The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1889-06-12
A MONSTER FIEND.
Tho Pathetic Story Of = Morphine Eoats
Her Only Help the Grave.


The most suspicious skies bent over
the babyhood of Evelyn NJ. as she
entered life. Parents, brothers and
sisters guarded her with special love
and tenderness, and as she trod the
sunny path Of girlhood and early
womanhood, wealth, culture and the
highest social position were waiting
to crown her with their richest gifts.
In the horoscope Of life they unfolded,
no eye could trace aught but
brilliant future. Association with the
gifted and highly cultured, both at
home and abroad, perfected a charac-
ter of rare beatty and symmetry.
Alas! what prophets eye could then
foresee the doom that awaited her in
coming years. or what ear could hear,
along the track Of the radiant future,
the clanking of those chains beneath
which she would hopelessly struggle?
Her elegant home was one of the most
beautiful in the Sunny South" Dur
ing the din and clash of war l lost
sight of Evelyn, and time had wrought
many changes in our lives, when, a
few years since again met her in the
home of our mutual friend, Alice Haw-
thorne, of Florida At first it seemed
that the years had touched her very
lightly. They had left no impress on
her fair brow, and traced no silver
threads amid the coils OF her dark
hair, but in the large expressive eyes,
which once from their clear depths re-
Elected a light so tender and true. there
was now ofttimes startled look, as II
fearful Of betraying some dark secret.
The same quiet, high-bred grace
fingered in every step. the same kind
thoughtfulness for others veal as Of
old, marked her whole life. But a
mystery could not fathom shrouded
her life. At times there was an I'm.
wonted exhilaration, and she would
engage in conversation with unusual
animation. Again the bright flush
would be succeeded by deathly
pallor. the eyelids would droop. the
head nod YEARLY from side to side,
and, excusing herself, she would seeA
the privacy Of her own room.
On one OF these occasions said Il
Alice. SIS it possible our beautiful
gifted Evelyn is addicted to the use o.
morphine? Is she held captive by
that monster who is more cruel thar
deathp"
EYES," was her reply, 'she tells mt
that during long and painful Hines.
it was given by her physician, and fol
four months she hardly knew day
from night. will tell you Of my ex
perience in attempting to wean hel
from the drug. On talking with her
she admitted all I could say, and be
walled the terrible slavery that bound
her. For me, she said, there is nj
hope. l have long since exhausted
my money, my precious jewels, ant
the last offering laid upon this altar o
fire was the family silver, my mother
dying gift. One writer has trul.
said: The Lord helps every one bu
a morphine eater; if he ever reform
itmust be by travelling over red no
Goals with torn and bleeding hand
and feet.
sis there no help for herp asked
of our old family physician. Nom
but the grave was the reply.
ITO another told the sad story, ant
he felt he could save her if she would
implicitly follow his directions, though
1t would be through great agony.
Evelyn grasped this hope as ,
drowning man clutches floating spar
And now commenced the struggle will
this bottled fiend, as an eminen
physician terms it.
mo words can portray the horrors
of that night. l sat by her; 1 walked
the room. or wildly rushed up an,
down the broad piazza with her; he
pleadings with me for just little o
the drug were truly pitiful. In agon!
she would exclaim: i am on Goals o
fire; every joint is twisted and tori
asunder, live creatures are gnawin,
at my vitals; Oh, Alice! how can 20,
see me suffer thus?' Then for a luci
moment, seeming to realize something
OF the truth, some of the old, lovinI
light would CLEAN from her eyes a
she would say: oh, Alice! you kno,
it is not Evelyn that talks thus; it i
the morphine that has brought m
here. Oh! why did the doctor eve
give it to me? Now I must have it.
And again she would rush wildly VI
and down the balcony as though pur
sued by thousand demons. But /
was hopeless struggle. Unknown t
me Evelyn obtained and hastll
swallowed twelve grains of morphine
"Since that terrible night ] hav
tried every thing in my power. Bu
while, as of old, in every thing els
she is the soul of truth and honor. i
this she can not be trusted. =, Oh, it
the saddest of all sad wrecks on tn
sea of life. Soon Evelyn expects t
return to her old home, where there
every thing to depress and proven
her rising in the might Of stron
will to conquer this subtle foe that ha
cursed her life" -
could she?" / asked, ''if she would
overcome this fearful habit?"
"In that little word if you have par
OF your answer. The will power seem