Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-03-14

sent you the pipe made a slight omission"
| "An omission?"
IT omitted to advise you not to smoke it."
Sand why?"
'Because-well, I've reason to believe the
thing is drugged.''
"Druggedp'
Tor poisoned"
"PoisoEedP' was wide awake enough
then. L Jumped off the couch with celebrity
which prov ed it.
"It is this way. 1 became its owner In
rather singular manner" He paused, as
if for me to make remark; but was silent.
''1t is not often that l smoke specimen,
but, for some reason, 1 did smoke this.
commenced to smoke it, that is. How long
I continued to smoke it is more than 1 can
say. 1t had on me the same peculiar effect
which it appears to have had on you. When
l recovered CONSCIOUSNESS was lying on the
floor"
"On the fioor?'
"On the floor. In about as uncomfortable
position as you can easily conceive. was
lying face downward, with nv legs bent
under me. / was never so surprised In nv
life as ! was when 1 found myself where I
was. At first supposed that had had a
stroke. But by degrees it dawned upon me
that didn't feel az though 1 had had a
stroke" Tress, BY the way, had been an
army surgeon. 81 was conscious of distinct
nausea. Looking about, 1 saw the pipe.
With ne it had fallen onto the floor. I
took it for granted. considering the delicaoy
of the carving, that the fall had broken it.
But when 1 picked it up found it quite un-
injured. While 1 was examining it
thought flashed to my brain. Might it not
be answerable for what had happened to mef
Suppose, for instance, il was drugged? I
had heard Of such things. Besides, in my
case we're present all the symptoms of drug
poisoning, though what drug had been used
1 couldn't in the least conceive. 1 resolved
that 1 would give the pipe another trial"
'On yourself? or on another party, mean
ing me?"
"On myself, nv dear Pugh-on myself
At that point of my investigations had not
begun to think of You. 1 lit up and had
another smoke"
with what result?"
swell. that depends on the standpoint
from which you regard the thing. From one
point of view the result was wholly satis-
tactory-I proved that the thing was
drugged, and more"
ibid you have another fall?'
"On that account, presume, you resolved
to pass the treasure on to me?"
Partly on that account, and partly on
another"
son nv word, appreciate your gen.
erosity. You might have labeled the thing
as poison"
Exactly. But then you must remember
how often you have told me that you never
smoke your specimens"
THAT was no reason why you shouldn't
have given me hint that the thing was more
dangerous than dynamite"
That did occur to me afterward. There
fore called to supply the slight omission"
"Slight omission, you call i'll I wonder
what you would have called it if you had
found me dead"
"If had known that you intended
smoking it / should not have been at all
surprised if had."
Really, Tress, l appreciate your kind
ness more and morel And where is this ex-
ample of your splendid benevolence? Have
you Pocketed it, regrettiug your lapse into
the unaccustomed paths OF generosity? Or
is it smashed to atoms?'
Neither the one nor the other. You will
lind the pipe upon the table. neither de-
'lre its restoration nor is it in any way in
ured. 1t IS merely an expression of per
Ional opinion when say that 1 don't believe
i could be injured. Of course, having dis
covered Its deleterious properties, you will
not want to smoke it again. You will there
ore be able to enjoy the consciousness of
being the possessor Of what 1 honestly be-
ieve to be the most remarkable pipe in eX-
stence. Good-day, Pugh."
He was gone before 1 could say a word. I
m immediately concluded, from the precipi-
ancy of his flight, that the pipe was injured.
But when 1 subjected it to close examination
could discover no signs Of damage. While