Businesswomen -- Fiction; Feminist fiction; Women -- Employment -- Fiction; Women household employees -- Fiction
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withdrawn from the crowd of excited women anxious to shake her hand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
on addressing her.
“Excuse me, gentlemen,” she said, “I am not acquainted with you.”
They eagerly produced their cards--and said they were “newspaper men.”
“I see,” said Diantha, “But you are still men? And gentlemen, I suppose?
I am a woman, and I do not wish to talk with you.”
“Miss Bell Declines to Be Interviewed,” wrote the reporters, and
spent themselves on her personal appearance, being favorably impressed
thereby.
But Miss Bell got off at the next corner and took a short cut to the
house where she had rented a room. Reporters were waiting there, two
being women.
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, brushed through them and went swiftly to her room, locking the
door after her.
The reporters described her appearance--unfavorably this time; and
they described the house--also unfavorably. They said that “A group of
adoring-eyed 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
hurried in her entrance--truth must be maintained.
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 her of the strong, lasting love that was waiting so
patiently.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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