The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1900-12-21
HIS ONE EXPERIENCE
WITH MALAJUANA.


the International Club in Ciudad
Porfrio Diaz. When the heavy ma
tive cigars and little Mexican cigar
cites wrapped in corn husks were
brought in with the coffee the talk
turned to narcotics, and in more or
less interesting narrative ran all the
way from perique tobacco to cocaine.
Nearly everybody spoke on the sub
ject at more or less length, except
Slayden, who listened attentively, but
said nothing. That is his way when
he is sure of a story. Finally, when
the subject was about talked out he
said:
Did any of you ever hear of MaIaju.
ana?" But without waiting for an
answer ne continued: "Well I was a
malajuana fiend once. It's the biggest
drug evil of them ALL The stuff comes
from the dried leaves and bark Of a
kind of native hemp that grows wild
oil over southern Mexico. Its victims
usually smoke it mixed with tobacco
in a cigarette.
Soon after our road began to boom
a certain town and l got mixed up in
a law suit involving the title to some
Durango lots. Just before the case
, was to be tried | was arrested on
some pretext or another and locked up
In jail, incommunicado. The second
day Of my enforced isolation exhaust
ed my own supply Of cigarettes, and
smoking being about my only recourse
was glad to avail myself of the
small. unprepossessing package of Gig
arettes that came along with my daily
supply of food and water. noticed
something peculiar about the first one
that lighted. The taste and odor were
both new to me, but my reflections
upon these qualities were of the brief
est duration.
Most of you know how it feels 10
turn into big, downy, comfortable
bed when you are dog tired, and drift
on with clear conscience into Deep
untroubled restful sleep. Well, be.
fore finished half that cigarette that's
she way felt, with the sensation null
tlplied about ten times, felt as though
was being gently lifted from the
door of my cell, on which I was re-
Ginning when began to smoke. and
warted about the air. I felt as if
something soft and delightfully."- sooth-
ing touched me all over; the sound of
distant music was in my ears; charm.
ing vistas peopled with exuuisitely
graceful forms opened to my eyes, and
in the midst of the comfort and rest.
fulness and beauty of it all l went
beautifully to sleep.
1t must have been the afternoon of
the following day, when 1 walked, for
there. in its usual place, was my daily
allowance of food, full jug of water
and-another package of cigarettes I
was refreshed and hungry, and 1 ate
all the food that had been brought me
1t was the first time had been able
to relish the coarse fare. OF course. I
lit a cigarette as soon as / finished
my meal. experienced only the usu
al mildly ncrcotic effect of tobacco, the
only thing about my smoke that was
at all out of the ordinary being a pun
gent. arop'atic fragrance totally un
like anything | had ever before expert
enced. which found most pleasing. If
was not until I lighted my third Gig
arctic that there was a repetition of
anything like my previous experience.
Upon tho appearance of its first symp
toms l stopped smoking / was con.
WINGED that the cigarettes were
drugged, and determined to smoke no
more of them.
Some hours afterward began to BIZ
oppressed with nausea and other dis
PRESSING sensations. Later my head
seemed ready to split; every bone and
muscle in my body ached my flesh
tdit dead, as If it was dropping off my
bones; my throat was parched. knew
that another cigarette would bring me-
relief, but l felt certain it would be
purchased at the price Of greater SUI.
Iering later on. For hours 1 Law Cd
the hard prison floor and tried to bear
my choice of fortunes, but with the
passing or each minute the pangs null
uplied. At length l could bear them
no longer. In sheer desperation / lit
cigarette, resolved to smoke until
my suffering become bearable.
with almost the first inhalation I
was conscious of dual personality.
All my sense impressions were double.
Gradually one of these personalities
seemed to be lifted out of nv body.
which contained the suffering agonies
and to be poised above it. 1t was aw.
iul. In yet greater desperation I iu.
hailed the potent smoke rapidly AMI
violently. Soon the pain ceased. Nv
body slept, while the part of me that
was conscious fioated out Of the prison
1t was alike independent of matter
time and distance.
Thenceforth the drug was my mas.
ter Two or three times afterwards !
made weak and Intellectual struggles
against 1t, but each time t seemed tc
lie in wait for me with a new seduc,
tlyeness. My confinement lasted buI
ten days. was released without trim
or explanation. Unon regaIning ms
liberty. my first care was to secure i
supply of the drugged cigarettes. j
had carefully saved several packages
enough to last week perhaps. but
yop can scarcely imagine my disma,
when could find nothing like them