St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-10-07
GOT DRUNK ON GAS.
Tried 1t First for Tooth-pull-
ing, Liked It and Can't
Stop.
GOT DELIGHTFULLY."- TIPSY.
Now He's an Oxide Inebriate
and Abuses His Own
Wife.
SHE SUES FOR DIVORCE.
A Massachusetts Story in
Which Humor and Pathos
hlingie.
SHE SUES FOR DIVORCE.

forward eagerly To divorce case which
will come up in the October term OF
court at Cambridge. Mass. at which
time it is expected that point of great
interest TO both their professions Will
be definitely settled, says the New York
World. Tie suit sounds commonplace
enough. and to those vino are ignorant
of IFS strange details it looks like dozens
of others Oh the calendar.
Mrs. Abby MASON pays fora Judicial
separation from her husband. Cornelius
Mason, an the ground of gross and
iiab.tual intoXlcatiOn. On the inter
probation of the word ''inioXica,ion''
hangs he whole case, aud all the in.
terests involved The curious part is
that Spirituous liquors have nothing at
all to do with the matter.
Something less than 4 year ago Mason,
who is weii-io-dO retired teamSter at
Everett, a suburb of Boston, began to
feel severe pains in his teeth. All the
household remedies and drug store
''Sure cures" found their way into
Mason's mouth, with no result other
than making the subject howl with
increased pain whenever specially
vigorous nO5trum WAS introduced.
There was nothing to do but 20 10 the
dentists, and. after Screwing up his
courage notch or two. Mason went.
The dentist decided at once that his
visitor was suffering from perIostitis of
the most acute nature, and that all the
teeth were likely to be involved. He
therefore concluded to extract one OF
the largest and most affected molarS,
aid to mitigate the pain gave Mason a
liberal supply of gas. Its effect was
peculiar. Mason did not become un-
conscious, but, on the other hand. he
suffered no pain. He became highly
exhilarated. and waXed poetic. and
talked OF sentimental things with great
abandon. In short, he gave every APP
pearance of undergoing highly sensitive
intUXicatiOn. with the customary reac-
ton Into a SOdden and despoHdent con-
dition.
The mex. day Mason again complained
Of the pains in his teeth. and this time
he went to the operating chair with less
reluctance. The gas was administered
with the same result as before. His
visits TO the dentist now became regular
in spite of the vigorous protests OF Mrs.
Mason. The dentist held that Mason
knew his own business, and had an uu-
doubted right to part with every grinder
in his head if he chose. 1t soon actually
did come about that there was nothing
more Left to pull. and the dentist made
a SCI of false teeth for his customer and
thought he had seen the last of him.
But pretty soon Mason discovered
TOR -,
his upper jaw. He demanded gas, and
got it. But the manipuator of teeth
was satisfied that the Jaw trouble was
Imaginary, IL not ieigncd. ami when
Mason next appeared and asked tor the
subtle oxide it was refused.
Mason now began to go about to the
other dentists in che city. asking, even
begging tor gas. In some cases he was
successful, but in general as he could
offer no valid reason for wanting it, he
was repulsed. He now began to be re-
garded as crazy, and members of the
dental profession discussed his case
with interest at their monthly meetings
His fame spread beyond the limits of
quiet Everett, for i'll his quest Tor his
IHtoXcant he would 90 about to various
dentists in the adjaceut towns, all uf
whom finally came to know him as the
gas drunkard." and naturally declined
to furnish debaucheS for him even at
the regular tariff.
Being deprived of what had now be-
come, through a strange perverSion of
appetite. great physical need, Mason's
life became miserable one. Mrs.
Mason says that her best-cooked meals
aroused no interest I'D her husband, and
the hitherto favorite dishes she how
prepared for him remained untouched
M IlAt t,,1i-
and Mrs. Mason was often walked by
his mutterings and exceeding restless.
ness.
The poor wife tried all sorts of ad-
vertised cures for drunkenness, and
her husbands coffee was persistently
tinctured with alleged secret remedies.
which. of course, had no effect what
ever. Meanwhile Mason was growing
emaciated i'll face and respondent i'm
! mind, when an event of great impor.
lance took place.
One of Everett's dentists had de.
parted this life, and his widow decided
TO Sell his entire professional outfit at
auction. Mason attended the sale.
Finely upholstered chairs, cuspidors.
fOrcepS, drills. gold leaf. rubber moulds
| and al! the other gruesome paraphernalia
went # without arOuSlng auy special
interest in him.
But when Auctioneer Chase drew
back curtain and exposed to view a
big retort with its numerous tubes and
stopcocks, and asked for bids upon the
same. there was change. In a voice
trembling with excitement, Mason bid
$40 for the apparatus. and raised his
figures every time anybody else made a
uid. At $35 the gas machine became
the property of the eager Cornelius, and
Ia a l. =.
10 an unfinished room in the attic.
Mrs, Mason SAYS that her unha nnieas