Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1886-07-27
A cALlFoRNIANs EXPERIENCES

"Oh. yes." he said. s we auniered
through Chinatown, and were a.Ailed
by its unsavory odors, III have smoked
opium. recognize the familiar smell
"And s,ill continue to do 90 ,"
mo. thank God. my experience with
the drug Was shor, and decisive. ba,
sharp while |, lasted. The opium habi,
Is like getting into quick,And, once in
It's grasp escape Is Almo', impossible"
"You got out. II appears"
"Ba, no, without struggle. l feel
the effects Of the drug even 70 this day,
and Il IL many years ago sine, curiosity
induced me TO Try tbs frs, pipe. or
course bad TO give some exeu'e fir my
foOlishness | wished to learn the .,cst
Of opium's control over the mind, AMI
bodies Of Ia vI,su.. Thi. /. how ~
was. and | might a, well make = clean
breAs, of IL. I'm no, De Quincy. bat
III tell you a, clearly a. can my feel.
ings while under the influence Of the
drug. | had become acquainted with .
gambler. one ofihs most expert in the
State. whether in froat OF behind the
game. | noticed iha, he often left the
table. when dealing. and after be re.
TUNED. say in haitian hour. his manner
had undergone aehanse he manipulated
tie card. with greater s,eadinsst and
ease One day | asked him the plain
question
ID. Why do you call on sub
,,i,u,e. aud qui, the table 30 otsen'
"Opium. my boy he .aid. ia fe.
veri,h way. Il can DO nothing without
IL. S,eadie. the nerves. Deprive me
Of my periodical pipe AL I'm like fii
de minu. s:rins.. Ever try a whia'
"'No.'
"'Then you'd better take my advice
and continue 20 let Il alone
"Bai my curiosity was aroused. aud
after accompanying D TO hi' f.vofi,e
opium haunt. several times. resolved
to realize the sensations derived from
smoking. whatever they nigh, be. !
hit my FIRE, pipe. a. the slang goes.
abou, > o'clock one afternoon. and shud.
der now a. the remembrance Of the ter.
iibly ,ieksnins experience | passed
through reeur 90 me. II ". hard
work ia the beginning 10 ge, tie pipe
stem properly adjusted 10 my mouth.
and the method Of smoking ia different
from ,hA, when you ate enjoying tobacco.
In inhalins opium smoke you draw the
fams into the lungs by long pull and
eIhale It slowly. A pipeful will last
abou, one minute. and then You lave 10
roll a new pill. and 90 on. I'LL the desired
,ilcc, il obtained. Like most beginners,
| smoked too much AZ the start, bu,
hardly fsl, the power Of the drag I'LL |
rose from the bunk where bad lain.
Then | became comparatively helpless.
and staggered like drunken man. zis-
tagging toward a wA,sr.pi,ehef. Of the
content. Of which | drank q eupfal OF
more Nausea followed. aud when !
reached my wooden couch Agsia. my
lower limb. gave way completely. and |
fell kelple,, and ia,en,iblc Hay 10 tia,
state Cor three hours. OF until my frieni
D.. who bad missed me. and ,u'.
pec,ins where had gone, found and
broash, me 10 myself. With hi' help
~, 10 my room in the hotel. where !
again fsll into sleep. disturbed by res,.
le,snes. and horrible dream, would
awake .efeaminssnd with the idea some
one va, in the room seeking my lie. In
fact. | made such a racket that the nigh,
clerk threatened 20 send fof the police
AID have me arrested for being diunk and
disorderly AID alarming the house. lie
.ummos,dD-. who "a, up with me I'll
morning. when ! still Eel, the effects Of
the drug. ba, va, able % ri,s.
Jewell. old fellow. said he. 10 =
bAn,sring way. how DO You like /, a.
far a. you've gomez
"'li. pretty rough Introduction |
replied. 'And CUES, I'll 10 no farther.
That's right. said be 'yol'd bet.
Ter stop now; bu, I'll be, iwen,y you
won', Ofooar,e you smoked too much,
AID then drank water 10 make the mat
,er worse. lf,hir,y after the pipe. all
prseiissd oPirm smokers drink only
good. strong tea
"'wsll. I'm done with the stuff any
how
"'No. ny boy be ,Aid quietly 'yOa'll
tackle it again You don, like to give
up beat
ID kew me better than | did
myself. The time came, sure enough.
when did tackle the pipe again. think
log myself s,rong enough osmoke with
on, getting sick. ! pulled away for
Aboa, three minutes, consuming three
pills. aud this time | 70, glimpse Of
what i. called the opium deyo,ee's pat.
adi.e. With my body and limbs com.
pls,ely relaxed. | dropped into a state Of
delish,fal dreamy hAlf-sleep. languidly
knowing al tha, was going on around
me. bu, caring for nothing ! was above
and beyond all worldly combinations.
all responsibilities Then there came
change. Iles,les,ness supervened (;
and ih. dream Of delish, vas