The Carolina Spartan. [volume] (Spartanburg, S.C.) 1852-1896, 1857-04-23

(here sipped again)-it was no mirage
but the divine nectar itself. Tossing of
my glass, at once resumed my wontec
cheerfulness.
noticed that, instead Of talking as before
Bill and the woman now inten,ly watched
me, (Squabby was by this time very neal,
bind drunk; and my intellect regainnp il.
usual vigorous clearuess, at once perceiv
ed that Bill, with what design | knew not
intended 10 "hocuss" me. The ah>urdi,y
OF an attempt TO render ne insensibIe with
laudanum presented itself so WILDLY TO my
mind, that had much difficulty in pre-
venting myself from exploding in laughter
However, | managed 10 preserve my gravi
ty, and entering into ,he humor of the
thing, at once resolved TO drink arainst nv
ntertaner-Laudanum rersus Portland
thus astonish his debie faculties, rs Jack
did the Giants in the matter of the hasty.
pudding, only that, instead of merely pre.
tending 10y mean subIerfuge TO consume
my share, as Jack did, would drink glass
Tor glass. What triumph of opium eat.
ing! How w"nld the great Cnleri,lre scowl
IN envlous bitterness OF spirit, when lie
learned that | hail achieved feat which
he well knew he never could hope TO sur.
passl
Now then for it! Bill drinks, and offers
to tiIl my glass. fill itmysclf, quatf it off,
and continue 10 converse cheertuiy. Bill
drinks again. initiate him-Bill stare,
and looks astounded, but nevertheless con.
tinues to drink: SO do l. We each stick
TO our own bottles, the liquor in which
grows rapidly lower. Bill gets confused,
and Is no longer master Of his u;ierance-
become calmer and callner, and flow on in
rapt strain of cloquence, which immcasu.
rably delights myself. Presently, however,
my attention is arrested bv change i'm
Bills aspect; lie has fixed on me gaze of
unutieiable msiiguity. lie muiiers 10 the
woman in a ;hck husky whisper, that "he
amt Il goin' to stand this much longer" In
moment | became alive 10 the situation
was IN. | was in the presence Of AN exas.
perated rutlian, who saw IN me one who
put him to considerable expense in wine TO
say nothing of the laudanum. J and who no,
only obstinate!y refused to part with his
faculties, but was rapidly reducing his host
to state of lntoyicstion. Affairs became
presently more serious, when SYuabby, ut
terly unable 10 sit upright any longer. sud.
denly diSapI Ieared under the tahle-when
Bill impatiently started up, glaring ferccIy
on me. instantly summoned my ener.
Vies 10 meet the dit'icv-.., and, fll,ur for
ward with my head on the table. affected
to snore heavily. | heard Bll remark that
twas all right at last, but he believed that
ere cove WAS the deviI;' when the woman,
taking up the candle, opened the door of
AN inner apartment, AMI entered, followed
10y Bill with uncertain steps.
1t may easily be imagined that now
lifted up my head, and watched them with
intense interest. The room they entered
was small, and It's only furniture were a bed
and sack. The bed was peculiar, consist
ing OF two thick mattresses. without bed
clothes, and "a complication of ropes. puleys,
and weights. Presently Bil and the wo.
man, each Sczug "a rope. began pulling
and the upper mattress slowly rose. IIeav
en- and earth. what "a thought flashed across
my mind. | had heard of such thing, bc
fore-the unhappy beng ,lupefed hy opi
um. WAS placed between two mattresses aud
smothered SO aS 10 produce the appearance
of natural death, aud his body sold to the
surgeons, The sack was irresistible evidence
1t must be SO, was in the company of
body Snaichers, and was about TO be pURK
ED!
The Thrill of horror which now naturally
passed through my heart did not prevent
me from seeing the case in all It's phIlo,oph-
ic bearings. My natural impulse was, OF
course, self preservation; but suIl, as a phil.
osoPher, was bound To consider also the
interests ol the public had every reason
TO believe that my organs and functions had
become SO vIiia'ed by the use of opium, as
10 insure to hlm who should lay bare, with
Sc'enuuc KNIFE and anNi"nN inquiry, this
earthly tabernacle, the disclosure of the
most lem"Eabie phenomena. Had then,
as c'u]en, the night 10 withhold this per.
'shao'e iiame, which would inevitably be
u''S"''ed III lew years, and perhaps under
i'r less 'mPoIhn. conditions, (t"' might
leave OH opium, and, thus restoring my