The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1883-05-23
VICTIMS OF OPIUM.
HiGE LlfE SENSATION IRON LOSDoN-
Why 4 MARHIAGE WAS BROKEN orr
ABgrI'rLY

Lm,dm LiGc vouches for the truthful.
h,se in every particular Of the following
narrative, the names alone being with
held
Very recently q rising Young physician |
~ the West End Of London WIS sum.
uoned to attend anuTgcnt case. Az the
carriage drew mp at the door, he observed
that there VIVA an awning and ear.
pet extending from the portal 10 the
cnrb, and on reaching the hall he found
that the house wns tlnongcd with people
IN evening dress. The messenger, speak.
ing 10 wliic-liHircd mili'nry-lookin
gentleman who sat alone before the fire.
place, SAID
Sir Hugh, this is Dr. Fielding" and
Withdrew.
Tho gentleman addressed rose from his
chair, and rs lie stood in tho blazing
light Of the sea-coal fire he seemed II man
IN whose splendid physical presence tho
Doctor 1T once recognized the person OF
n famous naval commander, whose deeds
1T personal prOwcss IN the Pacific and III
The China Seas Ind won for him some.
thing more than national reputation.
"Bc seated, Doctor, hc said, pointing
10 n chair. "My daughter was TO have
been married today. have sent for
You because know your reputation Tor
the treatment Of ne, vous diseases is very
high"
"NIy professional skill il at your SER
vice." said the Doctor.
"Yonr answer is frank aud 10 The
point, returned The Bnronet. "Ihc mar.
rage ol my daughter has not taken place.
To-day she passed from state Of viyac.
iy and happiness into one Of siupor
All our efforts to arouse her have proved
unavailiDg. In order that You mny rom.
prchcnl the entire situation, shall he
forced TO detail some Of my own and Of
my family history. Her mother was II
native Of the East Indies. I married her
after n brief courtship, when was II
Fling Lieutenant in the East India squad.
ron, many years ago. She was the daugh.
ter of n missionary who had given over
his Jealous ambition to convert the hes.
then Of BrmalI, and Ind gone into trade.
IN II short time his fortune had reached
M incredible amount. There were vague
rumors that the greater part of it hud
been gathered by transactions in opium.
The Young Indy herself was beautiful and
talented, aud the sole hclrcss to her IA
TIERS enormous wealth. Among the
many suitoiS who came ! was the sue.
ccssiui one, and our wedding in mnnyic
spccts was u remarkable affair. Our onl,
child was born some years later, and
shortly aitcrwar,l I was ordered TO mn mr.
inous service in the Corenn waters. On
is completion returned TO England to
iind my wife broken in health, and the
victim OF tho most painful complication
oi disorders. IL was necessary TO allay |
her pain, and to do this morphin was re-.
Sorfoi to. She fingered on and died. Be.
fore her death, she told me in lucidmo-
nient that she had learned tho use of
opium in her childhood, and that while
she had never become slave to it, she
had nevertheless takent with regularity,
and she had no doubt that her illness re.
suited from the habit. In this view the
physician who attended her concurred.
Now, sir, my child appears to me to have
been using some drug. have no reason
'c believe that she il n slave to the habit |
Of taking opium, in any Of its horrible
forms, but my heart IL burdened with the |
gravest approximations. Should You dis.
cover that she is, the wedding ceremony |
which liz only postponed, shall never take |
place. The bridegroom is the son of my |
dearest friend, and | can never permit |
that Inc shall have the prospect of iio |
OF misery, such as mine has BEEN the |
more no, for the reason that there IL no |
way to ensme happiness for her."
They pissed out through the hall, up
tho staircase, encountering the guests
who had been hidden to the marriage
east taking their departure. Some Of
hem gave looks of curiosity, but all of
hem had word Of sympathy or pres
ure OF the hand TO bestow upon the
stricken father az he pissed by.
On reaching the landing the Baronct +,
stopped tor moment to recover his self :
possession, and then gently opening a
door, ushered the Doctor into the pa.
vents chamber. The sight that greeter; u
the Doctors eye embraced as it's centra, l
feature the form Of young lady clad in b
Dress 81 white satin, and living on - y
bed. A bridal vail Of delicate lace traileJ !
It's ilixuriant length over the back Of
chair, on which also hung a wreath Of
orange blossoms. F."
In moment the man Of science Raw
that the fathers worst fears were justi.
fled, A mere glance at the swollen eve.
lids. whose unnatural yellow color was
by the dark. blue veins that
reversed them, showed that the young
ady was not only the victim OF larger
ortion than, she ,hdd been accustomed
, take, but that the custom itself was
old standing. /-,
"WelI, Doctor" asked the Baronet.
,xiously. lis it opium" 4
1--WE muat first aAYa bar Lie y ranllal 1