Stephens City star. (Stephens City, Va.) 1881-1883, 1882-12-23
INSIDE AN OPIUM PARLOR.
Where Philadelphia Women -of. Fashio
smoke.

Where Philadelphia Women -of Fashion
smoke.
Mrs. Kate Gibson is the proprietress
OF the only opium parlor in this city
says the Philadelphia Times. She re-
sides in a small, unpretending brick
house on Mount Vernon street. q few
doors from Tenth. A silver plate on
The door bears her name, but there is
no other indication that the house is
inhabited. The green blinds are al
ways kept closed, and the door is only
opened for the patrons of the place,
who silently come and go. Mrs. Gibson
Is pale, refined-looking woman of
about thirty-five years, and her appear
ance does not indicate victim of the
opium habit. AS far as could be seen
In hasty inspection of the three
rooms on the first floor the interior of
she house is furnished with luxury
rarely attempted in house of this
kind. The walls are rich in gliding
end decoration; on the floors are heavy
Turkish and Persian rugs, and statu-
cites, pictures and bric-a-brac are
scattered about in every direction.
"The rooms used for smoking are up
stairs said Mrs. Gibson yesterday,
'and Of course cannot let you see
them; but you can judge by these that
40 expense has been spared in fitting
up the house. came to Philadelphia
On the 18th of last February, and l am
quite satisfied that l shall do very well
mere. My customers are constantly in
,reasing, and among them are some of
the wealthiest ladies in the city" On
being questioned about her antecedents
Mrs. Chisom told story of an adven-
turous career.
Seventeen years ago." she said, al
married wealthy Southern cotton
planter. He was the owner of large
plantation near New Orleans, and for
Two years l lived there happily. How
lid l begin to use opium? Well, it is
the old story. l was i'll, and friend
advised me to try it, l did, and ever
since that day l have been unable to do
without it. My life became burden.
| neglected everything and could take
interest in nothing connected with my
home. l made several efforts to give
up the habit, but l found it impossible,
and after every attempt began tax.
ing it in greater quantities than ever
before. My husband died two years
sitter my marriage, and after his death
l turned everything l had into money
and went to live in New York. There
| put myself under the care of ply.
stefan who advertised to cure the
opium habit. He gave me coffee baths
and brandy in large doses, but used
to elude him and get the drug and use
it secretly.
cit was in New York that I first
learned to smoke opium. l was taken
by friend to an opium parlor on
Eighteenth street, kept by a French
woman, called Madame Fanlan. Mans
field, Montaland and other notorious
women were regular patrons of her
place. No men were admitted and
the rooms were fitted up with Oriental
luxury.
L often remained there a week at a
time without seeing the outside world.
Women prominent in society came
there also, but, as rule, they did not
smoke much; the novelty Of the thing
alone seemed to attract them. 1t soon
became too expensive for me to con-
tlnue to go there, for her charges were
enormous. About this time the idea
OF having place of my own suggested
itself to me. l had a number of friends
and money enough left to furnish a
few rooms. So 1 opened an opium
parlor on East Sixteenth street. NV
place soon became popular. Many of
Madame Fanlan's customers came to
me, and my success was assured. l
would be there to-day had it not been
for the treachery of one whom I be-
friended.
Among the frequenters of the
French woman's place was young
actress, then playing leading part in
one OF the New York theatres She
was very beautiful and quite the rage
among the gilded youth who affect
things theatrical. She came originally,
| think, from England, and of all tho
opium-takers l have ever seen she was
the worst. She was completely in
1avuated with it, and whenever she
could escape from her duties at the
theatre she would come to Madam
Fanlan's and smoke. A short time
after l opened my place she came to
me, broken in health and in abiect pow
erty. l pitied her and took her in and
gave her home, but she proved an
migrate, and l soon regretted my kind
ness to her. In order to obtain money
she informed the husbands Of some of
my best patrons that their wives came
to my house to smoke opium. OF
course this greatly injured my business
in New York, but it taught me a les
son that l have not forgotten
Mrs. Gibson claims that many of the
frequenters of her place on Mount
Vernon street move in good society
md reside in the fashionable quarters
If the city, and she seems to consider
lerSelf public benefactress in offer