The Anaconda standard., 1896-01-02
1Western Montana News

ing and slept "a hours. Jan. came
on Sunday and he got up that morn
ing TO make his New Year calls. Then
every Saturday and Sunday brought a
full docket for the police court NOW
we are in luck If we catch a single
victim. No, times have changed. The
town is getting too good. I'll have to
go East" And the veteran sauntered
away, hardly mollified by the New
Years bowl that was thrown into him.
"The old fellow Is right" said one
of the members of the group as they
watched the hands of the clock. Il re-
member the old gang, although L never
trotted fast enough to be In their
class. They were hummers and New
Years day was their great holiday.
They celebrated it with a vim and they
kept IL up as long as ii was possible.
They used to make more calls than
we do now and when they started out
To call everybody knew that they were
out. They were the most enthusiastic
lot / ever saw. / used to wonder how
they could be in shape to call, as their
celebration began the night before and
lasted as long as there was any night.
They would act like lot of Kids on
Hallowe'en Every scheme that sug-
gested itself was carried out and was
worked for all that there was In IL.
The old gang was surely hummer
and served at least to keep the police
men awake o. nights"
II a little inquiry is made there is
no difficulty in unearthing stories
without end about the pranks OF the
"old gang" as the peeler dubs them
Some of these tales would make good
reading IL told about somebody else,
but the participants have now settled
down to sober, busy lives and would
hardly appreciate any narration OF the
celebration of New Years during the
period in which they were the cele>
brants The town Is either growing
| better or else the customs are chang
| ing. Anyway, the New Year doesn't
receive the enervescent welcome that
| II did In the years when the odd
| gang did the welcoming.
II may be this or there may be some
other reason but 1t is fact that night
1 shift in Missoula has become dull
one for the policemen. Instead of nav
ing business thrown at them they have
| TO look hard for IL now. This has re-
suited In q more careful watch being
| kept on hop joints and similar resorts
than formerly and the taking OF the
long draw" is believed to be at present
almost entirely confined to the Chinese
| population. The last raid made by the
police resulted in the corralling Of sew
eral white men, who received such Sc
we're sentences that their fellows are
now keeping very shy. On this raid
| no women were found in any of the
opium Joints, although II is thought by
the police that the Cinnamon have
more than one female on their list OF
patrons But the hop fiend has be-
come less conspicuous than he was
before the police began to keep such a
strict watch over him and his asso-
ciates.
The absolute thralldom i'm which the
opium and morphine habits hold theii
victims is well known. 1t was pain
fully illustrated on Higgins avenue
near the end of the big bridge th'
other day. About 10 o'clock in th'
morning n woman who lives on th'
'Island" came down the avenue, hur
rying along. almost running. AT th'
rear of the First National bank build
ing, projecting into the alley is a smal
bill board of the size known as {
three sheet board" The womar
turned into the alley on her way homo
\ distance of three blocks would brinl
her TO her own door but the cravins
was too strong. She stopped, looked
cautiously around and, seeing nobod,
stepped behind the bill board. Sh
was visible from the windows acros
the street but she imagined hersel
concealed From the hand bag whicl
she carried she took a bottle. II con
tanned morphine. some of which sh
eagerly poured into her hand ant
then transferred IL to her mouth. Thi
done. the poor creature continued he
homeward walk.