“It was once my pleasure to accompany him and some members of his family to Florida. His son George and a young companion were of the party. When we arrived at Palatka, Fla., Mr. Gould found that a suite of apartments had been reserved in Orvis’ hotel for each member of the party.
“This was not unusual on the trip, but it happened that at Palatka there were many tourists arriving by the same train who were unable to obtain accommodations in consequence of the allotment of rooms to the Gould party. Mr. Gould took in the situation at once. ‘See here,’ said he to the proprietor, ‘why do you give me all these rooms? Others need accommodation as well as I.’ ‘But,’ said the man, I——’ ‘That’s all right,’ replied Mr. Gould, ‘I know all about that. These people need rooms and should have them, and if there are not enough here for the ladies just send those boys of mine over to the barn.’
“George Gould and his companion,” said the man in conclusion, “slept that night in an outbuilding, scarcely a barn, but little better.”
“Mr. Gould,” said President Norvin Green, of the Western Union Telegraph Company, “was a man who, while he governed a corporation carefully, was always ready to reward merit and the faithful performance of duty. I remember at one of our annual meetings one of our department men, in making his report, appended thereto a request that his salary be raised. He asked for a large increase—fifty per cent. I think, from $2,400 to $3,600 a year. The Committee on Expenses was not inclined to grant the request. They were willing to give him a slight increase, but nothing like he asked.
“There was something peculiar about his work—I don’t recollect what now—but it led to a somewhat long debate. This was terminated by Mr. Sage, who said as he always did when in doubt: ‘Well, we will leave the matter to Mr. Gould.’ When Mr. Gould came in the matter was referred to him with the explanation of the debate and the points of difference. Mr. Gould took up the report and read it through. Then he read the request for an increase. When he had finished he turned and said: ‘Gentlemen, is there any of you who would like to do the work that man has done for $2,400 a year?’
“Every man shook his head. ‘Neither would I,’ remarked Mr. Gould. ‘If he can do all this work he is certainly entitled to this $3,600 he asks, and we get off cheaply at that in having a faithful, honest and most capable employe.’”
Among other stories told of Mr. Gould are the following:
Some years ago he was tendered the nomination of Rex, the king of the Mardi Gras carnival in New Orleans. He declined this, of course, and when asked jokingly by a friend why he had put ambition away, remarked dryly:
“Well, I don’t think the nomination was entirely disinterested or that I would have reigned supreme. I have always heard that there was ‘a power behind the throne,’ and in this case I am sure of it.”
With this he thrust his hand into his pocket and drew forth the letter notifying him of his selection to the high office. Enclosed in it was a bill for $1,000, the price of the honor. The functions of Rex that year were performed by a St. Louis brewer.