Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1875-10-29
A Pipe OF opium.

ly stole away" half dozen pieces oil
charcoal from the bucket at the door,
and there was comparative silence in
the streets.
We watched the Chinaman as he went
on with the work before him, and every
thug the iron would make striking the
ironing. board had about it a sort of Mon
golian sound not in the least American.
The shirt at last was turned over to a
pile Of its brothers 1--WE believe there
ought to be brotherhood in shirts, for
they all have the same yoke to bear)
and Fung, without more ado, began to
put up the little shutters to his diminu.
tive shop window.
"All yightee now said he, and in
profound respect to his superior knowl-
edge on the subject, we bowed assent.
The purpose OF our visit TO this laundry
man was not to become initiated into the
mysteries OF the washboard but in re-
sponse to an invitation to "takee some
pipee" Of opium with the hospitable
Fung.
Following him, at his motion, into an
uncomfortably small back room, we
found ourselves confronted on the one
side by two berths built up against the
wall like ships bunk, and, on the other,
by mantelpiece extravagantly adorned
with plumes OF chicken feathers as
charms against the evil one. There were
two mats on the floor made OF some kind
of grass. and two something's that looked
like stunted saw-horses, which, we we're
informed, were pillows.
Disdaining to give more critical ex.
animation to the surroundings when
Fung was busy with the important cere-
mony Of making two opium pills on Il
little table, we approached and looked
over his shoulder. He had lump Of
the crude drug about the size of a plum,
and from it had taken two pieces about
as large each as pea. We confess we
felt some little misgiyings when he took
out an unknown gray powder and
sprinkled it over the pills 1t was a per.
fume, Fung said, so we concluded it
must be all right
After rather superabundance OF
directions as to how to keep the coal OF
fire over the bowl Of the pipe, when to
an American eye the pipe had no bowl,
and considerable putting and blowing,
we followed Fungs example and laid
down on one of the mats, and placed
our head on the little saw.horse. The
Chinese pillow is not success to civil.
ized head, and it was with difficulty we
could refrain putting on beautiful
smile, so strong was the impression that
our head was in a photographers rest
and we we're having our picture taken.
We took our first Whit at the pipe
and then felt ourselves all over to sec
whether it had any effect, but without
discovering any serious results. Puff
after puff followed, and bitter, burn
coffee taste gave notice that our opium
was alight. Alternately devoting oul
attention to the pipe and then to tht
drugs action on our senses, many min
utes passed, when we noticed marked
diminution in our interest in the coal o
| FIRE on the bowl and a distaste to every
thing present.
The necessity Of moving finger wa
positively annoying, and rest, perfec
rest, was what was desired. The room
opened its walls, and we we're roaming
back through some Of the delightful spot
in memory. But the visions All o
them were not different from those an,
one oil an imaginative disposition cal
call up, except, perhaps, they were NOR,
intense, sharper cut in outline and highe
colored. The taste of the smoke, al
though dry to the mouth, was not more
disagreeable than poor tobacco.
We remarked as present during tn,
whole lime we were smoking, on,
thought, or rather a feeling, Of antici
pated regret whsn the pipe SHOULD b,
smoked out. We hoped after each put
it would last little longer, not because
we feared the sensation of languor ant
quiesepce would disappear, At last thu
red light of the little bead Of opium Goa
died out and we knew we had smoked
one dose.
There was but little desire to sleep, TO
we had charged Fung Chez not to Civ,
US enough for that, but there was Ger
tainly present superlative lazines
about us that would have done credit tt
any government official.
In about twenty minutes we felt tn,
old sell coming back, and with it grea
thirst. Our ideas we're somewha
clopded, bpt nothing 10 spesk Of
We had stolen peep at De Quincy
land Of fancy, apd this peep was all W
wanted. The gates are pearly, tn
meadows dsisy.hanked, the skies aeecy
but when the opium sun there goe
down, chaos in crashing thgnders rolls
A man may look once through III
key-bole of the gate in saiety-once only