what diantha did-第5部分

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twenty…one。〃

〃I　haven't　objectedso　far；〃　replied　her　father。　　〃Have　your　plans　also
allowed　for　the　affection　and　duty　you　owe　your　parents？〃

〃I　have　done　my　dutyas　well　as　I　know　how；〃　she　answered。　　〃Now　I　am
twenty…one；　and　self…supportingand　have　a　right　to　go。〃

〃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　investment　these　days。〃

Diantha　flushed。　　she　had　expected　this；　and　yet　it　struck　her　like　a
blow。　　It　was　not　the　first　time　she　had　heard　itthis　claim　of　filial
obligation。

〃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　handed　him　a　paper　covered　with　neat　figures。　　The　totals　read
as　follows：

Miss　Diantha　Bell；
To　Mr。　Henderson　R。　Bell；　Dr。

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　children；　but
of　which　she　magnanimously　shouldered　the　whole　expense。

The　clothing　total　was　so　large　that　it　made　him　whistlehe　knew　he　had
never　spent　1；130。00　on　one　girl's　clothes。　　But　the　items　explained
it。

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
…
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


CHAPTER　III。

BREAKERS


Duck！　Dive！　Here　comes　another　one！
Wait　till　the　crest…ruffles　show！
Beyond　is　smooth　water　in　beauty　and　wonder
Shut　your　mouth！　　Hold　your　breath！　　Dip　your　head　under！
Dive　through　the　weight　and　the　wash；　and　the　thunder
Look　out　for　the　undertow！


If　Diantha　imagined　that　her　arithmetical　victory　over　a　too…sordid
presentation　of　the　parental　claim　was　a　final　one；　she　soon　found
herself　mistaken。

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
achievements。

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。　　Well…aired　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　n