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Five years averaging 30 each year 。 。 。 50。00
Five years averaging 50 each year 。 。 。 250。00
…
530。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 attached to that unfailing source of family comfort and advantage。
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； the 〃Say； Father； I've got to have a new slatemine's broke！〃
〃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 red…edged 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 house…rent in the country； and food raised on the farm。
Yes； he guessed that was a full rate for the plain food and bare little
bedroom they always had。
〃It's what Aunt Esther paid the winter she was here；〃 said Diantha。
Circusesthree 。 。 。 1。50
Share in melodeon 。 。 。 50。00
Yes； she was one of five to use and enjoy it。
Music lessons 。 。 。 30。00
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。
〃This board account looks kind of funny；〃 he said〃only fourteen years
of it！〃
〃I didn't take table…boardnor 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 to raise a girl。〃
〃I know it；〃 said she。 〃But here's the other side。〃
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 while he read； explaining hurriedly：
〃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 have to pay here； you
know。〃
Thus it mounted up：
Mr。 Henderson R。 Bell；
To Miss Diantha Bell； Dr。
For labor and services
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 。 。 。 1423。50
2048。50
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 school…teaching years。 She had always been a fine scholar
and he had felt very proud of his girl when she got a good school
position in her eighteenth year。
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 balance made just
900。 That left 2；100。00。
〃Twenty…one hundred dollars unaccounted for； young lady！besides this
nest egg in the bankI'd no idea you were so wealthy。 What have you
done with all that？〃
〃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 items； and they covered
that 1；164。00 exactly。
Then came the deadly balance； of the account between them：
Her labor 。 。 。 2；047。00
Her board 。 。 。 936。00
Her 〃cash advanced〃 。 。 。 1；164。00
…
4；147。00
His expense for her 。 。 。 3；600
…
Due her from him 。 。 。 547。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。
Mr。 Bell pushed the papers away and started to his feet。
〃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 wonder you haven't charged your mother for nursing her？〃
〃You notice I haven't；〃 said Diantha coldly。
〃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 this sort。
WHAT DIANTHA DID
CH