Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1911-08-03
1T Is very gooo OF vou .

1t IS very good or you u
sid the girl, smiling pleasantly in ap
probation. and I am more proud OF it
because everybody says you are such
a fine business man yourself"
= should like to do something real
ly worth while" said the girl after
little pause. I like people who do
something worth while"
SO do t. said the man, with obvi-
| Gus meaning.
Mr.. Gormly," she exclaimed I'M
petuously, why don't you do some
thing worth while?"
Gornly smiled. My dear young
lady" he answered really, he was
old enough to be her father, he
thought half sadly, as he noted his
form Of speech-'I have the largest
store in the world I have agents IN
every civilized country and many that
are uncivilized. l own and control
feet Of steamers. I have my private
WOODEN mills, and silk mills and fac
tories. l suppose there are ten thou
sand people in my employ. I can give
you a check for another million for
your settlement work as often as you
wish It,. and"
These are all very well, Mr.. CORN
" said the girl gravely. They spell
tremendous material success; they
show your ability and acumen; in the
eyes of the world they count for
great deal; indeed, I find lately that
they are counting more and more;
but they don't really amount to any
thing after all What is money, what
are power and influence? Ny father,
! for instance, was born with more than
he could possibly spend, more than he
knew what to do with, inherited from
thrifty ancestors who had the wit TO
buy land when it could be bought for
a song He has influence, power.
What does it amount to? l want him
! to do something, really to do some
thing in the world for the good OF
mankind I am preaching to you just
| as I preach to him"
do you look upon me as you would
a father?" asked Gormly quickly.
why. no, not exactly. Certainly
| not" answered the girl
Il am forty-four, you know"
No, l didn't know; but what if you
are? You are still a young man. My
father is f1fty-f1ve, and don't call him
! old
Wonderful consideration from TWEEN
! ty-two!" said Gormly smiling.
We'll" resumed the girl, 81 was
saying that you ought to do something
in life. You have made yourself. You
started with little or nothing, If I may
| believe the newspaper accounts of
| you"
Have you been reading them?"
Every word" answered the girl.
81 was quite proud of being able to
say to my friends that knew you and
what they said about you was true"
Never in his life had Gormly been
happier than at this frank, spontan-
/ eous expression of approval
You ought to put these great tai
ents of yours at the service Of your
! fellow men; not in buying and selling,
but in doing something for them," she
| ran On.
Don't you think that in selling
them honest goods at fair profit, in
! telling them the strict and only truth
about what you have to sell, in allow
| ing them the utmost freedom of re
turn and exchange, in providing gen
erously for employees, is doing serv-
| ice to your fellow men?"
Certainly, it is. 1t is doing service
a larger world perhaps than most Of
us can touch. But l want you to do
| something. I want every man and
every woman who has the ability to
do something, in a great, splendid
way"
I But what would you have me do?"
81 don't know" answered the girl.
81 don't know what 1 would have any
! body do; but there are so many things
| to be done, so many wrongs to be
righted so many things to be achieved.
| The great man goes out and makes
opportunities. Part Of his greatness,
I take 1t, consists in seeing what there
is to do. Ruskin says somewhere that
the greatest thing ANYBODY can do is
to see something. If l were a great
woman, I could answer your question
| better; but I am only"
81 think you are great woman"
said Gormly softly, ''and 1 would be
perfectly willing to take your answer
and abide by it.
II would not have it that way" an
swered the girl dreamily. when my
father asks me what would have him
do, I say to him, Go and see.' He
laughs at me; most people laugh at
me- You don't, Mr. Gormly"
CTO BE CONTINUED)