason why I shouldn't

She kept well, she worked hard, she was more than glad to have her mother with her; but she wanted

something else, which seemed farther off than ever. Her lover's picture hung on the wall of her bedroom,

stood on her bureau, and (but this was a secret) a small one was carried in her bosom.

Rather a grim looking young woman, Diantha, with the cares of the world of housekeepers upon her proud

young shoulders; with all the stirring hopes to be kept within bounds, all the skulking fears to be resisted, and

But when she woke, in the brilliant California mornings, she would lie still a few moments looking at the face

on the wall and the face on the bureau; would draw the little picture out from under her pillow and kiss it,

The very vigor of her general attitude, the continued strength with which she met the days and carried them,

made it all the more needful for her to have some one with whom she could forget every care, every purpose,

every effort; some one who would put strong arms around her and call her "Little Girl." His letters were both

a comfort and a pain. He was loyal, kind, loving, but always that wall of disapproval. He loved her, he did not

She read them over and over, hunting anew for the tender phrases, the things which seemed most to feed and

comfort her. She suffered not only from her loneliness, but from his; and most keenly from his sternly

"Why can't he see," she would say to herself, "that if this succeeds, he can do his work; that I can make it

possible for him? And he won't let me. He won't take it from me. Why are men so proud? Is there anything so

ignominious about a woman that it is disgraceful to let one help you? And why can't he think at all about the

others? It's not just us, it's all people. If this works, men will have easier times, as well as women. Everybody

And then it was always time to get up, or time to go to bed, or time to attend to some of the numberless

She and her mother had an early lunch before the caffeteria opened, and were glad of the afternoon tea, often

held in a retired corner of the broad piazza. She sat there one hot, dusty afternoon, alone and unusually tired.

The asphalted street was glaring and noisy, the cross street deep in soft dust, for months unwet.

Failure had not discouraged her, but increasing success with all its stimulus and satisfaction called for more

and more power. Her mind was busy foreseeing, arranging, providing for emergencies; and then the whole

thing slipped away from her, she dropped her head upon her arm for a moment, on the edge of the tea table,

From down the street and up the street at this moment, two men were coming; both young, both tall, both

good looking, both apparently approaching Union House. One of them was the nearer, and his foot soon

Diantha started up, came forward,it was Mr. Eltwood. She had a vague sense of disappointment, but

received him cordially. He stood there, his hat off, holding her hand for a long moment, and gazing at her

with evident admiration. They turned and sat down in the shadow of the reedcurtained corner.

Mr. Eltwood had been a warm friend and cordial supporter from the epoch of the Clubsplitting speech. He

had helped materially in the slow, uphill days of the girl's effort, with faith and kind words. He had met the

mother's coming with most friendly advances, and Mrs. Bell found herself much at home in his liberal little

"Why not?" she said. "You have followed this thing from the first. Sugar or lemon? You see I want to

disentangle the undertakings, set them upon their own separate feet, and establish the practical working of

"Nor yet 'rooms for entertainment,' she agreed. "We've got them all labelled, mother and I. There's the 'd. s.'

and 'c. f. d.' and 'r. f. e.' and the 'p. p.' That's picnics and parties. And more coming."

"What, more yet? You'll kill yourself, Miss Bell. Don't go too fast. You are doing a great work for humanity.

Mr. Eltwood looked at her with tender understanding. "I don't want to intrude any further than you are willing

to want me," he said, "but sometimes I think that even youstrong as you arewould be better for some

She did not contradict him. Her hands were in her lap, her eyes on the worn boards of the piazza floor. She

did not see a man pass on the other side of the street, cast a searching glance across and walk quickly on

"If you were quite free to go on with your beautiful work," said Mr. Eltwood slowly, "if you were offered

heartiest appreciation, profound respect, as well as love, of course; would you object to marrying, Miss Bell?"

asked in an even voice, as if it were a matter of metaphysical inquiry. Mrs. Porne had told him of her theory

as to a lover in the home town, wishing to save him a long heart ache, but he was not sure of it, and he

Diantha glanced quickly at him, and felt the emotion under his quiet words. She withdrew her eyes, looking

"You are enough of a friend to know, Mr. Eltwood," she said, "I rather thought you did know. I am engaged."

"Thank you for telling me; some one is greatly to be congratulated," he spoke sincerely, and talked quietly on

"Do let me give you some that is hot," she said at last, "and let me thank you from my heart for the help and

"I'm very glad," he said; and again, "I am very glad." "You may count upon anything I can do for you,

He held her hand once more for a moment, and went away with his head up and a firm step. To one who

watched him go, he had almost a triumphant air, but it was not triumph, only the brave beginning of a hard

Then came Mrs. Bell, returned from a shopping trip, and sank down in a wicker rocker, glad of the shade and

a cup of tea. No, she didn't want it iced. "Hot tea makes you cooler," was her theory.

"You don't look very tired," said the girl. "Seems to me you get stronger all the time."

"I do," said her mother. "You don't realize, you can't realize, Diantha, what this means to me. Of course to

you I am an old woman, a back numberone has to feel so about one's mother. I did when I married, and my

"I don't think you old, mother, not a bit of it. You ought to have twenty or thirty years of life before you, real

"That's just what I'm feeling," said Mrs. Bell, "as if I'd just begun to live! This is so different! There is a big,

moving thing to work for. There iswhy Diantha, you wouldn't believe what a comfort it is to me to feel

"You dear old darling," she said, "I should think it was! It is making the profits."

"And it grows so," her mother went on. "Here's this part so well assured that you're setting up the new Union

"As sure as I can be of any one till I've tried a long time. She has done all I've asked her to here, and done it

well. Besides, I mean to keep a hand on it for a year or two yetI can't afford to have that fail."

Mrs. Jessup was an imported aunt, belonging to one of the cleverest girls, and Diantha had had her in training

"Well, I guess she's as good as any you'd be likely to get," Mrs. Bell admitted, "and we mustn't expect

paragons. If this can't be done by an average bunch of working women the world over, it can't be

"Mr. Thaddler says you could run any kind of a business you set your hand to," her mother went on. "He has

"Seems to me you and Mr. Thaddler have a good deal to say to each other, motherkins. I believe you enjoy

"I do," said Mrs. Bell stoutly. "I do indeed! Why, I haven't seen so many men, to speak to, sincewhy, never

in my life! And they are very amusingsome of them. They like to come herelike it immensely. And I

Then they plunged into a discussion of the winter's plans. The day service department and its employment

agency was to go on at the New Union House, with Mrs. Jessup as manager; the present establishment was to

Mrs. Thorvald and her husband were installed by themselves in another new venture; a small laundry outside

the town. This place employed several girls steadily, and the motor wagon found a new use between meals, in

"It simplifies it a lotto get the washing out of the place and the girls off my mind," said Diantha. "Now I

mean to buckle down and learn the hotel businessthoroughly, and develop this cooked food delivery to

"I don't mean to stop till I'm dead," Diantha answered; "but I don't mean to undertake any more trades, if that

is what you mean. You know what I'm afterto get 'housework' on a business basis, that's all; and prove,

prove, PROVE what a good business it is. There's the cleaning branchthat's all started and going well in

the day service. There's the washingthat's simple and easy. Laundry work's no mystery. But the food part is

a big thing. It's an art, a science, a business, and a handicraft. I had the handicraft to start with; I'm learning

"Don't do too much at once," her mother urged. "You've got to cater to people as they are."

"I know it," the girl agreed. "They must be led, step by stepthe natural method. It's a big job, but not too

big. Out of all the women who have done housework for so many ages, surely it's not too much to expect one

"That's just what you have, Dinaa special genius for housework. I wish there were more of you!"

"There are plenty of me, mother dear, only they haven't come out. As soon as I show 'em how to make the

thing pay, you'll find that we have a big percentage of this kind of ability. It's all buried now in the occasional

"They don't need to," the girl answered cheerfully. "Some of them aren't married yet; some of them have lost

their husbands, and some of them"she said this a little bitterly"have husbands who will be willing to let

Diantha lightened up again. "Anyhow, here you are, mother dear! And for this year I propose that you assume

the financial management of the whole business at a salary of $1,000 'and found.' How does that suit you?"

"Oh, yes, I canyou know I can, because you've got the accounts. I'm going to make big money this year."

"Now, mother, you know we're doing well. Look here!" And Diantha produced her notebook.

"Here's the little laundry place; its fittings come to so much, wages so much, collection and delivery so much,

supplies so muchand already enough patronage engaged to cover. It will be bigger in winter, a lot, with

transients, and this hotel to fall back on; ought to clear at least a thousand a year. The service club don't pay

me anything, of course; that is for the girls' benefit; but the food delivery is doing better than I dared hope."

Mrs. Bell knew the figures better than Diantha, even, and they went over them carefully again. If the winter's

patronage held on to equal the summer'sand the many transient residents ought to increase itthey would

Labordelivery man. $600 Head cook. $600 Two assistant cooks. $1,040 Three washers and packers.

Rent, kitchen, office, etc. $500 Rent of motor. $300 Rent of cases. $250 Gasolene and repairs. $630 Per

The income was simple and sufficient. They charged $5.00 a week per capita for three meals, table d'hote,

delivered thrice daily. Frequent orders for extra meals really gave them more than they set down, but the

"Now, see," said Diantha triumphantly; "subtract all that expense list (and it is a liberal one), and we have

$7,000 left. I can buy the car and the cases this year and have $1,600 over! More; because if I do buy them I

can leave off some of the interest, and the rent of kitchen and office comes to Union House! Then there's all

of the extra orders. It's going to pay splendidly, mother! It clears $70 a year per person. Next year it will clear

It did not take long to make Mrs. Bell admit that if the business went on as it had been going Diantha would

be able to pay her a salary of a thousand dollars, and have five hundred leftfrom the food business alone.

There remained the hotel, with large possibilities. The present simple furnishings were to be moved over to

New Union House, and paid for by the girls in due time. With new paint, paper, and furniture, the old house

"Of course, it's the restaurant mainlythese big kitchens and the central location are the main thing. The

Diantha dwelt upon the prospect at some length; and even her cautious mother had to admit that unless there

"How about all this new furnishing?" Mrs. Bell said suddenly. "How do you cover that? Take what you've got

"Yes; there's plenty," said Diantha. "You see, there is all Union House has made, and this summer's profit on

"Then you can't pay for the motor and cases as you planned," her mother insisted.

"No, not unless the hotel and restaurant pays enough to make good. But I don't have to buy them the first

"Yes, you are safe enough; there's over $4,000 in the bank now," Mrs. Bell admitted. "But, child," she said

"Yes, I've thought of father," said the girl, "and I mean to ask him to come and live at the hotel. I think he'd

like it. He could meet people and talk about his ideas, and I'm sure I'd like to have him."

"They talked much and long about this, till the evening settled about them, till they had their quiet supper,

and the girls came home to their noisy one; and late that evening, when all was still again, Diantha came to

She sat with her head in her hands, and to her ears came suddenly the sound of a familiar stepa

"Oh, Ross! Ross! Darling! Is it true? When did you come? Oh, I'm so glad! So glad to see you!"

She was so glad that she had to cry a little on his shoulder, which he seemed to thoroughly enjoy.

"I've good news for you, little girl," he said. "Good news at last! Listen, dear; don't cry. There's an end in

"It's all exchange, and some cash to boot. Just think! You know what I've wanted so longa ranch. A big

one that would keep us all, and let me go on with my work. And, dearI've got it! It's a big fruit ranch, with

its own waterthink of that! And a vegetable garden, too, and small fruit, and everything. And, what's

better, it's all in good running order, with a competent ranchman, and two Chinese who rent the vegetable

part. And there are two houses on it two . One for mother and the girls, and one for us!"

He laughed joyfully. "It's here!" he said. "About eight miles or so out, up by the mountains; has a little

canyon of its ownits own little stream and reservoir. Oh, my darling! My darling!"

They sat in happy silence in the perfumed night. The strong arms were around her, the big shoulder to lean

The year of separation vanished from their thoughts, and the long years of companionship opened bright and

"I came this afternoon," he said at length, "but I saw another man coming. He got here first. I thought"

"He looked so confident when he went away that I was jealous," Ross admitted, "furiously jealous. And then

And then he had her, alone, for other quiet, happy moments. She was so glad of him. Her hold upon his hand,

"Nor I," said he. "I haven't lived. It isn't lifewithout you. Well, dearest, it needn't be much longer. We

closed the deal this afternoon. I came down here to see the place, andincidentallyto see you!"

"I shall turn over the store at once. It won't take long to move and settle; there's enough money over to do

that. And the ranch pays, Diantha! It really pays, and will carry us all. How long will it take you to get out of

"Why, the whole abominable business you're so deep in here. Thank God, there's no shadow of need for it

"Why, dear," she said, "if your ranch is as near as that it would be perfectly easy for me to come in to the

"But I tell you there's no need any more," said he. "Don't you understand? This is a paying fruit ranch, with

land rented to advantage, and a competent manager right there running it. It's simply changed owners. I'm the

owner now! There's two or three thousand a year to be made on ithas been made on it! There is a home for

my peoplea home for us! Oh, my beloved girl! My darling! My own sweetheart! Surely you won't refuse

"Ross," she urged, "you don't understand! I've built up a good business herea real successful business.

Mother is in it; father's to come down; there is a big patronage; it grows. I can't give it up!"

"Not for me? Not when I can offer you a home at last? Not when I show you that there is no longer any need

"But, deardear!" she protested. "It isn't for the money; it is the work I want to doit is my work! You are

"No! It isn't that! That's not fair!" cried the girl. "Do you love your work better than you love me? Of course

not! You love both. So do I. Can't you see? Why should I have to give up anything?"

"You do not have to," he said patiently. "I cannot compel you to marry me. But now, when at lastafter

He rose to his feet with a muffled exclamation, and walked the length of the piazza and back.

"You are mistaken, dear. I have said that I will marry you whenever you choose. But it is you who are saying,

"This is foolishness!" he said sharply. "No manthat is a manwould marry a woman and let her run a

"You are mistaken," she answered. "One of the finest men I ever knew has asked me to marry himand

"Because I didn't love him." She stopped, a sob in her voice, and he caught her in his arms again.

It was late indeed when he went away, walking swiftly, with a black rebellion in his heart; and Diantha

She was stunned, deadened, exhausted; torn with a desire to run after him and give upgive up anything to

hold his love. But something, partly reason and partly pride, kept saying within her: "I have not refused him;

She heard two murmuring at night, Where rosesweet shadows rest; And coveted the blossom red He laid

When Madam Weatherstone shook the plentiful dust of Orchardina from her expensive shoes, and returned to

adorn the more classic groves of Philadelphia, Mrs. Thaddler assumed to hold undisputed sway as a social

The Social Leader she meant to be; and marshalled her forces to that end. She Patronized here, and Donated

there; revised her visiting list with rigid exclusiveness; secured an Eminent Professor and a Noted Writer as

Her husband grew more and more restive under the rising tide of social exactions in dress and deportment;

and spent more and more time behind his fast horses, or on the stockranch where he raised them. As a

neighbor and fellow ranchman, he scraped acquaintance with Ross Warden, and was able to render him many

Mrs. Warden remembered his visit to Jopalez, and it took her some time to rearrange him in her mind as a

person of wealth and standing. Having so rearranged him, on sufficient evidence, she and her daughters

became most friendly, and had hopes of establishing valuable acquaintance in the town. "It's not for myself I

care," she would explain to Ross, every day in the week and more on Sundays, "but for the girls. In that

dreadful Jopalez there was absolutely no opportunity for them; but here, with horses, there is no reason we

should not have friends. You must consider your sisters, Ross! Do be more cordial to Mr. Thaddler."

But Ross could not at present be cordial to anybody. His unexpected good fortune, the freedom from hated

cares, and chance to work out his mighty theories on the faithful guineapig, ought to have filled his soul

with joy; but Diantha's cruel obstinacy had embittered his cup of joy. He could not break with her; she had

He had stayed away for two whole weeks, in which time the guineapigs nibbled at ease and Diantha's work

would have suffered except for her mother's extra efforts. Then he went to see her again, miserable but

stubborn, finding her also miserable and also stubborn. They argued till there was grave danger of an absolute

break between them; then dropped the subject by mutual agreement, and spent evenings of unsatisfying effort

Diantha and her mother called on Mrs. Warden, of course, admiring the glorious view, the sweet high air, and

the embowered loveliness of the two ranch houses. Ross drew Diantha aside and showed her "theirs"a

lovely little wideporched concrete cottage, with a redtiled roof, and heavy masses of Gold of Ophir and

He kissed her when they were safe inside, and murmured: "Come, darlingwon't you come and be my

"I will, Rosswhenever you saybut!" She would not agree to give up her work, and he flung away

from her in reckless despair. Mrs. Warden and the girls returned the call as a matter of duty, but came no

more; the mother saying that she could not take her daughters to a Servant Girls' Club.

And though the Servant Girls' Club was soon removed to its new quarters and Union House became a quiet,

Mrs. Warden naturally took her son's side, and considered Diantha an unnatural monster of hardheartedness.

The matter sifted through to the ears of Mrs. Thaddler, who rejoiced in it, and called upon Mrs. Warden in

her largest automobile. As a mother with four marriageable daughters, Mrs. Warden was delighted to accept

and improve the acquaintance, but her aristocratic Southern soul was inwardly rebellious at the

"If only Madam Weatherstone had stayed!" she would complain to her daughters. "She had Family as well as

"A nobody!" her mother replied. "She has the Weatherstone money, of course, but no Position; and what little

she has she is losing by her low tastes. She goes about freely with Diantha Bellher own housekeeper!"

"Well, it's all the same! She was! And a mere general servant before that! And now to think that when Ross is

They were all agreed on this point, unless perhaps that the youngest had her inward reservations. Dora had

Young Mrs. Weatherstone stayed in her big empty house for a while, and as Mrs. Warden said, went about

frequently with Diantha Bell. She liked Mrs. Bell, tootook her for long stimulating rides in her comfortable

car, and insisted that first one and then the other of them should have a bit of vacation at her seashore home

"She has no idea of the psychic effects, Mrs. Bell," said she. "She sees the business, and she has a great view

of all it is going to do for women to come; but I don't think she realizes how much she is doing right now for

women hereand men, too. There were my friends the Pornes; they were 'drifting apart,' as the novels have

itand no wonder. Isabel was absolutely no good as a housekeeper; he naturally didn't like itand the baby

made it all the worse; she pined for her work, you see, and couldn't get any time for it. Now they are as happy

as can beand it's just Diantha Bell's doings. The housework is off Isabel's shoulders.

"Then there are the Wagrams, and the Sheldons, and the Brinksand ever so many morewho have told

me themselves that they are far happier than they ever were beforeand can live more cheaply. She ought to

Mrs. Bell would agree to this, and quite swelled with happiness and pride; but Mrs. Weatherstone, watching

When she had Diantha with her she opened fire direct. "You ought to be the happiest, proudest, most

triumphant woman in the world!" she said. "You're making oodles of money, your whole thing's going well,

Diantha smiled and said she was happy; but her eyes would stray off to the very rim of the ocean; her mouth

"Tell me about it, my friend," said her hostess. "Is it that he won't let you keep on with the business?"

"No," said Diantha. "No. Why should I? I'd marry himtomorrow!" She held one hand with the other,

tight, but they both shook a little. "I'd be glad to. But I will not give up my work!"

"And I can see that you don't eat as you ought to. Hm! Are you going to break down?"

"No," said Diantha, "I am not going to break down. I am doing what is right, and I shall go on. It's a little

hard at firsthaving him so near. But I am young and strong and have a great deal to doI shall do it."

And then Mrs. Weatherstone would tell her all she knew of the intense satisfaction of the people she served,

and pleasant stories about the girls. She bought her books to read and such gleanings as she found in foreign

Not only so, but she supplied the Orchardina library with a special bibliography on the subject, and induced

the new Woman's Club to take up a course of reading in it, so that there gradually filtered into the Orchardina

mind a faint perception that this was not the freak of an eccentric individual, but part of an inevitable business

As the winter drew on, Mrs. Weatherstone whisked away again, but kept a warm current of interest in

Mr. Bell came down from Jopalez with outer reluctance but inner satisfaction. He had rented his place, and

Susie had three babies now. Henderson, Jr., had no place for him, and to do housework for himself was no

In Diantha's hotel he had a comfortable room next his wife's, and a capacious chair in the firelit hall in wet

weather, or on the shaded piazza in dry. The excellent library was a resource to him; he found some congenial

souls to talk with; and under the new stimulus succeeded at last in patenting a small device that really

worked. With this, and his rent, he felt inclined to establish a "home of his own," and the soul of Mrs. Bell

sank within her. Without allowing it to come to an issue between them, she kept the question open for endless

discussion; and Mr. Bell lived on in great contentment under the impression that he was about to move at

almost any time. To his friends and cronies he dilated with pride on his daughter's wonderful achievements.

"She's as good as a boy!" he would declare. "Women nowadays seem to do anything they want to!" And he

Meanwhile the impressive gatherings at Mrs. Thaddler's, and the humbler tea and card parties of Diantha's

A New York company had bought one of the largest and finest blocks in townthe old Para placeand was

developing it in a manner hitherto unseen. The big, shabby, neglected estate began to turn into such a

fairyland as only southern lands can know. The old liveoaks were untouched; the towering eucalyptus trees

remained in ragged majesty; but an army of workmen was busy under guidance of a master of beauty.

One large and lovely building rose, promptly dubbed a hotel by the unwilling neighbors; others, smaller,

showed here and there among the trees; and then a rosegray wall of concrete ran around the whole, high,

tantalizing, with green boughs and sweet odors coming over it. Those who went in reported many buildings,

and much activity. But, when the wall was done, and each gate said "No admittance except on business," then

It was a School of Theosophy; it was a Christian Science College; it was a FreeLove Colony; it was a Secret

They made no secret of it, they were too busy; but the town was unsatisfied. Why a wall? What did any

honest person want of a wall? Yet the wall cast a pleasant shadow; there were seats here and there between

buttresses, and, as the swift California season advanced, roses and oleanders nodded over the top, and gave

hints of beauty and richness more subtly stimulating than all the open glory of the lowhedged gardens near.

Diantha's soul was stirred with secret envy. Some big concern was about to carry out her dream, or part of

itperhaps to be a huge and overflowing rival. Her own work grew meantime, and flourished as well as she

The fooddelivery service was running to its full capacity; the girls got on very well under Mrs. Jessup, and

were delighted to have a house of their own with the parlors and piazzas all to themselves, and a garden to sit

in as well. If this depleted their ranks by marriage, it did not matter now, for there was a waiting list in

Union House kept on evenly and profitably, and Diantha was beginning to feel safe and successful; but the

She was always cheered by Mrs. Weatherstone's letters; and Mrs. Porne came to see her, and to compare

notes over their friend's success. For Mrs. Weatherstone had been presented at Courtat more than one

court, in fact; and Mrs. Weatherstone had been proposed to by a Dukeand had refused him! Orchardina

She had been studying, investigating, had become known in scientific as well as social circles, and on her

way back the strenuous upper layer of New York Society had also made much of her. Rumors grew of her

exquisite costumes, of her unusual jewels, of her unique entertainments, of her popularity everywhere she

Other proposals, of a magnificent nature, were reported, with more magnificent refusals; and Orchardina

began to be very proud of young Mrs. Weatherstone and to wish she would come back.

She did at last, bringing an Italian Prince with her, and a Hoch Geborene German Count also, who alleged

they were travelling to study the country, but who were reputed to have had a duel already on the beautiful

All this was longdrawn gossip but bore some faint resemblance to the facts. Viva Weatherstone at thirty was

a very different woman front the pale, sadeyed girl of four years earlier. And when the great house on the

avenue was arrayed in new magnificence, and all Orchardinathat daredhad paid its respects to her, she

opened the season, as it were, with a brilliant dinner, followed by a reception and ball.

All Orchardina cameso far as it had been invited. There was the Prince, sure enougha pleasant,

blueeyed young man. And there was the Count, bearing visible evidence of duels aplenty in earlier days.

And there was Diantha Bellreceiving, with Mrs. Porne and Mrs. Weatherstone. All Orchardina stared.

Diantha had been at the dinnerthat was clear. And now she stood there in her soft, dark evening dress, the

knot of golden acacias nestling against the black lace at her bosom, looking as fair and sweet as if she had

Her mother thought her the most beautiful thing she had ever seen; and her father, though somewhat critical,

Mrs. Weatherstone cast many a loving look at the tall girl beside her in the intervals of "Delighted to see

you's," and saw that her double burden had had no worse effect than to soften the lines of the mouth and give

The foreign visitors were much interested in the young Amazon of Industry, as the Prince insisted on calling

her; and even the German Count for a moment forgot his ancestors in her pleasant practical talk.

Mrs. Weatherstone had taken pains to call upon the Wardensclaiming a connection, if not a relationship,

and to invite them all. And as the crowd grew bigger and bigger, Diantha saw Mrs. Warden at last

approaching with her four daughtersand no one else. She greeted them politely and warmly; but Mrs.

Holding them all in a little group beside her, she introduced her noble visitors to them; imparted the further

information that their brother was fiance to Miss Bell. "I don't see him," she said, looking about. "He will

come later, of course. Ah, Miss Madeline! How proud you all must feel of your sisterinlaw to be!"

"Such a remarkable young lady!" said the Count to Adeline. "You will admire, envy, and imitate! Is it not

"Your ladies of America have all things in your hands," said the Prince to Miss Cora. "To think that she has

"I know you're all as proud as you can be," Mrs. Weatherstone continued to Dora. "You see, Diantha has

They all passed on presently, as others came; but Mrs. Warden's head was reeling. She wished she could by

"I can't, mother," he had said. "You goall of you. Take the girls. I'll call for you at twelvebut I won't go

Mr. and Mrs. Thaddler were therebut not happy. She was not, at least, and showed it; he was not until an

idea struck him. He dodged softly out, and was soon flying off, at dangerous speed over the moonwhite

"Thank you, but I have to take the horses in and bring out my mother and the girls."

He sat back on the luxurious cushions, his arms folded sternly, his brows knit, and the stout gentleman at his

"As prompt as the month comes round. Their rent is a very valuable part of the estate."

"Yes," Mr. Thaddler pursued. "They have a good steady market for their stuff. And the chicken man, too. Do

"You see, I've taken a great interest in her proposition ever since she sprung it on us," Mr. Thaddler confided.

"She's got the goods all right. But there was plenty against her hereyou know what women are! And I

made up my mind the supplies should be good and steady, anyhow. She had no trouble with her grocery

orders; that was easy. Meat I couldn't handleexcept indirectlya little pressure, maybe, here and there."

"Yes, me. Why not? It's a good property. I got it all fixed right, and then I bought your little upstate

shoplock, stock and barreland gave you this for it. A fair exchange is no robbery. Though it would be

Ross was silent for a few turbulent moments, revolving this far from pleasing information.

"What'd I do it for?" continued the unasked benefactor. "What do you think I did it for? So that brave, sweet

little girl down here could have her heart's desire. She's established her businessshe's proved her

pointshe's won the townmost of it; and there's nothing on earth to make her unhappy now but your

One cannot throw one's host out of his own swiftflying car; nor is it wise to jump out one's self.

"Nothing on earth between you but your cussed pride!" Mr. Thaddler remorselessly went on. "This ranch is

honestly yoursby a square deal. Your Jopalez business was worth the moneyyou ran it honestly and

extended the trade. You'd have made a heap by it if you could have unbent a little. Gosh! I limbered up that

"And now you've got what you wantedthanks to her, mind you, thanks to her!and you ain't willing to let

"You ain't dependent on her in any senseI don't mean that. You earned the place all right, and I don't doubt

you'll make good, both in a business way and a scientific way, young man. But why in Hades you can't let her

be happy, too, is more'n I can figure! Guess you get your notions from two generations backand some!"

"You're not, young man, you're not! I ran that shop of yours a yearbuilt up the business and sold it for

more than I paid for this. So you've no room for heroicsnone at all. What I want you to realize is that

you're breaking the heart of the finest woman I ever saw. You can't bend that girlshe'll never give up. A

woman like that has got more things to do than just marry! But she's pining for you all the same.

"Here she is tonight, receiving with Mrs. Weatherstonewith those Bannerets, Dukes and Earls around

herstanding up there like a Princess herselfand her eyes on the door all the timeand tears in 'em, I

"I'll take 'em all homethey won't be ready for some time yet," said Mr. Thaddler. "And if you two would

Ross shook hands with him. "You are very kind, Mr. Thaddler," he said. "I am obliged to you. But I think we

Tall and impressive, looking more distinguished in a sixyearold evening suit than even the Hoch Geborene

in his uniform, he came at last, and Diantha saw him the moment he entered; saw, too, a new light in his eyes.

He went straight to her. And Mrs. Weatherstone did not lay it up against him that he had but the briefest of

She went with him, without a word, and they walked slowly home, by far outlying paths, and long waits on

The moon filled all the world with tender light and the orange blossoms flooded the still air with sweetness.

"Dear," said he, "I have been a proud foolI am yetbut I have come to see a little clearer. I do not

approve of your workI cannot approve of itbut will you forgive me for that and marry me? I cannot live

They were married while the flowers were kneedeep over the sunny slopes and mesas, and the canyons

gulfs of color and fragrance, and went for their first moon together to a far high mountain valley hidden

A month of heaven; while wave on wave of perfect rest and worldforgetting oblivion rolled over both their

They swam together in the dawnflushed lake, seeing the morning mists float up from the silver surface,

breaking the still reflection of thick trees and rosy clouds, rejoicing in the level shafts of forest filtered

sunlight. They played and ran like children, rejoiced over their picnic meals; lay flat among the crowding

"I don't see," said her lover, "but that my strenuous Amazon is just as much a woman asas any woman!"

A month of perfect happiness. It was so short it seemed but a moment; so long in its rich perfection that they

Day service is not so easily arranged on a ranch some miles from town. They tried it for a while, the new

runabout car bringing out a girl in the morning early, and taking Diantha in to her office.

But motor cars are not infallible; and if it met with any accident there was delay at both ends, and more or

Then Diantha engaged a firstclass Oriental gentleman, well recommended by the "vegetable Chinaman," on

their own place. This was extremely satisfactory; he did the work well, and was in all ways reliable; but there

arose in the town a current of malicious criticism and protestthat she "did not live up to her principles."

To this she paid no attention; her work was now too well planted, too increasingly prosperous to be weakened

Her mother, growing plumper now, thriving continuously in her new lines of work, kept the hotel under her

immediate management, and did bookkeeping for the whole concern. New Union Home ran itself, and

articles were written about it in magazines; so that here and there in other cities similar clubs were started,

with varying success. The restaurant was increasingly popular; Diantha's cooks were highly skilled and

handsomely paid, and from the cheap lunch to the expensive banquet they gave satisfaction.

But the "c. f. d." was the darling of her heart, and it prospered exceedingly. "There is no advertisement like a

pleased customer," and her pleased customers grew in numbers and in enthusiasm. Family after family

learned to prize the cleanliness and quiet, the odorlessness and flylessness of a home without a kitchen, and

Critical women learned at last that a competent cook can really produce better food than an incompetent one;

"Sanctity of your bootstraps!" protested one irascible gentleman. "Such talk is all nonsense! I don't want

"We don't brag about 'home brewing' any more," said another, "or 'home tailoring,' or 'home shoemaking.'

What pleased the men most was not only the good food, but its clockwork regularity; and not only the

reduced bills but the increased health and happiness of their wives. Domestic bliss increased in Orchardina,

Ross Warden did his best. Under the merciless friendliness of Mr. Thaddler he had been brought to see that

Diantha had a right to do this if she would, and that he had no right to prevent her; but he did not like it any

When she rolled away in her little car in the bright, sweet mornings, a light went out of the day for him. He

wanted her there, in the homehis homehis wifeeven when he was not in it himself. And in this

particular case it was harder than for most men, because he was in the house a good deal, in his study, with no

It was by no means easy for Diantha, either. To leave him tugged at her heartstrings, as it did at his; and if

he had to struggle with inherited feelings and acquired traditions, still more was she beset with an unexpected

With marriage, love, happiness came an overwhelming instinct of servicepersonal service. She wanted to

wait on him, loved to do it; regarded Wang Fu with positive jealousy when he brought in the coffee and Ross

praised it. She had a sense of treason, of neglected duty, as she left the flowercrowned cottage, day by day.

"Shame on you!" she berated herself. "Now now that you've got everything on earthto weaken! You

could stand unhappiness; can't you stand happiness?" And she strove with herself; and kept on with her work.

After all, the happiness was presently diluted by the pressure of this blank wall between them. She came

home, eager, loving, delighted to be with him again. He received her with no complaint or criticism, but

always an unspoken, perhaps imagined, sense of protest. She was full of loving enthusiasm about his work,

and he would dilate upon his harassed guineapigs and their development with high satisfaction.

But he never could bring himself to ask about her labors with any genuine approval; she was keenly sensitive

to his dislike for the subject, and so it was ignored between them, or treated by him in a vein of humor with

When, before many months were over, the crowning triumph of her effort revealed itself, her joy and pride

held this bitter drophe did not sympathizedid not approve. Still, it was a great glory.

The New York Company announced the completion of their work and the Hotel del las Casas was opened to

public inspection. "House of the Houses! That's a fine name!" said some disparagingly; but, at any rate, it

seemed appropriate. The big estate was one rich garden, more picturesque, more dreamily beautiful, than the

American commercial mind was usually able to compass, even when possessed of millions. The hotel of

itself was a pleasure palacewholly unostentatious, full of gaiety and charm, offering lovely chambers for

guests and residents, and every opportunity for healthful amusement. There was the rare luxury of a big

swimmingpool; there were billiard rooms, card rooms, reading rooms, lounging rooms and dancing rooms

Outside there were tenniscourts, badminton, roque, even croquet; and the wide roof was a garden of

Babylon, a Court of the Stars, with views of purple mountains, fair, wide valley and farflashing rim of sea.

Around it, each in its own hedged garden, nestled "Las Casas"the Housestwenty in number, with

winding shaded paths, groups of rare trees, a wilderness of flowers, between and about them. In one corner

was a playground for childrena wall around this, that they might shout in freedom; and the nursery thereby

The people poured along the winding walls, entered the pretty cottages, were much impressed by a little flock

of wellfloored tents in another corner, but came back with Ohs! and Ahs! of delight to the large building in

Diantha went all over the place, inch by inch, her eyes widening with admiration; Mr. and Mrs. Porne and

Mrs. Weatherstone with her. She enjoyed the serene, wellplanned beauty of the whole; approved heartily of

the cottages, each one a little different, each charming in its quiet privacy, admired the plentiful arrangements

for pleasure and gay association; but her professional soul blazed with enthusiasm over the great kitchens,

clean as a hospital, glittering in glass and copper and cool tiling, with the swift, sure electric stove.

The fuel all went into a small, solidly built power house, and came out in light and heat and force for the

"What do you think of my investment?" said Mrs. Weatherstone. Diantha stopped in her tracks and looked

"Fact. I control the stockI'm president of the Hotel del las Casas Company. Our friends here have stock in

it, too, and more that you don't know. We think it's going to be a paying concern. But if you can make it go,

"Nothing remarkable at all," said Mrs. Weatherstone. "Here's Astor with three big hotels on his handswhy

shouldn't I have one to play with? And I've got to employ somebody to manage it!"

Within a year of her marriage Diantha was at the head of this pleasing Centre of Housekeeping. She kept the

hotel itself so that it was a joy to all its patrons; she kept the little houses homes of pure delight for those who

were so fortunate as to hold them; and she kept up her "c. f. d." business till it grew so large she had to have

Orchardina basked and prospered; its citizens found their homes happier and less expensive than ever before,

She loved it, nursed it, and ran her business at long range for some six months. But then she brought nurse

and child to the hotel with her, placed them in the cool, airy nursery in the garden, and varied her busy day

Back they came together before supper, and found unbroken joy and peace in the quiet of home; but always

There were three babies now; Diantha was a splendid woman of thirty, handsome and strong, preeminently

successfuland yet, there were times when she found it in her heart to envy the most ordinary people who

loved and quarreled and made up in the little outlying ranch houses along the road; they had nothing between

Meantime in the friendly opportunities of Orchardina society, added to by the unexampled possibilities of Las

Casas (and they did not scorn this hotel nor Diantha's position in it), the three older Miss Wardens had

married. Two of them preferred "the good old way," but one tried the "d. s." and the "c. f. d." and liked them

Dora amazed and displeased her family, as soon as she was of age, by frankly going over to Diantha's side

and learning bookkeeping. She became an excellent accountant and bade fair to become an expert manager

Ross had prospered in his work. It may be that the element of dissatisfaction in his married life spurred him

on, while the unusual opportunities of his ranch allowed free effort. He had always held that the

"nontransmissability of acquired traits" was not established by any number of curtailed mice or cropeared

rats. "A mutilation is not an acquired trait," he protested. "An acquired trait is one gained by exercise; it

modifies the whole organism. It must have an effect on the race. We expect the sons of a line of soldiers to

inherit their fathers' courageperhaps his habit of obediencebut not his wooden leg."

To establish his views he selected from a fine family of guineapigs two pair; set the one, Pair A, in

conditions of ordinary guineapig bliss, and subjected the other, Pair B, to a course of discipline. They were

trained to run. They, and their descendants after them, pair following on pair; first with slowturning wheels

as in squirrel cages, the wheel inexorably going, machinedriven, and the luckless little gluttons having to

move on, for gradually increasing periods of time, at gradually increasing speeds. Pair A and their progeny

were sheltered and fed, but the rod was spared; Pair B were as the guests at "Muldoon's"they had to

exercise. With scientific patience and ingenuity, he devised mechanical surroundings which made them jump

increasing spaces, which made them run always a little faster and a little farther; and he kept a record as

Several centuries of guineapig time went by; generation after generation of healthy guineapigs passed

under his modifying hands; and after some five years he had in one small yard a fine group of the

descendants of his gallfed pair, and in another the offspring of the trained ones; nimble, swift, as different

from the first as the razorbacked pig of the forest from the fatted porkers in the sty. He set them to

racethe young untrained specimens of these distant cousinsand the hare ran away from the tortoise

Great zoologists and biologists came to see him, studied, fingered, poked, and examined the records; argued

"Not at all," said he. "They were fed and cared for alike, with no gain from running."

"It was artificial selection," they said. "You picked out the speediest for your training."

"Not at all," said he. "I took always any healthy pair from the trained parents and from the untrained

Anyhow, there were the pigs; and he took little specialized piglets scarce weaned, and pitted them against

piglets of the untrained lotand they outran them in a race for "Mama." Wherefore Mr. Ross Warden found

himself famous of a sudden; and all over the scientific world the Wiesmanian controversy raged anew. He

was invited to deliver a lecture before some most learned societies abroad, and in several important centers at

Diantha was glad for him from the bottom of her heart, and proud of him through and through. She

thoroughly appreciated his sturdy opposition to such a weight of authority; his long patience, his careful,

steady work. She was left in full swing with her big business, busy and successful, honored and liked by all

the townpracticallyand quite independent of the small fraction which still disapproved. Some people

Diantha owned it now, and Mrs. Weatherstone built others, in other places, at a large profit.

Mrs. Warden went to live with Cora in the town. Cora had more time to entertain heras she was the one

Diantha sat in friendly talk with Mrs. Weatherstone one quiet day, and admitted that she had no cause for

Young Mrs. Warden smiled. "There's no keeping anything from you, is there? Yesyou're right. I'm not

quite satisfied. I suppose I ought not to carebut you see, I love him so! I want him to approve of me!not

just put up with it, and bear it! I want him to feel with meto care. It is awful to know that all this big life of

Mrs. Weatherstone looked far away through the wide window. "I do know," she said.

Diantha reached a strong hand to clasp her friend's. "I wish I could give it to you," she said. "You have done

"My money! Well I like that!" said Mrs. Weatherstone. "I have taken my money out of five and seven per

cent investments, and put it into ten per cent ones, that's all. Shall I never make you realize that I am a richer

woman because of you, Diantha Bell Warden! So don't try to be gratefulI won't have it! Your work has

paid rememberpaid me as well as you; and lots of other folks beside. You know there are eighteen good

imitations of Union House running now, in different cities, and three 'Las Casas!' all succeedingand the

They were friends old and tried, and happy in mutual affection. Diantha had many now, though none quite so

dear. Her parents were contentedher brother and sister doing wellher children throve and grew and

Then one night came by the last mail, a thick letter from Rossthicker than usual. She opened it in her room

He told her of his journeying, his lectures, his controversies and triumphs; rather brieflyand then:

"My darling, I have learned something at last, on my travels, which will interest you, I fancy, more than the

"From what I hear about you in foreign lands; from what I read about you wherever I go; and, even more,

from what I see, as a visitor, in many families; I have at last begun to grasp the nature and importance of your

"As a man of science I must accept any truth when it is once clearly seen; and, though I've been a long time

about it, I do see at last what brave, strong, valuable work you have been doing for the world. Doing it

scientifically, too. Your figures are quoted, your records studied, your example followed. You have

established certain truths in the business of living which are of importance to the race. As a student I

recognize and appreciate your work. As man to man I'm proud of youtremendously proud of you. As your

husband! Ah! my love! I am coming back to youcoming soon, coming with my Whole Heart, Yours! Just

Diantha held the letter close, with hands that shook a little. She kissed itkissed it hard, over and overnot

Then she gave way to an overmastering burst of feeling, and knelt down by the wide bed, burying her face

there, the letter still held fast. It was a funny prayer, if any human ear had heard it.

"Thank you!" was all she said, with long, deep sobbing sighs between. "Thank you!Othank you!"