The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1898-12-08
TERMS

women [ have ever known. She had
been the idolized wife of a noble man,
and had possessed all that is supposed
to be dear to the heart of woman: a
beautiful home, servants, carriages,
wardrobe ad libitum and jewels ga
lore. There are of course, some swell
joints, but they are generally short
lived. l recall one that was located
not far from the s9th street entrance
to Central Park. The furnishings were
purely oriental, and on a most gor-
geous and expensive scale. 1t never
paid, however, and soon ran its course.
John Chinaman has the call on the
"dOpe" business. There several rea-
sons for this, which space forbids us to
60 into.
The most baneful features of this
insidious habit are the tendency of its
victims to hide it until all hope of cure
is past, and the almost certainty of
dragging others with it. I know of a
case whre a mother, son, three daugh-
ters and daughter.in-law were all
made "iends" through the husband and
father indulging at home. It is said
that it takes two to make a bargain.
This is also true of smoking opium.
1t takes two-One to "cOok." There
are several classes of poppy juice fiends,
via: pipe fiends, (opium smokers) nee.
die, or jab, fiends, (hypodermic syringe)
pill, or white stuff fiends (sulphate
morphia,) and so on down the list, even
to laudanum and soothing syrup. The
| pipe fend, however, is the true sot.
l have read many articles purport.
ing to be truthful description of the
sensations experienced by person af-
ter smoking opium.
Bah! they are either liars or fools,
as we'll ask one whose soul has been
lifted up in an extacy by a flood of mel
ody, to take pencil and paper, and tell
all about it. They might produce num-
ber of nicely rounded sentences, but
the ecstasy would be minus. Would
you like to take in pipe joint tonight
All right. I'll steer you.
You are in good condition, for it is
best on an empty stomach. Now just
leave your watch, purse and character,
(if it be good one,) with my friend,
Hans Miller for safe keeping. (?)
Take everything out of your pockets
which might disclose your identity, for
you may be found dead" in the morn
ing. All right? Well, we live up town
on the West Side; so we will take the
9th Ave. South to So. Ferry, and then
switch to the uptown 3rd Ave-, getting
off at Chatham Square, Here we are
at 600 Pell st.
On! never mind the policeman over
there; he has taken the gold cure, and
is like Justice-stone blind.
Now you want to stick close to me,
for we have got to pass through two
cellars, and they are pitch dark. If
you happen to stumble over "stiff''
don't mind it. You see that lamp on
the bracket, by the door there? Just
like the one the "Pipe Lighter" car
ries, is it not?) Now watch me do the
"open sesame" act. rap three times,
thusly, and say, Cow, Cow. (hello hello)
See! the panel opens and a hideous face
appears. Yes, have read Dante, but
never mind that now. I hand out two
half-dollar pieces, and get two clam.
shells filled with what looks like tar.
What am going to do with themP Oh
don't ask so many questions. You're
supposed to be dead, and you'll wish to
God you were, in the morning. The
door is open, so let us 60 in. Well,
how do you like it? All! The smell
sickens you, does it? Yes, it is bad.
The place was raided once, and police.
man dropped dead at the first Whit.
(fact) You can't see for the smoke,
did you say? I'll describe the place to
you. We are in room made by the
partitioning off of corner of the last
cellar we entered. Around three sides
runs platform, such as you have seen
in country schoolhouse. The flicker.
ing lights which you see, come from
the lamps used in cooking tho opium.
No, the smoke does not come from the