The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1908-08-27
HER DESPERATE
GAME
BY JULIAN RALPH
(Copyright.)

Barney Moriarty had done we'll for
himself Starting with nothing but
health and ambition, he had acquired
modest fortune in real estate and
had built a monument to his own sue.
cess in the form of an apartment house
in which he set up his own home. and
on the granite front of which he blaz-
oned his triumph in carved letters
reading "Moriarty Maisonette."
Barney was a popular chap, good
looking, witty, ready for a hand at
cards, a glass or a joke with anyone
who challenged him. He was quite
alone in the world, an orphan and
bachelor, but pOssessed Of a romantic
regard for all women. Out OF his
wide acquaintance h. easily rented
nearly every suite in the Moriarty
Maisonette before the snowy brick
and granite pile wa finished, and
it soon came to b. the verdict
of the neighbors that there was not
The Maisonette was nine stories
high. BY mere Glance, no one
except Florence, the elevator boy, was
at hand when Miss Cordelia Byrne
called to inspect the fifth floor back,
which was advertised for rent one
day. She took it at once, to the i'm
mense establishment of Florence, who
explained to Mr.. Moriarty that he
was only jollying her along" in order
to have her come back later on
when" he added, "she flashed the ten
dollars on me to bind the bargain, and
went away"
She and her furniturc came togeth-
er the next morning, when Mr.. Nor.
iarty was again absent there was
nothing left but to make the best of
the case.
Florence declared Miss Byrne to be
a perfect lady" 'out of sight as a
good LOCKER and very we'll supplied
with money and furniture, She was
soon to be joined by her sister. the
head lace buyer for the Colossus de-
partment store of Harlem She was
about 20 years Of age, slender, of mid
die stature and dressed habitually in
black or dark blue, witt now and then
just a touch Of red at her neck, or a
hint of purple in her hat
Among her belonging was an up
right piano, and she and it combined
altered the temper OF the people in
the Moriarty Maisonette with sud
denness and to a degree which was
astonishing. This was because she
and it either knew but one tune, or, at
any rate played but one This was
iainty, ripping peasant dance by Pad
erewski. Miss Byrne played it very
well indeed, with a familiar. confident
touch. proclaiming long practice and
perfect mastery. She played it on
the first afternoon, after her furniture
was set up, and as soon as she opened
the piano there.
When | say that she and her piano
altered the temper of the coterie in
the Maisonette, ! am anticipating a
later development. To understand this
FULLY we must come to it gradually
The tenants of the Moriarty Mason
cite had before this, noticed some
taultiness and cheapness in the build
ing. Drafts pouring in around the
mantels and the window castings had
borne upon their cold wings the proof
that the occupants were housed by
what is called contract work" and
that of very timsy character. There
had been subdued and guarded com.
plants, and even gossip about this re-
grettable characteristic of the MaisOn.
cite. But all fault-inding ceased on
The afternoon and evening when Miss
Byrne played the paderewsky peas
ant dance over and over some dozen
n 20 times Now it was the ex-
luislte, rollicking, merry, melodic cur
rent that flowed through the walls to
The fifth floor front. through the tioor
TO the fourth story suites and through
The ceiling to the sixth storys tiny
homes. Upstairs and downstairs the
delighted tenants blessed the day that
Moriarty's builders skimped their
WA n, iNhNiiS tll' IlAtoC 81 llht IL toldll-
der that Cordelia I}yrne could play
them all into the seventh heaven of de-
light with Paderewski's peasant dance
so suited to the Joyous temperament
IF the Irish audience and to their
pretty taste in music. Miss Byrne was
taken into the waruest corners OF the
hearts of the Maisonette on that night.
That was, as We recolect it. on a
Friday night. The following Wednes.
day found everything unchanged ex-
cept the temper Of Moriartys tenants
They were all well and at home, Miss
Byrne was very wrll and at home
and she and her piano were still re-
producing the eltsh, fairy.lke compo.
sition of the great Polish pianist
The next night it was the turn of