The daily miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1879-1885, 1882-01-01

hung loosely by my side, to the arm of
the chair. To my utter amazement it
took me, as it seemed, at least ten min
utes to get my hand up to my side, a.
though my will seemed to act quickly,
and my hand was in constant upward
motion from the time | first became
conscious of the desire to go to my CONF
panion's relief. This was the first init
nation l had that all perception of
space and time was for me annihilatetl.
I arose from the chair finally and start
cd across the room. After some half
hours walking succeeded in reaching
the lounge which was my objective
point, and I found my companion
speechlcss. The most awful expression
Of intense, utter horror and misery per-
vadctl his features. afterwards learned
that he was simply sick at the stomach,
but at the time felt great alarm. in-
stantly conceived the idea of going
down town for doctor. With great
difficulty found the door, although |
had lived in the room for two years. I
had not only completely forgotten the
location of the door, but had forgotten
what door was and what it looked
like. At last l reached the head of the
staircase. 1t was an ordinary stone
stairway, leading down from the second
floor of Il large brick building to a stone
paved hall below. There could not have
been more than twenty-five or thirty
distinct steps, yet, as I reasoned, was
just two hours by the watch IN getting
to the bottom. AS l lifted my foot to
descend the first step seemed to loosen
my hold on the earth and float in the
atmosphere; it seemed more pleasant to
remain with the lifted foot in the mir
than to put it down again. Looking in
surprise to discover some cause for this
sensation, / discovered that the step be-
low me was apparently down thirty or
forty feet. The hallway at the foot of
the staircase seemed Il myriad miles be-
low, and the intervening space was oc-
cupied by an infinite series Of steps,
each Of which seemed utterly beyond
my powers of attainment. BY vigor-
Gus effort of the will I launched myself
in the air and reached the first step.
But will not devote more space to the
horrors of that descent. Each step of
downward movement was attended
with horrible fear. lest should fall and
he dashed to pieces, and my progress
was one continual spasm of terror
As have said, the first few whitts Of
the opium pipe brought back to me
these old-time sensations, which I ut
once recognized as parts of my hasllish
experience. The rude howell in which
lay was scantly and roughly fur
nished. A japannetl oval tin waiter
rested OH a small table near the head Of
my bunk. The latter was built of UNI
finished boards, covered with a quill,
and curtained in from outside view with
calico hangings. On the waiter was a
filthy-looking glass lamp with num-
Der of wires Of different lengths, a
small box containing fresh opium, and
!, extra bowls for the pipe. The latter
was about eighteen inches long, consist
ing of q bamboo stem some seven
} eighths of an inch in diameter, one end
Of which was closed and the other open,
for insertion In the smokers mouth.
{ About two inches from the closed end
was hole, into which clay bowl, Of a
curious umbrella shape, was soldered.