Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-10-11
OPIUM SMOKING.
A Visit to Some of the EEaunts in
st. Louis Victims of the Per.
niciOus Drug.

From the St LOUIS Republican.
A reporter, in company with two detectives
made tour of the opium haunts. After knock
ing at the door in the neighbOrhOOd of 18th and
Market streets, the bolts were shot back and
the trio We're ushered into a dark hall. where
the smell of opium was almost sufocating The
hall was about twenty feet long. and on each
side were two rooms. Two doors on one side OF
the hall were open. and CHANGING in, the re-
porter saw in the first four young men, appar-
emily between the ages of twenty and twenty
five years They were lying on a mattress. in
the center of which stood a tray and lighted
candle. One OF them held a sort of knitting
needle in his hand, on the end of which was
dark substance. which he was holding over the
flame OF the candle
4 dark stairway was found at the end of the
nall. and ascending it slowly the three found
themselves at the open doorway of large room
immediately at the head. Two mattresses We're
In this room, aud reclining about them in vari-
Gus positions We're three women and three men.
All were partially undressed and were busiy
engaged in taking long whiffs from black-iook-
| ing pipes. which one man on each mattress pos
se5sed- The parties We're we'll dressed and
rather Intelligent. and greeted the appearance
of the visitors with an invitation to take pipe
Here, as below. one of the men was engaged In
burning the drug on small piece of steel. The
operation was kept up for few minutes after
which it was inserted in long black pipe made
especially for opium smoking. The steel or pin
upon which it was prepared was then with
drawn, leaving the drug in the pipe. The stem
was then placed In victims mouth and the pipe
lighted. subdued kissing noise then ensued.
during which the pupils of the smokers eyes ex-
panded and his face assumed an expression of
ecstatic bliss.
After few seconds the pipe was withdrawn
from the mouth, and the smoker expelled from
mouth and nostrils huge volumes of BLUSH
smoke and then fell back on pillow in an &c
static frenzy. The opium was again prepared
and placed in the pipe. and handed to q woman
who reclined next to him who had lust smoked.
She was evidently au old. timer, for she handled
the pipe and smoked it in the most expert man.
ner. Thus 1t went around On each mattress.
each smoker taking his pipe In turn.
In another house was found young man.
seemingly well bred and very finely dressed.
His legs were crossed Oriental fashion, and he
had his pipe in his hand as he looked up Iazily
and then turned to the light when his pipe had
been refilled by the white man who did the work
quickly and handed Ii back to the imitator of De
Quincy, who proceeded to inhale the smoke
and eXpel 1t slowly from his mouth and nOstrils
Then he dropped his pipe and fell back upon the
bed. rolled over on his side threw his hands out
on the bed and closed his eyes, to wander i'm
dreams among happy scenes
Yes" said the white man, 1--WE have lots like
him come here, you bet your life. They come
here in fine style; get out of their carriages a
square or two away in the evening, and sneak in
here TO tap the pipe. LADIES' Yes, Seu bet, and
pretty ones in fine clothes, and they smoke and
smoke and lay around there on the floor lust as
happy as they can be. They come here every
day you see. and have the prettieSt pipes of
their own. Nobody knows it, and they lust 90
on smoking every day