The Anaconda standard., 1896-02-13
The CeleStialS Are Enjoying the Fes-
tval to the Full Extent
STEWS, DRINKS AND OPIUM
Nothing Is Too Good for john S
Friends I his Season of Prosper
ity in Mongolian Ouarters-A
Visit to the Dens.

' ltEflutE Win NdIhS anu rus VI III T.
crackers. with reckless abandon and
aoaIous enthusiasm that indicate their
intention to do themselves proud this
year. They are reticent as 10 the rea-
son for their excessive hilarity but
some of them say that il is because
their mother country L. once more at
peace and is prospeIing. Then, too,
thel say q hat fortune mas smiled on
. them here i'm MissOula for the past II
months and they are in better condi-
tion to celebrate than they were last
year.
Whatever the cause. they are doing
themselves proud and visitors at their
receptions are most cordially received.
| From QuOng Gee, All Ping and Gult
Lung, the rich merchants of the local
colony, to Crazy Horse" and BILLY
Murphy" the well-known coolies, there
is nobody that is not having a good
time. They are Teasing upon all sorts
Of mysterious stcWS and candies,
drinking tea and whiskey and gin and
smoking hop until they are all in a
state of Celestial bliss. All of them are
stepping high and smiling broadly and
nothing is too good for their friends
who visit them.
Last night a Standard reporter took
a trip through the Chinese quarter and
visited cellars and sky parlors. Every
where Of course, is the strong odor of
opium smoke and in all styles of hunks
repose the placid faced Mongoilns who
have SuCcumbed to the influence of the
soothing drug which brings visions Of
wealth and happiness to the meanest
and most wretched of it's deVotees. For
visitors there are cigars, tea and
whiskcy ard candied nuts and fruit.
Woe to the man who ventures to PAR
take at all freely of the proffered
viands! The reporter tried it last year
but was shy this trip. Recollections Of
fearful nausea and splitting head
ache restrained him and made him re-
gard with a superior sort Of sympathy
the gull less individuals who loaded
themselves with Celestial dainties.
If one has the confidence of the
Chinamen, this is the best season of all
no inspect the opium joints. 1t is use
less to enter them from the front doors
with the intention of seeing anything
unusual but if one can learn the way
to the private entrances he will see the
opium smoking in all its stages. These
private entrances are supposed to be
known to none who are not to be
trusted.
They are in the queerest and most
unexpected places. In one joint, the
way to the secret entrance is through
a redOlent stable yard. In another the
visitor SqueeZeS himself through a mar
row pasSagcWay between two brick
buildings and, just as he thinks he can
go no further. he finds dark door at
his right hand. In still another place a
gate in high board fence. which not
one man in a hundred would notice.
affords entrance to an innocent looking
back yard, piled high with boxes and
barrels. Across this yard the passage
is perilous, the boxes being piled pre-
cariously and the barrels balanced so
as To fall al a touch. 1t is an ingeni-
sATle F1iN N-ttl 1at Igtrt
once across the yard, there is a door
which is never locked and which opens
into the largest opium joint in town.
In every instance the door is clever
ly concealed and opens into a passage
way which is dimly lighted by a smoky
oil lamp. once i'm this hall, the visitor
is rs far away from the smoking hunks |
as when he started, unless he is posted !
There are many doors, and some of |
them open into the living apartments |
of the Cinnamon. If he opens one of |
these. il is all off with him, as he will |
be regarded as a spy. But if he takes |
the right way. he may wander about |
unquestionod The reporters guide |
knew all the crooks and turns and "A |
complete tour of the joints was made. |
In but one place was any objection in |
terposed and that one was speedily ST. |
lenccd by the reporters companion |
asking for a smoke. He hit the pipe" |
and delayed The trip a little. but +, was |
the only way that the whole thing |
could he seen.
In each of these joints there were |
plenty of smokers. Most of them were |
Cinnamon. but i'm some places there |
were white women and men, not many, |
but enough To show that they are reg |
ular patrons of the places. The women |
were all of the demi-monde and lay on |
the hard hunks. alongside Cinnamon. |
ind iffPranf a hinp h..
tiny. sizzling, sputterng BAN of opium |
whose fumes they inhaled with apuar-
cnt delight The white men who were /
seen in the joints W,u" all men who are |
known To he "tiends." and who have |
gone 50 far as TO be Indifferent to he |
ing seen. In no case was there any at
tempt at conCealment.
In Sing KEGS place where many of |
the Chin uim,n live. there IS one room |
which none Cf the Nongolians will en- |
ter under any consideration. 1t is the /
room i'm which Lee Wah was shot on /
Nov. last. either by his own hand OF
by his cousin. Wong Wing The coro /
and perhaps IL was. but, any way. the |
room in which he was shot is empty /
now and no thinaman will enter il /
When the reporter stepped into it, hr !
was seized by several Chinese hands |
that dragged him out. and their owners /
seemed To regard ii as miracle that /
the reporter did not drop dead. Tie was |
assured that a devil would hereafter /
take possession Of him and he would h- |
crazy i'm "A short time.
This is the back door side of the |
China new year. In the front rooms |
everything is in festival attire. and am /
who cali are cordially received Their,
is much Of interest in both phases of
the celebration.
BRIEFS AND prRSnNAfS