The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1908-08-27


Tor, family perfumed with delicate
odor of lilac, to the little writing table
and penned note to her sister. We
may read, over her shoulders as she
wrote
Dear Lou: There is nothing to write,
only l know you are wondering. 1t is
win all or lose all with me. | may go back
to the counter of "A department store
but it won't be until l have to.
I've taken the little money mother left
me and furnished the apartment and
dressed myself with the Quietest taste,
so as TO look laNylike on the smallest out
lay. I've thrown myself headong into
everything that's doing in a swell church,
and | am so quiet and demure that |
don't think you'd recognize your merry
romp OF sister If you saw me.
l made a bad choice of an apartment
house because the men here are nearly
all married and are such oysters that
not one has yet made my acquaintance.
The landlord is single though, and rich,
and the elevator-boy, my only friend,
tells me he's a perfsct spoon with
women and that any woman can fool
him up to the eyes.
Not Rat | want to fool anybody, Leu
dear Only, I'm as good as any girl
that's got home and a husband-ani
love. I'm too good to stand and yell
cash! here, cash.. behind n counter.
year in and year out, with a filmy, one
to-a- thousand chance of marrying a
floor walker before | die.
l am so lonely and I am playing such
a desperate game, But If you could look
in on me, Lou, I'd just simply let loose
and we'd have a real old time romp, l
am breaking the fee here in the Moriarty
Maisonette in the funniest way. I'm do
ing it with piano. It's bound to get
me acquainted with somebody OF the
adorable sex. But you must wait until l
tell you how my piano is helping me
when l know how it all turns out.
Your loving sister.
CORDELTA.
That's our last word. MOriarty," Mr..
Mahoney was saying to the landlord.
who stood with his back against the
wall, facing the other members Of
the Pinochle club, the Maisonette's
turned into a music box that plays
only the one tune, and it's a case of
good riddanco to bad rubbish with
the lot of us"
Hold on, now" said Morarty,
what's the use of such talk between
friends? Leave it to me. III go and
see the girl and give her the Ki-bosh,
all right What's her and her plan
ner to me, where the likes o-you old
friends is concerned?"
Moriarty, with a firm and business
like temper, left their angry presence.
When Miss Byrne opened the door
to receive his visit, she greeted him
with such evident, Though guarded
and blushing pride, as would have Rat
tered any man alive As she set out
chair for him, she said that he was
the first visitor who had honored her
apartments and that she thought it
most kind Of him to pay her this high
compliment. Then she sat opposite
to him, at a well chosen distance sug-
gestive neither of familiarity nor prui-
ish decorum. And, all the time. she
let flow a current Of the most .hrcwd,
~ chosen remarks. the purpose of
which was yelled by great maidcnly
simplicity and modesty.
While Mr.. Noriarty was yielding To
sense of shame for having planned
rudeness to SO pretty little lady, he
gradually became interested in the
matter as well as the manner, of her
speech He learned OF her loneliness.
her piety, her domesticity and of her
very respectable family connections.
His sympathy was first aroused then
his admiration. His gallantry yielded to
devotion
But how rude have BEEN" Miss
Byrne presently exclaimed Il have
not asked whether you had any special
errand. Or, did you really come to
offer me the first kind word have had
in my new home?'
Il heard your pianner" the clumsy
fellow began, in reply, "and-and ~
He pretty nearly blurted out the
truth.
"Oh! did you like the little piece
was playing?'
Twas the most angelic tewn ever
| heard in my life Moriarty an
swered, recovering his native tact
Then, do let me play it for you. Oh,
don't mind a bit"
She ended the performance with a
medley of Irish airs, played with fair
amount of clevernoss. She WAS fin
ished. And the last string which held
Moriarty's heart in place was loOs.
ened; both that organ and his brain
went afloat upon the troubled sea of
love.
When at length he bid Miss Byrne
good night, she dropped hint that her
pious duties at St GATHERINGS We're
interesting her to such a degree that
she was seriously thinking of taking
the veil' and devoting herself to the
church. The rogue said this SO SOborly
with such half expressed suggestion
Of earncstness and doubt of her worth
mess that she put Moriarty In an
agony lest she should take holy VOWS
before Il would be fit time for him to
propose marriage To her.
Facing his friends at the card table
somewhat later, he was unable to con.
Ccal his scOrn for their unmanly be.
hayior of an hour before.
Wen pass no words, said he, EEK.
cept that I'll be saying this: Come or
60, as ye will, but that lone Grin not
be Inconvenience by anybody or any
thing while she does us all the honor
to seek shelter under this roof"