The one door was lettered "President" and the other
"Secretary."
One of the stockholders cornered me and demanded a full and explicit
statement of conditions. I gave him the facts and frankly confessed that
the prospect was not alluring. He bade me goodbye with a long face and
went directly across the hall into the office of the president. In a
brief while, he returned, his face wreathed in smiles, and quietly said
'that the president's office was "Heaven" and my office was "Hell"; that
I was a "gloomy Gus" anyway, but I couldn't help it and he pitied me,
but as for the president, he was the right man in the right place, and
he knew our exact position.' I did not make any reply. The optimism of
the president was a very great asset and in those days optimism and hope
were at a premium.
Turning of the Tide
Finally the tide turned. Several months had elapsed, however, before it
became generally known and admitted and the insurance world had hammered
into it the conviction that the California was truly "Californian." At
this time our field men were again in the saddle and the agency of the
California was not only readily accepted whenever offered, but eagerly
pleaded for by connections which materially contributed to subsequent
success.
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