The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-10-27

her environment Considering the III
portant factor she had always been In
WoOdale Society. this might SEEM 10 the
mere superficial prober OF Enen's sex IN
gratitude, for she was frequently referred
10. even in the Blade. a local sheet OF the
vellowish variety. as zone of the social and
Intellectual forces of our city FOR was
she not President OF the most exclusive
Literary Club. also Of the Art Association
and OF the Ladies Improvement Society IN
her Church? Was she not Secretary OF the
Suffrage Association. treasurer OF the Mu-
steal Club. chairman of the executive COM
mittee Of the Society for the Study OF An
cient Bores and Modern Humbugs, and OF
the garbage committee OF the local Council?
Did she not hold high official place in the
local chapter OF the ID. A. r. and was she
not a member of the Hospital Board, Man
ager Of the Associated Charities, organizer
of the Child Study Club and the originator
OF the local Free Kindergarten system? Was
she. too, not a conservative investigator or
the Club for the Study Of Psychic Phe-
nomena. and a prominent member of ten
other Clubs before which she read profound
papers illustrated with the stereopticon?
And yet Ellen Wriggleton in the privacy OF
her own virgin chamber at the close or
each succeeding well-hned day sighed
yearning and unsatisfed sigh. And, alas.
that it should be So it was sigh for
masculine tribute to her femininity-
A certain sardonic philosopher has said
"Consider how kindly and heartily girl
who is passably pretty will welcome one
who is downright ugly. And this
is why among women the ugly are always
popular and in request. 1t is likely to be
hot extreme
" good-natured, because everyone wants
TO find q pretext for caring for them-a pre-
text which will blind both himself and other
people TO the real reason why he likes
them" And perhaps this may account for
the extreme activity and popularity OF FL
len Wriggleton. Be that as it may, she
was now lowering in that shadowy period
after thirty-fve still unplucked from the
parental bough and no eager picker under
the tree Ellen had never been quite able
10 understand why more men had not sue
cumbed to her subtle charm. While she
recognized the fact that she was not what
might be termed pretty" still she thought
herself interesting in appearance, which
she regarded as far more distinguished
and much more to be desired than mere
facial attraction, and besides, she had her
undeniable good points-fne teeth, guam
tity of hair, good eyelashes. a not unengag-
ing dimple in her right cheek, and she
knew herself to be possessed of an infinite
variety of coquetry-corked down. sup
pressed sealed, but cady to effervesce up
on the slightest provOcatiOn. She felt that
under a different star she could so easily
and automatically have managed those
men whom she was positive were drawn
irresistibly to her by the charm of her
magnetic personality, and yet only APP
preached her to discuss the distressing
condition of local politics or the mooted
points on the last new novel. oh, how well
she knew this to be the veriest subterfuge.
A man was after all, she said to herself,
but a simple creature. Did she not under
stand him? And If she had only not been
handicapped by her reputation as a blue
stocking and a reformer-ah, well-a-day.
And here IL was that she invariably leaned
forward and smiled at herself in her own
dressing table mirror and decided she'd
have her picture taken in her blue evening
gown, with her red-lined opera cape thrown
carelessly about her shoulders, her head
etched against its high collar and rose
plucked from her last summers hat droop-
Ing artistically from her pompadour.
1t was about this time that Woodale took
the Sociological craze in its most virulent
form. The mistresses of her most ex-
elusive mansions plastered their kitchens
with Perry Prints of Burne Jones and
Corot investigated their cooks pedigrees
and talked in subdued whispers of cancer,
plumbing, consumption and insanity. A
committee from the Local Council went to
the Richest Man in Town and requested
him at once TO tear down all his houses
and erect new ones with porcelain bath
tubs. electric lights and palms in the front
parior windows, and when he asked them
what for" they said il was for the good
OF Society. What's Sociology" said the
Richest Man TO his friend, the Editor of the
Blade. Damn If 1 know" said the latter,
who was popularity, if somewhat vaguely,
known as a free lance" and nothing so
delighted his soul as 10 mock at the modern
cult. So when the Local Council brought a
very young and, it must be added, very
handsome. University Professor to Woodale
to give a series of lectures on Sociology.
the Blade broke out somewhat as follows:
The course of lectures 'on sociology to
which certain portion OF the Woodale
Public has been treated for a considera ton
seems more or less anomalous and futile.
Dark-chamber discussions as TO the condi-
ton of the working classes in this City
have revealed the fact that the most solid
element Of the town is made up OF such.
They own their own homes. have bank &C
counts, pay taxes. support the Churches,
vote the straight party ticket, read the
newspapers and magazines, have opinions
about Kiplins. David Harum Tolstoi Elk
pansion, Art, Trusts and the Beers. They
read club papers, admire sunsets and know
good form when they see it without a
tag, being deeply versed in the amenities
by a faithful perusal OF their Ladies' Own
Home Woodale has had Hull House
crammed down it's throat and William
Morris Haunted in its face until il is weary
20 nauseation. 1t has had the edifying
spectacle of youthful and arrogant College
Professors instructins ii in the Art of I.fv-
ing-railing at class distinctions and our
shoddy American aristOcracy one moment.
the next advising us 10 invest in old dining
room tables and coats of arms. Truly these
sociological University Professors exploit
ing themselves before adoring provincial
audiences are one OF the wonders of this
advanced Age" The Blade also insinuated
that IL was not so deep an interest in the
submerged tenth that made these lectures
so popular and standing room at a premi-
UNI, but a deeper interest in the lecturer
and openly declared all tn, women were in
love with him.