University of Oregon monthly., March 01, 1908, Image 25

28
U N IV E R SIT Y O F OREGON MONTHLY
An Opium Den
I “Gambling and opium den discovered, after search by police^ of
ten years.* b p l h t o public tin s w eek /’ read R o n a^T h p rA Îp n to h i^
¿Ompamon. R B I would b e’joflyHun, ïe#5 go- thfs a f t e r ^ u . ”
H is companion, an older man
W lip and
made’ no answ er.
t
’/ -
v. j ' ' ‘ I S i
' B Thé two» were seated in a large, comfortable .library, hi front
of an opén fire? One 'could aee/at <mte‘ th ^t t f e j é ^ o n i ^ ^ a , doctor^,
study. T he' books .on the book-linked walls lyere large and official^,
lôohing. g ro u n d . the, wall' h u n g diplomas and photographs o t cO~
lege eiaÀsés. ' ‘
|
/ |jg| ' h " ;
^^'T hé^iriehàU îhad been at college together ^ fte e ^ y^arsR
T h e older map, Dr. Ballard, had gone | | | San Francisco, injnj^djate-
l y rafter graduation, and had made* a n^me for* himself, and, incident­
ally" 'money. ^S p n âïtfiia d ^ é e n a Soplimory at the tjme ;o^ his, c p ^ - ■
radé’s'-S èparture^anï ailed "his ¿ollêgef course', hâving inherited, h i^
u n c le s fortune, had completed h is-^ u c a tio rU n Europe. 'T ogay w as
their rfirst’ yisitto g e th e r since^oljd college days.’
Ronald was one who m ust be on’ thg, go^' m ust be; am uge^ a i $
he h a ^ c o m e ^ ^ r is c o ^ o ^ b e ^ s h o w n the to&n’,” and didn intend to
w aste any tim e.
,
. “Come on, let’s go ndw,” he repeated,-starting for the h a l l .| lh e
doctor made some excuse about the, “rain,” and^ftpo bad day, but
he was- hustled out of the chair, intp his oyercoat and out into the
Ciwiiv.
,
. <
storm.
They* soon reached China-tow n, and stopping' o n ly .toy secure
a guide, began the descent to the dens below. E verything was
black and grimy. They passed- along'narrow corridors and when­
ever a door w as'opened a ,li^Jg, ^g%ti^c If-ell Tajjg oij^.
From almost every corner tbe.iaceypf, a wrifiklg^ Chinaman
appeared, vanishing a t si&ht of. tjhe.guid^.
I t seemed as though they h ad g o n e mijgg, lyhyn a^lp st t^e guide
opened a door and they e^ered , a ppoin ablaze with ligljts^m which
were four large tables,'and, on t h e ^ l a y cues, and baUs ^s though
a game had been in progress. Ronald remarked this and wondered
wheYe the players had g o n e / Ift answer the guidp w ynt to ;.the side