“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 place we must separate your business,—see how much each one pays.”
“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 far in the Service Department, as follows:
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 thirty-seven............. $3,848
——-
Total............................. $9,000
“That covers everything but my board,” said Mrs. Bell.
“Now your income is easy—35 x $4.50 equals $8,190. Take that from your $9,000 and you are $810 behind.”
“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 bedrooms—and all necessary conveniences—for $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 cent. of that is a rent of $900 you see.”
“I see,” said her mother. “Better say a thousand. I guess it could be done for that.”
So they set down rent, $1,000.
“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.”