Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-01-30

| uessI1Ptions 20 tnss tney may nave no trouble
become so common among theatrical people it
| Is dificult to understand, unless IL Is because
10 many actors and actresses are called upon
| to work when they are i'll. and would better be
under the care Of physicians and carefully
housed instead Of compelled to 60 out in all
| kinds Of weather to a draughty theater and
play part trying in the extreme, both men,
tally and physically. Yet it is absolutely true
that many OF our best known stage favorites are
ineurable slaves to the morphine and opium
| habit
BRILLIANT CAREER BLfaHrED.
Not many years ago there was Q prom
ising and pretty young Juvenile woman" in
one OF our city stock companies. With
the gifts fate laid at her feet she might
nave reached pinnacle seldom attained by
women but hattery turned her head. She
could not live without the whispered praises Of
men and she laughed to herself often to think
what Tools she made of them. while, poor girl
II she had taken the trouble to stop and think
she would have understood that she was the
dupe and the men who whispered Of their love
ana devotion to her were simply laying trap
Tor ner egotism and vanity, into which she
boldly walked. A well-known playwright and
adapter met her and fell in love with her.
Perhaps this was the first true love she had
ever known, but vanity had sown the seeds OF
vice ana she was not now a Iovable creature.
however, they were apparently happy till the
Z
hnaliy to morphine, to WOO forgetfulness. Those
who knew her when she was a bright, pretty
giri would scarcely know her now. The de-
ss.royihg hablt OF opium smoking and morphine
drinking have bloated her once pretty figure
out OF all semblance of girlishness.
SAD CASE.
A few years ago young actress had made
quite name for herself in her profession, but
to the public she was better known as a writer
nf -.sl~l
blue eyes and golden hair while her person
atty was agreeable and fascinating. She con-
tracted the morphine habit within few years
became slave to it and quickly drifted on; of
the theatrical world and away from all who
knew her At last accounts she was wreck in
the lowest depths. haunting the Chinese deus
OF vice that lnfest the city, devoting the rem
nant OF her dissolute lite to q creature lower
and more dissolute than herself. Perhaps the
saddest case OF all is that OF bright and popu-
Jar actress not many years ago the leading
lady OF downtown stock company. Some OF
her earlier work gave promise of enduring
lame, but she became worsLiper at the shrine
OF morphla. In a short time she retired for
ever from the stage. Illness was the cause
ascrlbed, but knowing ones shake their heads
ana whisper: lnsanityp'
ANOTHER UNHAPPY WRETCH
who has delivered his reason to drink and
drugs Is man whose name has appeared in
the papers great deal of late. He is hope
less paretic and for some years was constantly
III the care OF an attendant. When he first
became afflicted with the disease, though he
was permitted to go about as freely as he
Pleased, he was constantly attended bv a Young
physician, both in the capacity Of nurse ana
medical adviser. The doctor was a graduate
from one OF the New York hospitals and had
practiced for some years in a small New Eng
land town. He came to New York to start a
practice, but found 1t was not so easy
Tor an unknown physician to make O living
here, 50 he engaged as attendant on the
Paretic, VINO had at one time been an
actor. Though the man was known to
De hopeiessiy insane he was permitted
20 nave MS own way i'll a great measure,
and both physician and patient spent night
alter night visiting the the6ters and afterward
the dives IN search of amusement. They drank
freely and occasionally visited the opium dens.
where they intulged In the pastime known as
h!ttln6 Inc pipe, the doctor moderately the
patient TIL he was senseless. The result was
mat within half a year the ex-actor's case was
as hopeless as ever, while the young doctor had
acquired oil his vices.
RESULTS OF THE HABIT.
Specialists who have studied the results of
the morphine and opium habit and men who
have had dealings with its slaves say that even
when not under the influence of the drug they
are irresponsible. Lying seems to be the most
marked feature Of the victim moral destruction
at nrs.. He will lie where the truth will serve
better. and as proof o. this story is told of a
young actor whose erratic attempts at manage
ment once caused the town to smile and his
creditors to weep. He WAS a guest az dinner
with host OF friends who had known HIM from
Ills boybood. He had for some time been
known to have contracted the morphine habit.
and his cratic actions had been laid at the
ooor OF the deadly drug. In the course OF the
evening he began 20 reiate an adventure which |
he claimed, had betgllen him while lieutenant
IN Inc United States navy during trip abroad
he whole story was imaginary, and every one
at the table knew it. lie knew they knew
1t, yet he kept on with his story us though he
believed all present had faith In it, His mar
riages would fill court record yet he never
taxes tue trouble to get IA divorce No one
molests him. He is free from inte-ierence NJ
INC law rs Tar as'hls responsibility goes aud the
only punishment that can be mrted out to him
Tor has mlsiolnGs. which in another would be
mos. palpabie crimes. is incarceration in an
Insane asylum AM. that fate looms up before
him at this very Jay.