Morning appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1877-1906, 1881-03-13
MOLLY MCGINNIYS PIANO.
IT'S SHAMELESS LIFE AND DESERVED
END-A MINING CAMP INCIDENT
OF EARLY DAYS.

tiCeS Vic uclllISc Ol al Olu "OuldH udHlet
Molly McGinnis, near knights landing
She had for some two years been q
miserable end. 7. S. Mcguire, of this
city, knew Mrs. McGinnis when she
kept hotel at Phoebe, and furnishes
the APPEAL reporter with a curious
"Reminiscences of her:
M'GINNIs IN HER PRIME.
At Phoebe she was in her prime. and had
a captivating air which caused many a
man to pass sleepIess nights and weary
days. She held supreme sway in the
camp, and, although she was really a
coarse and vulgar woman, her eyes were
| black and her figure symmetrical, by Iee,-
son of which any deficiencies in culture
or breeding, were not materially con-
sidered.
| HER MUSICAL ACQUIREM ENTS.
III her little parIor was piano, in
which she took great pride. It was ali
ancient and deiapi,ated affair. excrutiat-
ingly out Of tune, and had been used to
disrepUtabe associates from its earliest
existence. It had beer the medium Of
accompaniment for Thousand ribald
songs, in various haunts Of vice and
Shame, for years, until it reached such
q tuneiess and unmelOdi0us condition
that people seldom ventured to tests It's
incapacities, unless to drunk 10 realize
the sum total OF its discerls. After
this instrument had hoated up and
down the camp for some six years, it
was purchased for mere song by fIrs.
McGinris, who scrubbed it, scraped it,
mended it, and put it in her back par
Tor.
THE SONG OF THE SYREN.
Here she was wont to sing and play.
The McGinnis repetorie was not extern
5ive NThe Angels Whisper and the
nBaby's Lullaby" constituted the lead |
ing attractions, and occasionally she |
ventured upon snatches Of comic vocal |
ism. The miner, however, who could
sit for an hour Or two in the evening,
and listen to the McGinniS concert, con-
sidered himself favored above his kind.
she only played by ear, She
always insisted Oh the music being
spread upon the rack, and the man at
her side turned the sheets industriOusly.
+ Mr.. Mcguire describes these scenes
with considerable tenderness, having
frequently turned the leaves himself.
REP.
THE RAPACIOUs RATTLE.
On New Years night the McGinnis
got up rattle on the piano. Of course
every body took a chance, and the tick
cts went off rapidly at $40. The Ne
Ginnis reserved one for herself, sjust
for luck" and when the numbers were
drawn an astonishing coincidence was
noted. The ticket she had reserved '
was the lucky number. C0ngratlila
tons and drinks ali round. Net pro-
ceed5 Of the rattle, 1850; value OF
piano, $50, Ia about Il month, E'in re-
spouse 10 numerous requests" she an
liOutlCSu .di!OtiitE IdlitC. IiG DONS IT. |
sponded, and again she reserved q {
number, gust for luck" It drew the
piano, and she Was about thousand ,
clear. During the next two years, I
whenever she thought the boys would
stand it, a rattle was announced, always {
with the same result. Her success /
made her careless, until the forlnalityo Of {
4 drawing became wholly dispensed
with. She simply slowed away the re- {
ceipts and announced another rattle [
when the time come. These raffies be- 1
came standing joke in the camp, and &
no one thought of protesting, for not to /
De s:soiid' with the McGinnis was like
being an outcast. The woman was
gradually absorbing about all the loose l
change in the camp, and against the
shameless rattle robbery no one seemed ,
% have the nerve to protest.
RETRIBUTION.
"Take ticket to the raf1le,' said the -,
McGinnis, as she moved about one
evening among the guests "Washing- 5
on's birthday, you know, and we must /
t
The men came out with their money, +
,ut it was not with the hilarious en- -.
husiasm Of old. It came Out slowly.
"Ticiet to the ratf1e?" she said, {
With the same leer that always accom-
panied the request, addressing an old L
miner who had just come in. t