The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-01-25
SHE HAD TO SMOKE OPIUM.
Emily Wharton's Talk When Found In
Den by a Royal Canadian Commits
From the Ne,u York S,sl

Oon Oy q reOyot OandOlan OOmml5-
sion
From the Netu York sun.
The good st. Anthony himself was never
in queerer company than were Joseph
Adolphe Chapleau and the Hon. Mr.. Justice
Grayo of Canada, when the Dominion parlia-
ment sent them to the Pacific coast to in
quire about the Chinese and they found
Miss Emily W barton and heard her talk
upon one of the matters they were looking
into. It will not do to say much about
what Emily was, though she made no bones
Of telling it, but she was q beautiful girl,
fashionably dressed, and the mistress of
perfect English and exquisite manners.
She was found, quite by accident, in an
opium joint in Chinatown, Victoria, b. c..
While she did not describe the horrors or
the false delights of opium smoking, she
nevertheless left upon the minds OF her
hearers an idea Of its hold upon a victim
and of its consequences such as no litter
ateur, no matter whom, ever excelled. Her
talk became in turn the talk of Victoria,
and it is still often referred to there, though
the strange meeting took place five years
ago.
my name Is Emily Wharton" said she,
land I am 20 years Of age. l have been an
opium smoker about four years. 1 learned
TO smoke in San Francisco"
why did you commence itP' the grave
judge and the kindly cou hsellor inquired.
why do people commence to drink
Trouble, suppose" said She 81 think it
is better than drink. People who smoke
opium do lot kick up rows: they injure no
one but themselves, and do not think they
injure themselves very much. l know
opium smokers who are IS and 20 years of
age. There is man here who has smoked
for thirty years"
Eyes, l have read De Quincey's Opium
Eater" She allowed hsr eyes to glisten
and her shapely nose to curl at little at the
tip. The tone in which she spoke expressed
deep but restrained contempt for the book
in question. Il was an opium smoker be-
fore l read his book. / believe he drew
more upon his imagination than on expert
ence. l do not realize the pleasures and
visions he dilates on, nor, l believe, does
any opium smoker. l believe De Quincey's
book is pack of lies"
''If it does not afford you any such pleas
ure as he describes why do you smoker
because must, /" said she. 81 could not
live without it. l smoke partly because OF
the quiet enjoyment it gives, but mainly to
escape from the horrors which would come
without smoking is 60 suffer worse than the
lost"
But does not the smoking make you
wretched, just as drinking wouldg
"No," said she. 81 require about twelve
pipes, then / fall into state of somnolence
and complete rest When awake feel all
right, and can attend to fixing up the
house. / am brisk, and can work as we'll as
anybody else. do not feel sick or nervous
mel her have the inclination to smoke more
opium"
"Then," said the persistent inquisitors,
''why do you return 10 the use Of the
drug?"
"Ah." that's 1t" said the young woman,
admitting all that was sought by her
manner as well as words, ''there is a time
when my hands fail me; tears fail from my
eyes; l am ready to sink; then come here
and for few bits (shlllings) have a smoke
which sets me righr. There is too much
nonsense talked about opium smoking. Life
without it would be uncomfortable for me.
am in excellent health. But suppose every
one has their own troubles, and / have
mine"
~ do not want to be offensive" said one
| Of the learned gentlemen, "but are you what
is called a fast womanpn
II am, sir" she replied, "but you would
be greatly mistaken if you imagined that all
the women who come here TO smoke are Of
that character. In San Francisco have
known some of the first people to visit
opium houses, and many respectable persons
do so here
| She was then asked how, in the course OF
her four years of slavery to the drug, she
had been treated by the Cinnamon whom
she had met in such resorts as she went to
| for her pipes.
"They never interfered with me In the
least" said she. Waking or sleeping, one
act of rudeness from Chinaman l have
| never experienced. In this respect they
are far superior to white men. Unless you
| speak to them they will not even speak to
you, and, indeed, after the first Whit OF
the pipayou have no desire TO speak You
rather resent having to speak or being
spoken to, and when you want the smoke
the desire TO get your pipe ready is far too
| earnest business to allow of any desire for
| idle talk. But l have known Cinnamon
who were not opium smokers, and believe
| they are far more certain not to offend or
modest a white woman than white men, es-
pecially white men with glass in"
You have been well educated" one of
the committee ventured.
Eyes" said she, ''but that is neither here
nor there now. We will not go into that.
OF course l have not given you my real
name" After pause she added: 81 will
say this. though-that if opium houses were
licensed as drinking saloons are one need not
have to come into such holes as this to
smoke. There would be nice rooms with
nice couches, and the degradation would be
mitigated. At all events l think the gov
eminent that will not license an opium
saloon should shut up public houses and
hotels where they sell vitrol for whisky and
brandy, and where men kill themselves with
a certainty and rapidity beyond the power
of rum"
The grave commissioners saw many
strange sights and heard great bookful of
testimony, but nothing came to their net
that made such an impression upon them as
their talk with Miss Wharton.