Smyrna times., 1901-01-02
A CHINAMAN'S
GRATITUDE.
Story of a Morphine Taker.


"Well, there's one good thing about
Chinaman, anyhow - he's grateful"
reminiscently remarked a Washington |
man who put in couple of cruises as
an apOthecary in the United States ma
w. "You may of late, in the great |
mass of rubbish that's been written |
about the slant eyes. have seen that |
fact disputed. but 1 just happen to
know that a Chinaman's grateful. How
ever, in order to make the point clear,
I'll have to begin at the beginning. So
here goes:
"When l was serving on board a
cruiser on the Pacific station. l had as
a shipmate a private marine named
ah, well, Tom Kingsley is near enough
to it. Some of his people, of good sta
ton, are still living in Philadelphia,
and this boy hurt them enough, so We'll
just make it Tom Kingsley. Kingsley
went to the ship with detachment of
marines quite awhilee after 1 was at
tached to the vessel l noticed him
particularly as soon as he came aboard
not so much that he was a tall, broad
shouldered. fine looking chap, who
completely Outclassed the bunch he
Joined with in appearance and bear
ing, as because | saw what his trouble
was as soon as l clapped my eye on
him. | understood as soon as l made
the discovery why Kingsley was wear
ing the uniform of buck private in the
marine corps. 1t was because a slav-
cry to which he had become addicted in
civil life had rendered him unfit and in
competent to keep up with the process
sion in civil life.
THAT is to say. l didn't need two
looks at Kingsley to see that morphine
had him. His gray eyes focused to
pin points. and he had all of the other
exterior indications of the man chained
in the mOrphia bondage.
AT the inspection on the Sunday
following Kingsley's coming aboard l
watched my immediate chief, the ships
surgeon, narrowly to see if he was go
ing to get on to Kingsley when he
passed by the marine in following aft
er the commanding officer. When the
surgeon passed by the row of marines
drawn up in their mastering clothes,
eyes straight ahead, l observed that
he gave one sharp glance at Kingsley.
and that was all.
Below, in my stateroom, after in
spection the surgeon looked at me out
of the tail of his eye.
"'Have you noticed that marine,
apothecary?' he asked me.
"'Yes. sir | replied.
"'Hum! I'm glad to be corrOborat-
ed. yet was sure couldn't have been
mistaken said the surgeon. Better
have an extra eye to your store of
morphia. Keep it under cover
However. Kingsley didn't become
incapable. He was an admirable sol
dier of the sea. He was always right
on the minute. top nOtcher on guard
duty, a spick and span man always
The marine officer in charge of the
guard never. of course. suspected thai
there was anything wrong about Kings
ley, and he thought so much OF thf
mans faithfulness that he had hin
made a corporal a couple of months
after Kingsley Joined us. Kingsley
was always under the influence OF th'
drug of course. He never ran out o.
the stuff. You know how morphine
slaves provide against that awful con
tingency. He kept on edge all TIT
time and never appeared to overshoo
his limit Kingsley surely was maj
Of powerful self control in that respect
However. | knew that it would &c
him in time and throw him. 1t alway
does throw it's victims If they give
rope enough. you know. and morphin
is one of those things that just dc
mands all the rope it wants.
"KiaGsley knew by intuition that
knew about his habit, and he avolde
me very elaborately. One noon hou
however, | happened to be smoking
pipe at the gangway. Kingsley wa
looking out over the beautiful harbo
Of Acapulco in his dreamy. dopy wa
his way, that is to say. when he wa
off duty. Well. edged over to King
ley We were quite apart from tn
rest of the men.
"'Bucko.' said in as kindly wa
as | could-I felt sorry for Kingsle
who was most obviously gentleman
you want to cut Il out. You do Tor
fact. It'll nail you. It's a game yo
can't beat. Nobody can beat It, l ca
reduce you gradually-eighth OF gra
day. Better let me take hold OF 20
It'll be on the quiet
E That's good of you, PAL repli'
Kingsley, never taking his eyes ava
from the horizon to look at me. 1 woI
forget it. but I've tried reducing :
fore. l am going to make the fig
alone. I'm going to hang on II 1t XII
ne. Death is only little thing, an
how, compared to this slavery. Wh
we hike away from here for the islam
next week, I'm going to heave all I
got Of the stuff over the side. Th