The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1883-01-24
THE FASCINATING DRUG.
Fair PhilndeI bian Who Frequent al
Opiurt Parlor.

Mrs Kate Gibson ia che rroprietress Of
the only opium parlcr IN THU, city, says the
Philadelphia Times She resides in a small.
unpreteuding brick house on Mt. Vernon
street, a few doors tiom Tenth. silver
plate on the door bears Der name, but there
is no other indication that the house is in-
habited. The green blinds are always kept
closed, and the door is only opened for the
patrons of the place, who silently come aud
go. Mrs. Gibson is pale, refined-looking
woman of about S5 years, aud her appear
ance does not indicate a victim of the opium
habit. As far as could be seen in a hasty
Inspection of the three rooms on the first
floor, the interior of the house is furnished
with luxury rarely attempted in house
of the kind. The walls ara rich in gliding
and decoration; on the walls are heavy
Turkish aud Persian rugs aud statuettes. pic
lures and bric-a-brac are scattered about in
every direction. "Thc rooms used for smok-
ing are up stairs" said Mrs. Gibson yester-
day" and, of course, cannot let you see
them; hut you can judge by these that no ex.
pense has been sparedin fitting up the house.
| came TO Philadelphia on the 18th of last
February, and attn quite satisfied that shall
do very well here. My customers are con.
stantly increasing, and among them are some
of the wealthiest ladies in the CITY,"
g II was in New York that l first learned
to smoke opium. Twas taken by friend to
an opium parlor kept by French woman,
called Mme Faulan. No men we're admitted
and the rooms were fitted up with Oriental
luxury. / often renmined there a week at
time without seeing the outside world.
Women prominent in society came there
also, but as a rule they did not smokensuch;
the novelty of the thing alone seem to at
tract them. 1t soon became too expensive
forme to continue to o there, for her charges
were enormous About this time the idea of
having place of my own suggested itself to
ME. had number of friends and money
enough left to furnish few rooms. So
opened an opium pirlor Many OF Mime.
Fanlan's customers ,ams to me, and my
success was assured, would be there to-day
had it not been foi the treaehery of one
whom befriended. Among the frequenters
of the French woma as place was young
actress, then playing leading part in one OF
the New York the aires. She was very
beautiful, and quite the rageamong the gilded
youth who affect things theatrical She
came originally, think from England, and
Of all the opium take IS | have ever seen she
IL - -. Il.
ated with it, and whenever she could escape
| rom her duties at tue theatre she would
come to Nine Faulan's and smoke. short
time after had opened my place she came
tome broken in healti and in abject poverty.
pitied herani took her in aud gave her u
home, bat Sue proved an migrate and | soon
regretted my kindness TO her. In order to
obtain money she info rmed the husbands of
my best patrons that their wives came to my
house to smoke opium. of course this
s...-,4s i,,ii-srs,tt my liisiness in New York,
hut ii Taught me a lesson that l have not
forgotten Mrs CHI som claims that many
Of the freqnpnters o'herplace on Mt. Vernon
street move in good society and reside in
the fashionable quarters of the city, and she
seems to consider herself public benefac.
tress in Offering a quiet retreat to women
victims Of the opium habit, where they can
.ndulgs in safety and comfort. Those who
are in any way known are stared at Il little by
The Others when they first come" she naively
remarked, "but they do not seem to mind
This, and ere very sociable with each other.
They wor.d use opium any way, and they
might as well come to me rs take il in their
own homes. During the winter parties of
three or four will often come together. Ac-
tresses generally come in this way, remain
two or three hours, and then leave together.
Mrs Gibson refused to tell how much she
charged these aristocratic opium smokers,
but from her indirect allusion to coffee served
every hourand carriages constantly on hand,
her charges mus. be considerable. She rig
orously excludes the sterner sex, saying that
men do not interest the women who indulge
in opium.