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wavered。 But he pulled himself together and took a plateful； assorted。
〃Come on； Porne；〃 he said； 〃we'll play it's a Sunday school picnic；〃 and
he drew himself a cup of coffee； finding hot milk； cream and sugar
crystals at hand。 〃I never saw a cheap joint where you could fix it
yourself； before；〃 he said；and suspiciously tasted the mixture。
〃By jing！ That's coffee！〃 he cried in surprise。 〃There's no scum on
the milk； and the cream's cream！〃 Five cents！ She won't get rich on
this。〃
Then he applied himself to his 〃No。 1〃 sandwich； and his determined
expression gave way to one of pleasure。 〃Why that's breadreal bread！
I believe she made it herself！〃
She did in truth；she and Julianna with Hector as general assistant。
The big oven was filled several times every morning： the fresh rolls
disappeared at breakfast and supper； the fresh bread was packed in the
lunch pails； and the stale bread was even now melting away in large
bites behind the smiling mouths and mustaches of many men。 Perfect
bread； excellent butter； and 〃What's the filling I'd like to know？〃
More than one inquiring…minded patron split his sandwich to add sight to
taste； but few could be sure of the flavorsome contents； fatless；
gritless； smooth and even； covering the entire surface； the last
mouthful as perfect as the first。 Some were familiar； some new； all
were delicious。
The six sandwiches were five cents； the cup of coffee five； and the
little 〃drop cakes；〃 sweet and spicy； were two for five。 Every man
spent fifteen cents； some of them more； and many took away small cakes
in paper bags； if there were any left。
〃I don't see how you can do it； and make a profit；〃 urged Mr。 Eltwood；
making a pastorial call。 〃They are so good you know！〃
Diantha smiled cheerfully。 〃That's because all your ideas are based on
what we call 'domestic economy；' which is domestic waste。 I buy in
large quantities at wholesale rates； and my cook with her little helper；
the two maids； and my own share of the work； of course； provides for the
lot。 Of course one has to know how。〃
〃Whenever did you findor did you create？those heavenly sandwiches？〃
he asked。
〃I have to thank my laundress for part of that success；〃 she said。
〃She's a Dane； and it appears that the Danes are so fond of sandwiches
that； in large establishments； they have a 'sandwich kitchen' to prepare
them。 It is quite a bit of work； but they are good and inexpensive。
There is no limit to the variety。〃
As a matter of fact this lunch business paid well； and led to larger
things。
The girl's methods were simple and so organized as to make one hand wash
the other。 Her house had some twenty…odd bedrooms； full accommodations
for kitchen and laundry work on a large scale； big dining； dancing； and
reception rooms； and broad shady piazzas on the sides。 Its position on
a corner near the business part of the little city； and at the foot of
the hill crowned with so many millionaires and near millionaires as
could get land there； offered many advantages； and every one was taken。
The main part of the undertaking was a House Worker's Union； a group of
thirty girls； picked and trained。 These； previously working out as
servants； had received six dollars a week 〃and found。〃 They now worked
an agreed number of hours； were paid on a basis by the hour or day； and
〃found〃 themselves。 Each had her own room； and the broad porches and
ball room were theirs； except when engaged for dances and meetings of
one sort and another。
It was a stirring year's work； hard but exciting； and the only
difficulty which really worried Diantha was the same that worried the
average housewifethe accounts。
WHAT DIANTHA DID
XI。
THE POWER OF THE SCREW。
Your car is too big for one person to stir
Your chauffeur is a little man； too；
Yet he lifts that machine； does the little chauffeur；
By the power of a gentle jackscrew。
Diantha worked。
For all her employees she demanded a ten…hour day； she worked fourteen；
rising at six and not getting to bed till eleven； when her charges were
all safely in their rooms for the night。
They were all up at five…thirty or thereabouts； breakfasting at six； and
the girls off in time to reach their various places by seven。 Their day
was from 7 A。 M。 to 8。30 P。 M。； with half an hour out； from 11。30 to
twelve； for their lunch； and three hours； between 2。20 and 5。30； for
their own time； including their tea。 Then they worked again from 5。30
to 8。30； on the dinner and the dishes； and then they came home to a
pleasant nine o'clock supper； and had all hour to dance or rest before
the 10。30 bell for bed time。
Special friends and 〃cousins〃 often came home with them； and frequently
shared the supperfor a quarterand the dance for nothing。
It was no light matter in the first place to keep twenty girls contented
with such a regime； and working with the steady excellence required； and
in the second place to keep twenty employers contented with them。 There
were failures on both sides； half a dozen families gave up the plan； and
it took time to replace them； and three girls had to be asked to resign
before the year was over。 But most of them had been in training in the
summer； and had listened for months to Diantha's earnest talks to the
clubs； with good results。
〃Remember we are not doing this for ourselves alone；〃 she would say to
them。 〃Our experiment is going to make this kind of work easier for all
home workers everywhere。 You may not like it at first； but neither did
you like the old way。 It will grow easier as we get used to it； and we
_must_ keep the rules； because we made them！〃
She laboriously composed a neat little circular； distributed it widely；
and kept a pile in her lunch room for people to take。
It read thus：
UNION HOUSE
Food and Service。
General Housework by the week 。 。 。 10。00
General Housework by the day 。 。 。 2。00
Ten hours work a day； and furnish their own food。
Additional labor by the hour 。 。 。 。20
Special service for entertainments； maids and waitresses； by the hour 。
。 。 。25
Catering for entertainments。
Delicacies for invalids。
Lunches packed and delivered。
Caffeteria 。 。 。 12 to 2
What annoyed the young manager most was the uncertainty and irregularity
involved in her work； the facts varying considerably from her
calculations。
In the house all ran smoothly。 Solemn Mrs。 Thorvald did the laundry
work for thirty…fiveby the aid of her husband and a big mangle for the
〃flat work。〃 The girls' washing was limited。 〃You have to be
reasonable about it；〃 Diantha had explained to them。 〃Your fifty cents
covers a dozen piecesno more。 If you want more you have to pay more；
just as your employers do for your extra time。〃
This last often happened。 No one on the face of it could ask more than
ten hours of the swift； steady work given by the girls at but a fraction
over 14 cents an hour。 Yet many times the housekeeper was anxious for
more labor on special days； and the girls； unaccustomed to the three
free hours in the afternoon； were quite willing to furnish it； thus
adding somewhat to their cash returns。
They had a dres