Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1880-12-31
GEORGE ELIo1s LOVE.
Though Occupying the Position of a Wife,
She was Not Married to MIR. Lewes.
New York Tribune,

Though Occupying the Position of a Wife.
She was Not Married to MIR. Lewes.
New York Tribune.
The life of George Eliot was itself
romance. Shrinking, it is said, from
notoriety, her private career has been as
much discussed as that of any woman in
England. Information concerning her
was not always accurate, and what the
curious public could not determine in
any other way it conjectured. Her tor
tune was strangely linked with that of q
brilliant man Of letters, with whom she
lived as q wife for many years, and to
whom she was, Notwithstanding rumors
to the contrary, never married. When
"Adam Bede" was published it attracted
the attention of Mr.. George Henry
Lewes, who pronounced it to be work
of extraordinary genius. Thinking thus,
he eagerly sought the personal acquain-
tance of the author, especially as he was
told that she was woman OF well marked
and peculiar,but attractive character.
Failing in any other way to obtain an
introduction, he took the step of writing
to her and Of offering her any literary
assistance in his power. Her letter
of thanks was followed by cor
respondence, and the letter of Mr.. Lewes,
overcoming the reserve OF George Eliot,
she at last consented to an interview. Mr..
Lewes was in peculiar position: He
was legally married. His wife a hand
years before eloped with lover. Under
this offence, and had received her again
her crime which, when afterward she
eloped again, prevented him from OBJ
tanning divorce from the bond OF
matrimony. He could not marry while
his wife lived. Under these circumstan
ces, the parties, after some consultation
of friends, determined to dispense will
the usual formalities of the church, ant
to Join their fortunes under no othe
sanction than that of their common love
The novelist was always called after tht
union Mrs. Lewes. When the real unio1
would be entered into, and there were
rumors that it had been. These, however
were dissipated when George Eliot, a.
the executrix of Mr.. Lewes, declared
herself "spinster," and affixed to he
afiidavits the name of "Marian Evans.
The peculiarly of her social position j
said to have increased her disinclinatio
! to mlngle in general society. Her seclu
= sion remained as persistent as evel
r though she received few of her owl
3 and her husbands friends.
Mr.. Lewes died Nov. 80, 1878, and Ii
!, May last Marian Evans, to the surprise
not to say the astonishment, of every ono
was married by that name to Mr.. job
! l Walton Cross, a merchant in the city q
London, He was many years younge
than herself, and this is about all that j
!, known of him.
Nor is much personally known OF Gee
3 Eliot. She was always a hard worke
sometimes spending ten or twelve hou.
, of the day over her manuscripts, an
; toiling on an average some thirty c
! ! forty hours week. She did not care t
! make much of a figure in conversation
9 and it has been said that nobody woul
: suppose from her talk that she had eve
: written line. In person she was yer
> plain; in manners she was not partit
> ularly elegant. Mr. Lewes himself di
not care much for general society, an
!, this feeling doubtless strengthened tbs
of the woman who was morally if nc
legally his wife. Neither wished to /
lions, and each found in the other
;; society sufficient happiness.