Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-10-23


Elias Whitney, D. D., Principal of the
much addicted to opium. The habit
grew upon him, IS / understand, from
some foolish freak when he was at COL
legc; for having read DeQuincey's de-
scription OF his dreams and sensations,
he had drcnched his tobacco with laud-
anum in an attempt to produce the same
effects. He found as SO many more
have done, that the practice is easier
to attain than to get rid o {, and 70. many
years hc continued to be a slave to the
drug, an object of mingled horror and
pity to his friends and relatives. ! can see
him now, with yellow, pasty face, droop-
ing lids, and pin-point pupils, all huddled
in chair, the wreck and ruin Of noble
man.
One night--it was in June, 'se-
there came a ring to my bell, about
the hour when q man gives his first
yawn and glances at the clock. l
sat up in my chair, and my wife laid
her needle work down in her lap. and
made q little face Of disappointment.
A patient!" said she. you'll have
to 60 out"
groaned, for was newly come back
from weary day.
We heard the door open, a few hurried
words, and then quick steps upon the
hnoleum. Our own door flew open,
and lady, clad in some dark-colored
stuff, with black veil, entered the room.
you will excuse my calling so
late" she began, and then, suddenly
losing her self-control, she ran for
ward, threw her arms about my wifes
neck, and sobbed upon her shoulder.
"Oh, I'm in such trouble" she cried;
IL do 50 want little help" .
Why" said my wife, pulling up
her veil, ''it is Kate Whitney. How
you startled me, Kate! l had not
an idea W no you were when you came in. "
II didn't know what to do, so
came straight to YOU" That was
always the way. Folk who were in
grief came to my wife like birds tC
. lighthouse.
1T was very sweet OF you to come
Now, you must have some wine ano
water, and sit here comfortably ano
tell us all about it. Or should yo,
rather that ! sent James off TO bed?'
"Oh, no, no! ! want the Doctor;
advice and help too. It's about lsa
He has not been home for two days
] am so frightened about him.
IL was not the first time that she
had spoken to us of her husband!
trouble, to me as doctor, to my
wife as an old friend and schoolscom
panion. We soothed and comforteo
her by such words as we could find
Did she know where her husband was,
Was it possible that we could bring hin
back to her?
II seemed that it was She had
the surest information that of late
he had, when the fit was on him, made
use Of an opium den in the farthes,
east Of the city. Hitherto his orgies hao
he had como back, twitching and shat
tered, in the evening. But now the spell
had been upon him eight-and-forty
hours, and he lay there, doubtless among
the dregs of the docks, breathing in the
poison or sleeping off the effects. There
he was to be found, she was sure OF n
at the ''Bar Of Gold" in Upper Swandanl
Lane, But what was she to do? How
could she, a young and timid woman
make her way into such a place, ano
pluck her husband out from among the
ruffians who surrounded him?
There was the case, and Of cours'
there was but one way out of it, Might
not escort her to this place? And then
IS q second thought, why should sh,
come At all? was lsa Whitney's medica
adviser, and as such had influence owe
him. ! could manage it better If l wer
alone. promised her on my word tha
] would send him home in q cab withil
two hours II he were indeed at the ad
dress which she had given me. And s
in ten minutes had left my armchai
and CHEEKY sitting-room behind me, an
was speeding eastward in hanson on
strange errand, as il seemed to me at III
time, though the future only could shoy
how strange il was TO be.
But there was no great difficulty i
the first stage OF my adventure. Uppe
Swandam Lane is vile alley lurking be
hind the high wharves which line th
north side OF the river TO the east c
London Bridge. Between a slop-sho
and q gin-shop, approached by stee
fight Of steps leading down TO "a blac
gap like the mouth OF q cave, l foun
the den of which was in search. Odrel
ing my cab to wait, ! passed down tn
steps, worn hollow in the center b.
the seaseless tread of drunken feet
and by the light of fiickering oil
lamp above the door found the latch
and made my way into long, low room
thick and heavy with the brown opium
smoke, and terraced with wooden berthl
like the forecastle OF an emigrant shiI
Through the gloom one could diml
catch glimpse OF bodies lying in strang
fantastic poses, bowed shoulders, ben
knees, heads thrown back and chin
pointing upward, with here and there
dark, lack-lusier eye turned upon I'll
newcomer. Out of the black shadow
there glimmered little red circles {
light, now bright, now faint, as th
burning poison waxed or waned in tt
bowls of the metal pipes. The mo.
lay silent, but some muttered to then