What Diantha Did by Charlotte Perkins Gilman

"Lovest thou me? " said the Fair Ladye; And the Lover he said, "Yea! " "Then climb this tree -- for my sake," said she, "And climb it every day! " So from dawn till dark he abrazed the bark And wore his clothes away; Till, "What has this tree to do with thee? " The Lover at last did say.

It was a poor dinner. Cold in the first place, because Isabel would wait to thoroughly wash her long artistic hands; and put on another dress. She hated the smell of cooking in her garments; hated it worse on her white fingers; and now to look at the graceful erect figure, the round throat with the silver necklace about it, the soft smooth hair, silver-filletted, the negative beauty of the dove-colored gown, specially designed for home evenings, one would never dream she had set the table so well -- and cooked the steak so abominably.