Who is Eliza Fox from Drowning Ruth and what is their importance?

Eliza Fox is Amanda Starkey's roommate in a Milwaukee boarding house full of unmarried nurses, Eliza has to pull Amanda out of bed when she dreams that she has lost both legs. While Amanda is dealing with being stood up by Clement J. Owens, Eliza is rereading Jennie Gerhardt, a novel that shares some themes with Drowning Ruth.