St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-09-02

Ease may be-in dirty Chinese den
among mob of the lowest social out
casts. There was a time when this
conception was correct, but it is so no
longer. We live in progressive age.
Chinatown, or cheap fiat in shady
side street in the Tenderloln no long err
claim the patronage of the aristO-
cratic devotees Of "dope." The
private outfit has deprived them of this
superior patronage which once gave
sensational character to their illicit
trade.
There is no reason that any one who
prefers the opium pipe to the cigar of
Havana or the cigarette of the unspeak-
able Turk should not minister to his
own tastes. in his own place of abode.
private outfit can be bought. and the
cooking" as the preparation of the
opium for smoking is called, is not diff
cult to learn, once You have learned the
way. John Chinaman no longer eXer-
cises monopoly of this special art. As
for the drug itself, any one may buy it
in its crude state, provided. of course,
he is prepared 10 lay down the cash for
1t. The dealer in opium, unlike the
dispenser of the fluid stupefaction of
the still, does rot keep a slate.
To person to whom the dope" has
become necessity, the increase in its
price above noted is very serious mat.
ter. The passion for the pipe is pro.
gressive, and Of all forms of the opium
habit it is the most lneradicable, once il
takes firm root. The morphine mania
may be cured. Even the opium eater
can be weaned from his black pills. But
the tiend OF the pipe is its slave.
There are cases recorded of the cure
OF opium smokers. but tine patients, in
no instance have been real, confirmed
and long-eXperirnced fiends. The rare
brands which have been snatched from
the burning have really only begun to
smoke, and have not been infected by
the fire, which takes hold only to con-
sumo its victims.
Like all forms of the opium habit, the
passion for the pipe grows with what it
feeds upon. The smoker who COM
mences with one portion of dope, -
such as the Chinese experts measure
out to their customers as safe doses.
soon requires two. three. four, half a
dozen and more day. The effect of
one dose not only ceases to be pleasur.
able, but unless it is reinforced it be-
comes nauseating. The taste which finds
fifty grains amply sufficient for frs,
experiment gradually but swiftly comes
to demand its diurnal allo vance BY the
hundreds, and even then INDUCES in
opium pills to fill up the intervals be-
tween pipes. 1t is long time between
smokes to the average devctee of
dope"
Some years ago the Recorder reporter,
In the course of tour of the British
colonies in the West Indies, encountered
in DcRerara a young Englishman who
had been taken to China while boy by
his father, who held an official position
at one of the treaty potts. He had
picked up the Chinese language there,
and going to India later there learned
some Of the Hirdoo dialects. His
knowledge of these languages enabled
his father TO obtain employment tor hin
from the colonial government, and he
had been sent to Demcrara as officia
Interpreter for the Chinese and Hiudoc
coolie laborerS who were sent to British
Guiana under contract 10 work on the
plantations. He was well educated
man. athletic and well looking, and, be
Ing III receipt Of handsome salary
lived as an arstocrst among the wealth
lest merchants and officials of the town
About a year ago he made his appear.
ance in New York, wasted in figure ant
bearing all the appearance of a SICK
man. His father had died, he said
leaving to his mother considerable
fortune. Out of this she made him a:
ample allowance. on which he had de
cided 10 l;vs in New York. He wa.
then located 1T hotel with his wife
whom he had married in Demerara. an,