The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1882-01-19
Rushing to Their Deaths.

Eoward," the New York CORE
spondent OF the Philadelphia Times,
writes: Our "frst citizens are going
off like hot cakes. It's as much as a
fell5w Can do to attend to his business
and pay the last sad tribute to departed
friends. First-class funerals are of daily
occurrence, and there are more mourners
in the streets than ever before. Other
things are happening, too, and among
them softening of the brain. For years
Printing House square, the Astor house
rotunda, Delmonico's and the Bruins
wick have been frequented by hand
some-faced, big blue-eyed, frank-man-
nered, open=handed paper dealer,
known to every one, and jolly good
fellow all the time. He was fast liver,
hard drinker and a very light sleeper.
He made money easily, spent it like
water and was the personifcation
generous recklessness. Result?
softening Of the brain. About
three weeks ago he was taken
to an insane asylum, where he is Of
course abundantly cared for, but the
doctors say he is hopelessly idiotic. A
friend of mine, one of these sef-sacri-
ficing chaps, went to see him. The
poor fellow is poisoned by tobacco. He
smoked cigarettes necessarily, so much
so that his forefnger and thumb were
yellow stained. This complicates mat.
ters. If he were devitalized by loss of
sleep only, rest and regular hours
mightrecuperate him. If his interior was
simply overcharged with alcohol, proper
indictments and total abstinence
from intoxicating drink might bring
him up again. But on top, through,
under and all about every muscle, fiber
and tissue Of his mental, moral and
physical nature is that ineffacable stain
that nicotine alone can give and omnipo-
tence alone remove.
Anybody else9
Yes. indeed. They may not be lit
orally in insane asylums, but they are
the merest wrecks of old time glory.
Come with me to that great exchange Of
downtown workers, the rotunda of the
Astor house, and stand near the cashier.
The place is packed from noon until
three, and tolerably full all the rest OF
the day. Thousands eat and thou
sands drink and thousands smoke there
every day. The monthly profits are
said to be $15,00O-a great deal Of
money. Is it the same crowd? Are
they the same thousands2 Not by q
Jug full. Within the past five years
two generations have come and gone,
and the third is rushing along as fast as
it can go.
7 HowP ~
By eating fast. drinking faster, and
puff, puff, putting with the eagerness o.
a race horse, bound to win and lose nc
time. There they stand or sit, as the
case may be. If they eat they throw
their victuals down at gulp. If they
drink, it's one, two, three, "sive me {
check" and off they 60.
And then?
Well they work till night, take their
dinner and repeat the dose in some up
town house, according to their means
The chief places are Delmonico's, thu
Brunswick, the Fifth Avenue, the St
James and the Hoffman. Accustomed
though you may be to the ga.
and festive developments of Fhila
delphia, I can show you sights here il
the gastronomic line that would oper
your eyes with wonder and shut 'em ur
again in disgust.
Well2
But it isn't well, it's fearful, and the
few temperate old chaps who witness
this social breakup, who see friend aftel
friend depart-who has not lost 6
| friend d2-are naralyzed with fear lesI