The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1873-07-12

b4T dld mean to marry him. said
Then why didn't you?" asked Mrs.
John Collins,
Il really Couldn't don't know why
j hoped l could till the last mOment.n
A woman Of your age ought to know
neI own mind better than that" rotor
ted Mrs. John severely.
Eleanor was nov, twenty-five years of
age" almost an old maid," Mrs. John
SAID to Mrs. Edward Collins, when
Judge Carter fell in love with her.
'This is the very best chance Eleanor
has ever had," said Mrs. John to her
husband, in the quiet of their room.
Somehow these old girls often do re-
markably well.n
shouldn't think of calling Eleanor
an old girl" said her brother.
>. Ihat,s because you have always
lived with her, and don't realize her
age. She is an old girl-she's 25 if she's
q day-and I'm sure she's very lucky.
There's Judge Carter, a malf of the
highest position, of firstrate family,
just elected Senator, and very well off,
dead in love with her. But I don't be-
lieve she has an idea of it. Tve not
dared to joke her, even, for I fear she'd
turn the cold shoulder to him. She's
the Queerest girl ever saw in my life.
| wonder if she will take him."
"Take him! Of course she WILL said
brother John, scOrnfully, "that is, if
she can get him. only hope you're
right in thinking he wants to marry herm
wish [ was assure she would accept
him, as | am sure he will ask her tO,n
replied Mrs. John.
" Accept him! she'll jump at the
chance" said her husband.
| am not sure of that" retOrted Mrs.
John.
And Mrs, John was right. The Sena-
tor elect did propose to Eleanor, who
quietly rejected him as she had so MANY
others. Both John and his wife were
wrOth at this.
".What do you expect in man."
cried Mrs. Collins.
@ expect him to make me love him,
that's all"
" And why can't you love Judge
"Tm sure l can't tell why"
"Then l cam" retOrted her sister-in
law. at all comes from your read
ing poetry and novels. You are ex-
pecting to love as people do in books.
Let me tell you that nobody does that
in real life. In the first place, the men
who are so noble and heroic in books,
are not to be found outside Of them !;
and in the second, if they were I am not
SO sure that the women could be found
to love them as the ideal ones do. But
whether they could or would love in
this tremendous way isn't the question.
The only romantic love match I ever
knew was runaway one, and it turned
out miserably. Before a year they
hated each other as heartily as they had
loved each other at first. You are q
sensible girl. Look around you, among
our acquaintanceS, and tell me where
do you see two persons who are in love
as they are in books. AS far as myself
am concerned, I loved John we'll enough
when married him but had none of
those wild ecstacies, or any idea that |
couldn't live without him, and all that
sort of nonsense. But we get along
we'll together; we are fond of each
other, and then we have our children y
Her voice sOftened as she spoke.
" Eleanor she continued, "there is no
truth in the talk in books about the
way women love men; but there never
has been, nor there ever can be, put
into words, the emotion that a mother
feels for her baby. Eleanor, they needn't
ask anything more. tell you, my dear,
marriage is very disappointing g to some
women. I sometimes think children
are the only things that make matrimO-
ny tOlerable. But O, what happiness
the children do bring to a woman
Eleanor, every woman ought to have a
home of her own, and children of her
own.
"But, Mary, l cannot think that is
the true ideal of marriage, in which the
children have the first place in % moth
er's heart, and the husband the second
GAS to the ideal state have nothing
to say. / only speak Of the real one,
and nine-tenths of the women do love
their children best, if they would tell
the truth about it. I never spoke SO
candidly before, but you have roman
tic, impracticable notion of love and
marriage. I tell you the truth because
am fond Of you; and can't bear to see
you throw away such a chance for
happiness as so good man as Judge
Carter offers you, and all for q mistaken
idea"
Eleanor was silent.
do you ever mean to marry? What
do you mean to dOW persisted Mrs.
John.
"What I'd like to do, I'll tell you,
Lys
like to earn my own living"
"And how could you do it?"
81 sometimes think I could by lee
turing. You know they tell the story of
Harriet Hosmer, that the first time she
ever saw a sculptor modelling she said
she felt in her fingers that she, too,
could do it. So, when I sit in church
and hear dear Parson Moody prose and
prose, / feel in my tongue that I could
do it-on1y better"
"Good heavensw was Mrs. Johns
startled ejaculation.
"Don't be alarmed, Molly, I have nc
idea of attempting this, but seriously,
do think | might earn good living by
dress-making and millinery. I do a
good deal of the last gratis, you know,
and my hats are the prettiest in church,
I look around Sundays, wicked as it is
and see how stylish mine are, I fairly
long to get hold of the ugly ones and re-
model them. Why shouldn't I open a
shop and make and trim hats and bon
nets for money q
"Eleanor Collins, you are joking
The idea of Judge Collins daughter
and Johns sister turning milliner! You
could really never do such thingw
No, I suppose / shouldn't have moral
courage enough to do it" said Eleanor
wearily. There is only one thing for
me to do, and that is-~to marry. Per
haps | ought to. You and John are
very kind to me, but, of course, l can't
be a burden upon you forever" Here
her voice trembled, in spite Of he1
efforts to steady it.
"That is really unkind, Eleanor" said
Molly. "When did John or ever give
YOU the least hint of your heing a bur.
den to us2 No, indeed, you're a help.
I shouldn't know how to do without
YOU, and you are like second mother
to the children. 1t is only for your