The Washington times., 1894-11-18
Tempted to Take Smoke of the Dangerous
Product of the Poppy He Endured Terrible
Suffering and Had Glimpse Of the
Smokers Paradise-Its Enslaving Nature.

within the limits of Washington than any
other city of the same size in the republic of
which it is the legislative center. Some Of
these men are well known, and have nick
names appropriate to their habit. They are
banded together by peculiar tie of SYM
| pathy into an unorganized. but at the same
time existing body. which was called in
faeetious way by one OF its members the other
night. 1.-The united order of dope flends"
These dangerous men do not entice others
| into their atmosphere, but there are plenty of
| silly fellows who have been tempted by curl
! osity or fascination to indulge in a Whit of
the pipe. There are NO places here where
! opium may be smoked at a stated price for
admission, but numerous places exist where
the devotees of the drug meet and satisfy their
| passion. When one sets out with the determi-
nation to try it just for once, it is not a very
hard matter to find the opportunity. Once
drawn within the circle, it will greatly depend
upon the Will power of The unfortunate novice
whether the habit shall grow or not, but the
| chances are that it was fastened upon the
| poor newcomer so easily but firmly that he
! finds himself a "fiend' when too late TO resist.
| The opium habit is like uuicksand-onoe
| within its grasp escape is almost impossible.
| The Chinese, who are we'll known to be slaves
of the poppy. call the desire and the smoking
| of the weed, something that sounds very much
| like ''en she quay"
/ A reporter was walking with a chance ac-
| quaintance in one of the less respectable parts
of the city the other night, when the latter
shifted the air several times.
"Ah / know what that is" he said. ST
! recognize the familiar smell.'
'What is it?''
''Opium"
A little inquiry showed that the smell was
issuing from the rooms occupied by man
who bears well-known nickname and given
! because of his prediction for the drug. II
is no crime to smoke in ones private apart
| ments.
''Thank God, passed through that expert
/ ence and escaped" said the reporters COM
| panion, but it was a hard fight Even now
feel the effects OF my foolish experiment
The excuse that can give is that was Curl
Gus TO know how the drug obtained such con-
| troll over the minds and bodies of its yotaries
I'm not a De Quincey. but I'll tell you as
| clearly as possible about my investigation"
Il had become acquainted with gambler.
and often used to admire his deft manipuIa-
| tion Of the cards. But at intervals he would
| grow i'll at ease and leave the faro table for
a while. This was in the old days when
| gambling was winked at in Washington.
! When the dealer I'm speaking of would re-
| turn he always fingered the pasteboards with
| greater steadiness and ease One day | asked
him what stimulant he used, because was
/ young and little unsophisticated.
"'Opium, my boy, he replied, in a fever
| ish way. I'm wreck without it. steadies
the nerves. Without it I'm like fiddle with
] out strings. Ever try whiff?'
| No never in my life.
"'Take the advice OF fool, then, and leave
| it alone.
But my curiosity was aroused and after
| accompanying my quondam friend several
| times to the place where he obtained his
| favorite smoke. resolved to realize the SEN
sations derived from smoking. One after
noon about o'clock 1 hit my first pipe and 1
shudder now to think of the terribly sicken-
| ing experience.
In the beginning it was hard work to get
the pipestem properly adjusted to my mouth.
and the method of smoking is quite different
/ from tnat when you are enjoying tobacco. In
inhaling opium smoke you draw the fume
into your lungs by a long pull, and then exhale
it slowly. pipefui will last about one min
! ute. and then you have to roll new pill and
so on until the desired effect is obtained
Like most beginners 1 smoked too much at
| the start. but hardly felt the power of the
drug till l arose from the bunk where had
| lain.
Then 1 became comparatively helpless
and staggered like a drunken man, zigzag-
ging toward a water pitcher. of the contents
| OF which drank cupful or more. Nausea
| followed. and when l reached my wooden
| couch again my lower limbs gave way COM
pletely, and l fell helpless and insensible.
lay in that state for three hours, or until my
| gambler friend, who had missed me and sus-
| pected where had gone, found and brought
me to myself. With his help l got to my
room, where l again fell into sleep, dis
| turbed by restlessness and horrible dreams.
II would awake dreaming and with the
| idea that some one was IN my room seeking
| my life. In fact made such a racket that
| the landlady threatened to send for the police
and have me arrested for being drunk and
disorderly and alarming the house. He sum-
moned my gambler friend again at my So
licitation and he sat up with me until morn
ing, when still felt the effects of the drug,
! but was able to rise"
g ''Well. old fellow he said in a bantering
| tone, ''how do you like it as far as you We
gomez
It's pretty rough introduction, 1 said,
| and guess I'll go no further"
"'Ihat's right he returned, you'd better
stop right now, but I'll bet a twenty you
! won't. OF course you smoked too much and
then drank water to make the matter worse.
| If thirsty after the pipe all practiced opium
smokers only drink good strong tea
'' We'll. I'm done with the stuff anyhow.
| "'No, my boy he said quietly, you'll
tackle it again-you don't like to give Up
beat
''1he time came when did tackle the pipe
again, thinking myself strong enough to
smoke without getting sick. l pulled away
for about three minutes consuming three
| pills, and this time got glimpse of what is
called the opium smokers paradise. With
my body and limbs completely relaxed, l
dropped into state of delightful. dreamy
haIf-sleep, languidly knowing all that was
| going on about me, but caring for nothing.
| | was above and beyond all earthly consider
ations. all responsibilities.
''Then there came fearful change Rest
| lessness intervened, and the dream of delight
was rounded off by horrible mental images
| that resembled the harpies of Dore. as he
! pictured them in the Inferno. Then came
| back in dazed way to life again, drank the
| strong tea, as had been advised, and went
| home with all my nerves IN state of protest,
and then, after terrible struggle. left the
! drug alone.
'An opium layout consists of an ordinary
| little tin waiter. knitting needle flattened
| at the end, and gradually receding to point
| at the other. wet sponge in a china dish a
small tin dish to deposit cigarette stumps or
ashes, and pipe of very curious construction.
The opium is black, tarry-!ooking stuff. and
| is imported from China The people of this
! country have a secret mode OF preparing
this extract, making it more palatable to the
taste and easier to get ready for smoking. 1t
| comes from China in an oblong brass box
| about five inches long, two and half wide
| This is only half filled, as in warm weather
the stuff puffs up.
''The men who frequent these Places said
a local detective later to the reporter ''are
| just naturally thieves. The women are, with
| out exception, immoral. l can give you the
names of score of hop fiends in this city,
| and all of them are crooked y