Page:Life of Isaiah V Williamson.djvu/118

100 also, more than those who were not in hourly contact with him, his increasing feebleness, the secretary's fear was that it might be put off, until it was too late, and for a year or more, so far as he felt at liberty to do so, he had been urging the aged philanthropist to immediate action of some sort. One day, scarcely half a year before his death, Williamson returned to the office enfeebled after a slight illness, and brought up the subject again, asking his secretary:

"Who do you think would be a good man to take up his matter?"

Mr. Helmbold's relief can be imagined. As he expressed it: "I jumped at anybody." Various names were mentioned, showing how definitely that Williamson had been thinking. But the imperative thing was to get the project going at once.

From that time it was pushed forward with all speed. Within a few weeks the trustees were selected and their consent to serve gained; the two millions of securities were picked out; and the foundation deed was drawn up in all its minute details. This paper, however, bears no marks of haste. Any