The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1913-04-01
Miss Gooding
By REGINALD ATWOOD

| had often heard of the munificence
Of Miss Gooding and how well beloved
she was by the poor. She had inner
tied a great many millions, which had
been accommodating through successive
ancestors for century, Ny idea OF
her was that she was an elderly lady
with a benevolent face and two little
gray curls on each side of her fore
head. Why formed this idea l don't
know. | think We Involuntary form
a mental picture Of every person we
hear about but when we see the orig
inal 1t is very different.
When | was thirty years old l be-
came the financial man for the
wealthy John Dobson. One day he
called me into his private office and
told me that he was interested In a
hospital and wished to get Miss Good
ing to give something toward Its sup
port. He directed me to go to her
with proposition that he would give
| 500, 900 toward Its endowment IL she
would give an equal amount.
| | called on Miss Goodlng on an after
noon and was usbered into room
containing large desk and cabinet
| for papers. At the desk sat lady
who very nearly correspondent with
the mental picture l 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 Mr..
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 young
woman entered, bowed to me pleasant
ly and, seating herself at the desk.
said:
II am sorry to put you to the trou-
BILE of stating your business again, and
this time to me. but assure you 1t is
unavoidable"
"Will 1t be the same as IL I state 1t
to Miss Gooding?" | asked, somewhat
dissatisfied at not addressing the phil
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
attentiyaly till | had finished. then
said:
Permit one TO compliment you on
your facility for stating a business
proposition IL 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 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 ae-
copied"
Have you authority to speak for
Miss Gooding?" | asked.
Il 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 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 mp after having got
you so well broken In, but she has
placed me under obligations In giving
me so large a donation for the Dobson
hospital, and don't see how / can help
myself. The matter. therefore, rests
with you. Miss Gooding will give you
the same salary as you are paid here"
After some consideration decided to
accept the transfer, confess that
preferment did not influence me. My
acceptance was based upon 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 man
rather than woman for the work.
She had been pleased with what she
had called my ''clear medicines" and
had advised Miss Gooding to secure
my services II possible.
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
gether too much for me-"
"You mean am to be your assist
anti"
"Not at all. You are to be Miss Good
lng's financial manager"
Miss Gooding'sT'
"Yes: Miss Gooding was much pleas
cd with your statement of the case
you presented yesterday and after talk
ing the matter over with me concluded
TO put You In my place. ! have long
been trying to induce her to relieve me
Of duties that are too onerous for me-
l was greatly astonlshed to learn that
the young lady was Miss Gooding and |
the older one was her assistant. | was
much pleased Mt the prospect Of enter
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