Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1913-06-06

Miss G:ood:ing.
By REGINALD ATWOOD

By REGINALD ATWOOD
! had often heard Of the munifcence
Of Miss Gooding and how well beloved
she was BY the poor. She had inner
tied q great many millions. which had
been accumuiating through successive
ancestors for a century. My idea OF
her was that she vas an elderly lady
with q benevolent face and two little
gray curls. on each side OF her fore
head. Why l formed this idea I don't
know. think we sinvoluntarily form
9 mental picture Of every person we
hear about but when we see the orig
inal it is very different.
When l was thirty years cd I be-
came the financial man for the
wealthy John Dobson. One day he
called me. into his private Office and
told me that be was interested in a
hospital and wished to get Miss Good
ing to give something toward its sup
port. He directed me to 60 to her
with a proposition that be would give
$4,000 toward it's endowment If she
would give an equal amount
l called OF Miss Gooding on an after
noon and was ushered into a
containing a large desk and a cabinet
for papers. At the desk sat a lady
who very nearly corresponded. with
the mental picture l had formed of
Miss Gooding. including the two curls
on each temple. She motioned to q:
chair beside the desk, and, seating
myself, l began the work which Mr..
Dobson had assigned me. was com-
ing to the climax of my talk when
a maid said the lady was wanted:
Excusing herself to me, she. went
out, and l waited for her return. Some
twenty minutes elasped when a young
woman entered. bowed to me pleasant
u and, seating herself at the desk.
said: T '..
Il am sorry to put you to the trou-
Bile of stating your business again.. and
this time to me. but | assure you it Is
unavoidable"
will it be the same as if I state it
to Miss Gooding?" asked, somewhat
dissatisfied at not addressing the phi
ianthropist herself.
Exactly" she said. :
l began all over again, stating GER
tain reasons why the hospital needed
the endowment and why Mr.. Dobson
couldn't very we'll give the whole
amount himself and ending with his
proposition. The lady listened to me
attentively till l had finished, then
said:
Permit one to compliment you on
your facility for stating a business
proposition. Ii you are as valuable in
IN executive sense you must be very
valuable to your employer"
l thanked her for her compliment,
and she proceeded:
OF course one. doesn't give away so
large an amount without investigation.
but you have made the matter so clear
to me that | scarcely see anything to
investigate. You may therefore say
to Mr.. Dobson his proposition Is &C.
cepted."
Have you authority to speak for
Miss Goodiag" / asked.
IL have" @ .
Delighted with my success. l return
ed to my employer. who was surprised
that | had received an affirmative an
swer so soon. But be was leaving for
home at the time and neither made any
comment nor asked for any account of
the interview. ...'...
The next morning after opening his
mail he called for me and said:
Miss Gooding writes me that she Is
very DESTROYS of securing the services
Of a man to take charge Of her finances
and wants you. 1t is rather annoying
for me to give you up after having got
you so we'll broken in, but she has
placed me under obligations In giving
me SO large 4 donation for the D0bson
hospital, and l don't e bow I can help
myself. The matter, therefore. rests
with you. Miss Gooding will give you
the same salary az you are paid here."'
After some consideration / decided to
accept the transfer. l confess that
preferment did not influence me. My
acceptance was based upon a desire to
be near the young lady who had listen
ed to me the day before. reasoned
that she was obliged to assist Miss
Gooding In her business affairs and
recognized the need Of having a man
! rather than a woman for the work.
She had been pleased with what she
had called my ''clear headedness" and
had advised Miss Gooding to secure
my services if possible.
l called on my new employer. who
said to me: ''You are to take my place.
and l am glad Of it. The work is alto
gethcr too much for me-"
You mea ! an to be your assist
ant?' ,
mot at all. You are to be Miss Good
ing's financial manager"
Miss GoOding's?"
stVoS. Miss noa;n u,o rov,oh nlooo.