The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1913-10-20
Miss Goodingz
By REGINALD ATWOOD

tied great many millions. which had
been accommodating through successive
ancestors FOR Il century, My idea OF
her was that she WAS an elderly lady
with benevolent face and two little
gray curls on each eide of her fore
head Why | formed this idea | don't
know. think we involuntarily form
a mental picture of every person we
hear about but when we see the orig.
inal it is very different.
When | was thirty Years old | be-
came the financial man for the
wealthy John Dobson. One day he
called me into his private office ard
told me that he was Interested in
hospital and wished to get Miss Good
port. He directed me to 80 TO her
with proposition that he would give
100000 toward its endowment If she
would give an equal amount:
called ON Miss Gooding on an after
noon and was ushered into room
containing large desk and a cabinet
for papers. At tue desk sat a lady
who very nearly correspondent with
the mental picture / had formed of
Miss Gooding. including the two curls
on each temple. She motioned to a
chair beside the desk. and, seating
myself, began the work which Mt.
Dobson had assigned me- | was COM
ing to the climax OF my talk when
maid said the lady was wanted.
Excusing herself to me. she went
out. and | waited for her return. Some
twenty minutes elasped when a young
woman entered. bowed to me pleasant
iy and, seating herself at the desk,
said:
II am sorry TO put you to the trou-
BILE of stating your business again, aud
this time to me. but assure you 1t Is
unavoidable"
will 1t be the same as IL state 1t
to Miss Gooding?" asked, somewhat
dissatisfied ut not addressing the phi
| lanthropist herself
Exactly" she said.
began all over again, stating GER
tain reasons why the hospital needed
the endowment and why Mr.. Dobson
couldn't very well give the whole
amount himself and ending with his
proposition. The lady listened to me
attentyely till | had finished. then
said:
Permit one to compliment you on
your facility for stating business
4 proposition. II you are as valuable in
an executive sense you must be very
valuable to your employer"
thanked her for her compliment
and she proceeded
"Of course one doesn't give away 81
large an amount without Investigation
| but you have made the matter so cieaI
to me that 1 scarcely see anything tc
investigate. You may therefore say
to Mr.. Dobson his proposition is &C
cepted."
Have you authority to speak fol
Miss Gooding?' | asked,
II have
Delighted with my success, return
ed to my employer, who was surprised
that had received an affirmative an
swer SO soon. But he was leaving FOL
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 |.
very DESTROYS of securing the services
of man to take charge of her finances
and wants you 1t is rather annoying
for me to give you up after having go
you SO we'll broken in. but she has
placed me under obligations In giving
me so large IL donation for the Dobsoi
hospital, and dom see how cGn hell
myself. The matter. therefore, rest!
with you. Miss Gooding will give 70,
the same salary as you are paid here
After some consideration | decided t.
accept the transfer confess tina
preferment did not influence me. NJ.
acceptance was based upon desire t.
be near the young lady who had listen
ed to me the day before. reasoned
Gooding In her business affairs ant
recognized the need of having maj
rather than !; woman for the work
She had been pleased with what sh,
had called my clear beadedness' ant
had advised Miss Gooding to secur'
my services If possible
i ] called on my new employer, wh'
said to me: You are to take my place
and am glad of 1t The work Is alto
gether too much for me-
| You mean am to be your assist
anti"
i Not at al You are to be Miss Good
ing's financial manager"
Miss Gooding'sy'
Yes; Miss Gooding was much pleas
ed with your statement Of the cas-
yon presented yesterday aud after talk
ing the matter over with me coucludet
to put you in my place ! have loni
been trying TO induce her to relieve mi
of duties that are too onerous for me
was greatly astonlshed to learn tina
the Young lady was Miss Gooding ant
the older one was her assistant ! wa
much pleased nj the prospect of enter
ing the service OF one | admired from
the moment first saw her becam
r. +