New-York tribune., 1907-09-24
RyJSY LIFE OF HISS GOULD.
Recollections of Former Secretary
of the PkiIanthropist.

ReCOllectlOnS
tary" printed In the current Cosmopolitan. is
likely 10 have good many interested readers since
subject Of the "reminiscences Is that much talked
OF and little known woman, Helen Miller LIQUID
AS TO Miss Goulds outward self. this article gives
n.tle idea Il was asked by interested friends the
writer Ruth Fuller Field says after describing her
first interview with her future employer, about
Ely inlpressions-about her dress, her halr ana
other details so important to the average woman
There only two impressions LEFT IN my
rnemorv-her eyes, so wonderful in their kindness
sn6 vet SO keen and the luminous depths
Of solitaire pearl ring she wore The gray of heT
ewes and the same color in the ring harInonlzeo
perfectly il their appearance Of cold ana reserved
n is Wit, the woman herself that this article
deals and very truly, one feels reads it A
serious quiet. almost shy woman. very capable.
very conscientious -,
sof giving her mind two things at once. each re
cerinr absolute attention. She is quick in her de-
cisions and definite in her answers In submitting
letters 10 the Of greatest Importance Were
touched upon first. she was liable TO close me
Interview very abruptly do not IeenneF rft ,s9 esel
having tine enough 70 finish all the important mat
ters at one sitting Affairs kept Miss Gould rushed
from morning till night and she was the last per.
son in the world whe seemed 10 have the shghtest
claim TO one quiet hour Of her time
Peopie who write personal on their letteTs oL
aEpesi to Miss Gould. and fondly imagine that
.fts mark secures her individual attenuoH' are
very much mistaken says Miss Field
They do not realize that at the time their let
tiers received three hundred oT more sLlli,@ i
ones come into the house" Some letters are I'M
rnediateiy torn up The ones that begin MY dear
Mr Carnegie my dear Mr. Nandernilt meet
that fate Miss Gould probably feeling that people
who mix their begging letters like that deserve
little consideration.
some letters are marked by the secretary who
reads them with a sign meaning Not worthy Of
q ,eply'-such, for instance. requests for a
million dollars set OF false teeth some are
marked TO be answered by engraved form OF
refusal--alss Gould feels that she cannot respond
10 vour request at this time etc Not in
frequently this form comes back 10 Miss Gould
after a year two, tnclosed in a second appeal
saving that the writer is that Miss Gould is
willing .fby this time TO fulfil the promise made
tn the letter inciosed herewith" The letters re-
ouessing charity mostly put In the hands of a
stenoerapher TO be answered but the large num-
bers OF business letters from the heads Of the
various charities in which Miss Gould IS inter
her personal attention. The file of them
IS always ready for her-a secretary having read
them and iotted down the chief points on the
enrelopes-and whenever she has bit OF leisure
she goes through some the leisure being when
she IS IN the hands Of her hairdresser or her
manicure when she is eating a hurried luncheon
from a tray in her
Many letters come from 'cranks'-some savoring
SO seriously OF hlacknail that they placed in
the hands a lawyer. Letters from cranIs sell
dom get beyond the secretaries unless they happen
to be funny enough TO give to Miss Gould, who is
too serious and almost overburdened with her re-
sponsibilities." l." chance for good laugh
Wedding rings-which frequently come to Miss
Gould along with the offers of marriage she
ceives-are always returned by registered letter,
for sometimes they have cost as much as 10 cents
more. and IL they were not returned Miss
Could might be accused Of keeping ring without
<r.l6lling her obligations Gifts with strings at
tached returned. but those which are genuine
expressions OF appreciation Of her work are kept
Special pleasure does Miss Gould take in her cab
ine. OF souvenirs from soldiers and sailors and so
wonderful is her memory" says Miss Field. that
.he history OF each gift is fresh in her mind"
Society as il is known to-day does not interest
Mss Gould The least. except to oeplore Its shall
losness" says the writer Her social secretary
keeps her long visiting list IN order ano up 10 GATE
end during the season hands her each day the at
home" cards for that day and cards are sent to the
ynany upon whom IL IS not possible for her to call
che cafc and
her mothers friends. whom she sees oftenest ano
with whom she happiest- She is shy about meet
ing people. and always prefers 20 slip OUT quietly
after paving her respects TO the hostess
But Miss Gould in society" and MISS Goulo
making good times at Izyndhurst. ner Tarrytown
home. for small boys and girls VINO otnerWlse
might have many good times. perhaps. are two
Very different persons Her summers are lived
for cfaldren'' says Miss Field The Gould ken
rels home of the famous prizewinning ST. Ber-
nards converted into modern cooking school.
where sirls-and boys. too-iearn 10 prepare simple
dainty dishes. Then there is the sewing school,
ending in the autumn with glorious big lawn
party. which Miss Gould goes from one group
TO another. her face merry as those of the
chii5ren' For the boys there is the clubhouse
Miss Gould built near Isyndhurst. where they have
great pride in asking her guests 10 be seated in
certain comfortable Morris chair made by my
nttle boys Of Lyndhurst Club
Once ~-roup Of one hundred children from the
Home for the Friendless coming TO Lynd-
hurst a nutting excursion The day before
they were 70 come Miss Gould made a sad dis
covery; had gathered all the chestnuts
from under the trees. Posthaste she sent to New
York for several bushels of nuts. which scat
tered broadcast under the trees. 1t is pretty
story and one which gives a better notion of her
cigaracter, perhaps. than many an act which made
more noise in the world
In spite of the great care exercised by Miss
cc1io ano ner helpers In responding to appeals
so- help she is sometimes fooled-rnore often al
mort so once there came appeal ostensibly
from woman on the East Side In New Ynrk
She was about TO become a mother. her husband
had 30 work TO money Would Miss Gould send
her a ie~ simple garments for TIE little one that
was corning Miss Could instructed her secretary
20 purchase outfit and take IL 10 the address
gwen Inc secretary. being very busy. sent q