The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-06-28
EL0ISE.

Written for the indianapolis Journal.
The sentient feature of life is love. I write
from the standpoint of the sterner sex, and will
attempt to make picture of an episode.
A woman, young woman, to the ordinary
observer a good looking woman, to her familiars
a remarkable woman-dark of eye. bright of face,
lissome of figure
There is world of women who would fit the
doscripton-the physical description--the taking
features OF the woman indescribable here, i'm
possible in this stage of evolution. She drew
from previous phase, andmen were her will
ing slaves understanding not the inner faculty
that drew them to her, as the needle to letoile
du nord.
This bright little woman had had not peculiar
career as embraced in its strongest sense, but
yet an eventful, striking one, as she viewed it.
She was married at the age of seventeen to q
man whom she supposed she loved, and, SO far
as her experience went, she did love. But in the
fruition there was lack and after a stormy life
of two years. they separated she in the mean
time having borne all the joy and pain Of
maternity, and, as she supposed, buried her
heart, her possibility of future happiness, in the
coffin of her infant After the separation came
a time of trouble, barely separated from want; a
time when her poor uneducated efforts must be
put forth to earn livelihood, and maintain her
in her own estimation at least-in the place she
had always lived not in appearances, that
would be impossible, but in the eye of her self
esteem Right nobly did she meet the issue, and
as deserving effort wins the angels pity, her re-
lief came-in the guise of good friend, who,
&c r,,l1, oe IA Ia
pendent Then all within her life was light and
happiness, save the enshrouding remembrance of
baby face that was buried from her gaze for
ever.
Her new situation in the world attracted to her
many people, some good, some bad. Her stua-
ton was anomalous. The means from which
she derived her support were not made appar-
ent; the philanthropy of her helper excluded
the knowledge of the surrounding world, and
gib-tongued SANDER did not pass her by.
Hence, at twenty three years of age she was
in comfortable circumstances living alone as far
as society of her sex is concerned but rich in
the society of people of the opposite sex. which
her bright mind and brilliant beauty attracted.
OF these, four are worth considering-her bene.
factor, Ernest Milford William Burr and Law
renee Mayfeld. A personal description of the
nrSt is neeQleSS lie was DeyOnu ml0Olo age,
wealthy benevolent and unexacting The Sec
ond was forty, a Emphatic semi, blonde large
manufacturer, clever and handsome. The third
was not handsome nor brilliant good natured,
good hearted laundering fellow, whose only pos
tive greatness was his ability to gain and hold
friends of both sexes, who laughed at his cru
dities, condoned his bad breaks. and went to him
for sympathy and support when they were in
trouble, and always got one or the other or both
The fourth was a nondescr1pt, good looking and
debonnaire, brilliant in mind and weak in char
acter.
Have mentioned the name of the woman?
No! 1t was Eloise! These men were all in love
with her. but in different ways. Her benefactor
in placid, platonic way, that desired nothing in
conversation for his effort but the knowledge
that he was making the path easy for the bright
creature whom he admired milford and Burr
loved her in the aggressive way that men love a
woman whom they desire to marry. They were
or had been, fast friends, but the pursuit of an
object that each felt must be gained, estranged
them. Before this estrangement came, before
either of them knew they were in love, or before
she dreamed of such feeling in either of their
minds she met Mayfeld. The first impression
upon either of their minds was not striking
rather semiTepugnant. In spirit of pique
Eloise showed Mayfield that the impression was
not pleasure, by specially deferential mien to
milford, by the thousand tricks and graces of
the eye the hand and manner, that clever
woman can employ, but that no man can de-
scribe, to show a man that he is pleasing to her.
This resulted in double effect;
it aroused the slumbering regard in
the mind of Milford and excited feeling of
pique in Mayfeld Casting aside the air of in
difference that had piqued my lady, he assumed
one of Difference, of humility. of alteration,
mixed with a vivacious train of light, rafting
talk impersonal to all save her. Every element
that might touch her heart, her vanity, her ev-
cry feeling was dexterously played upon--his
own personality left out. much as the mimic
singer of old poured out his lay at the feet of his
mistress, who, to him, was as unattainabe as
the stars. AS a psychological experiment the
result was happy: as a material result it was the
reverse Eloise listened and liked it. The re-
vulsion was SO strong it bore everything before
it. And why was the material result unhappya
Because when Mayfield experimental he became
ensnared and fell headlong into love of the
woman She the same for him. Her genuine
preference for him she could not or did not care
To CONCEAL This deyelopad a feeling of resAnt-