Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1878-01-19
OPIUsI SMOKING.

stumbling down four or five unex-
pected steps, the visitor suddenly found
himself in small room, lighted bya
single kerosene lamp. The room was
about eight feet in width by seventeen
in length, and the ceiling was low.
There was a small cooking stove at one
side, on which, in shallow tin pan,
dark mixture, resembling molasses,
slowly simmered. The turui:ure was
poor in quality, but comfortable. In a
corner a slight frame work, rising TO
the ceiling, formed two hunks, one above
the other The walls were adorned
with a few cheap colored prints, aud
! the floor was partly covered by a rag
carpet. The air was oppressive with q
strong odor, reminding one of a linseed
oil factory, or of 'drippings' cooking.
AS the party entered an old Chinaman,
with his gray hair but without the cue
or costume of his country, came forward
with a polite air, while a young Irish
woman, of good appearance, hurried
out of an inner room, and took a seat
in a corner OF the main apartment, eye
ing the visitors curiously. Lives here
with these Chinese, said the detective,
pointing to the girl, particularly with
one man who was in the other room
with her. DO many of these Chinese
have white women living with themi'
oh, yes; there are none of their own
women here, and many of the Irish and
American girls in this part of the city
find il easier living with Cinnamon than
with their own people. They have lii
tie or no work to see to. John does all
his own cooking, washes his own
clothes, too, and his girl doesn't have
much else to do but keep herself neat
and clean if she has an inclination that
way
THE old Chinaman was disposed TO
be communicative and hospitable. llo
threw open the door of the inner room
and signifed that the visitors should
pass in. 1t was a much smaller apart
ment than the first. Ii contained three
bunk frames, single one and two that
were double, like that in the outer room.
1t was just possible to squeeze between
them, SO closely were they crowded to-
gether At the side OF each bunk,
against the wall, small board was
placed in slanting position. Upon
this the opium smokers pillars rested,
for the Chinaman INDUCES in his smoke
living crosswise, and not at full length
upon his couch. This space affords po-
sition for :he smoking apparatus, which
must rest at his side moreover, by this
arrangement two smokers can be &C.
commodated on one bunk, reclining
face to face, with the apparatus between
them. There were two men without
coats, waistcoats or shoes in the room,
both smoking. One took no notice OF
the intruders, but the other, bright,
clatty fellow, Strengthened up immedi-
diately and expressed his Willingness 10
demonstrate the methods Of opium sIno-
king. AT his side, upon square piece
of oilcloth, rested q japanned tray Up
on this were tiny lamp covered with
a brass shade having hole in the top;
a saucer for cigarette or cigar ashes a
small ivory box, about the size of
thimble case, containing the prepared
opium, a stone cup 10 receive the burnt
opium, TO be mixed with some that was
fresh and smoked over again and two
pointed wires resembling slender knit
ting needles. The bamboo stem OF tho
pipe, nearly foot long. was at least
one inch in diameter-by no means q
comfortable size for a mouth of moder.
ate dimensions. The bowl was large
and fared at the top, and would haYe
been perfectly solid except for small
hole which looked as if il might have
been pierced by one Of the needles. Tho
little Chinaman leaned upon his elbow
and dipped one of the needles in the
ivory box, taking out drop of svft
opium, from which he dried the mois-
ture by holding il over the lamp; then
he dipped it into the box again, dried
the adhering drug throughly, and this
he repeated until sefticient quantity Of
opium for his purpose bad been collect
ed. Then he threw himself back upon
the pillows with contented air, and
placing the bowl of his pipe close 10 the
flame of lamp, stuffed the opium into
the hole with needle, inbaling the
smoke as be did so. A few pufs, and
he sat up again. That was all he did.
The crude opium, he explained, was
simply mixed with Water, then placed
over the fret could be seen on the
stove in the other room-and stirred
until it became pasty mass like that
in the ivory box. He was asked IL tho
smoking produced intoxication or
stupefaction, or gave rise to those Won
derful ballucinations SO frequently des-
cribed. He said that it did not. He
had smoked il for twenty-six years. The
effect he experienced was feeling of
content, OF happiness; it made every
thing seem brighter, and caused him to
feel strong. Sometimes he smoked from
9 o'clock in the evening until 10 the
morning, during which time he used
from two to three boxes of the mixture,
at cost of about IL cents box. When
he made plenty of money he liked to
smoke five boxes day. lie was fond
of alternating opium smoking with
cigarette or cigar smoking, taking only
a few whiffs at time of each.
'l'he reporter, upon being invited TO
smoke, threw himself upon the bed and
drew vigorously on the pipe, while the
! Chiuaman poked the opium into the
bowl. The first puff caused the impres-