The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-09-02
So! TIE QUEEN or CHINATOWN!
NEW THRILLS FOR PITTSBURG
SPORTS IN RCBBERNECKS.

she's At the Head Of All IIlgbblnders and
COmes From P~IaInneId. Nd. andsmOkes
Opium. and N.Y. How aIIe Can Talk II
You Don't Tip Her Before HOu DO
1t IL the witchng hour Of midnight on
Doysrs street. No sound breaks the atill-
ness a v the dignified ChuR chug OF the
rubberneok wagon as 1t turns o the
corner from the Bowery. The vehicle Ia
full-a likely orowdf from PittsLurg. Duhey's
Corners and points west.
The wagon stops and the passengers
alight. A the crowd moves on TO wee
the Chinese Delmonico's, the Joss house
and all OF the stock properties Of the Tours
to Chinatown by Midnight, one Of the
guides mysteriously taps Smithins Of Ale
gheny city on the arm and draws him to
one side.
"Hushl How many's In your p~arty-threef
Good. Want to see something We don't
show to every ~tOuristP just to . few
people who want to SEQ the real thing
people who know. like yourself, and who
won't peach?
Come with me and I will show you.
Es-hi not q wordi the Queen Of Chinatown.
Smokes hop-married to one Of the big
men Of this district, q ChinamAn-head
Of all the Highbinders'
Thrills chase one another up 6mithins's
spinal marrow. He taps Mrs. Smithins
and Cousin George on the arm and breathes
q word into their ears.
The three sports from Allegheny City
huddle into the shadow Of the wagon until
the common mob ahead has turned the
corner: then they follow the guide on tiptoe
around to . dark door. Here he stops
them.
Now you stay here q minute until go
up and zee II the Queen is in. When you
hear three low whistles-just like this
you push open this door and come up the
stairs inside. I will wait for you on the
landing. Don't be afraid; nothing will
happen, for 1 will be there"
Mrs. smithlns clutches her husbands
arm and shIvsrs when the guide slips into
the lark doorway and shuts the door be-
hind him. Cousin George throws his Gig
arctic away and s~traightens out his neck
tie.
After . minute the three soft whistles
sound from within the p~assageway. Smith
ms boldly pushes open the door n the
three swiftly edge their way into the narrow
passageway.
At the head Of q short flight Of stairs
AuoAu OI L0CU1 DuTEb - tLOOhy AhtIips la
the blurred light stand the guide, with his
finger to his lips. A sibilant whisper comes
down the stairway
Keep quiet
Once at the top of the stairs. the guide
motions them TO stand back In the shadow.
He steps up to a door and knocks twice,
pauses, then another knock. A muffled
voice sounds from within.
Its Frank" whispers the guide through
the keyhole.
There is a sound Of bolts being drawn
and chains dropped, then the door opens
q crack and the head Of the Queen Of China
town appears, aureoled by a dingy glow
from an oil lamp within. 1t is not a pleasant
head to look at and Mrs. smithins gurgles
In sudden fright.
The three tried sports from Allegheny
are ushered into the Queens room and
disposed on two chairs and a trunk. Per-
haps they are a bit disappointed at the lack
Of regal atmosphere manifest IN the rooms
appointments.
ures Of actresses stuck in the frame aroun
the glass, a solid looking bed with an opium
layout on the soiled counterpane, and pegs
supporting two dirty skirts and a waist,
the wardrobe Of the Queen: That Is all.
The Queen, CARRIED in a dirty pink wrap
per and with her couture somewhat unused,
greets the visitors with a languid stare.
Mrs. Smithins feels the gooeefesh rise as
she notes the pasty, wrinkled face above
the pink wrapper, the blackcircled eyes
and the scraggy neck, where the flesh has
fallen away from the tendons, leaving
the protruding thorax to register each
word spoken by nervous lerkngs. The
Queen has skinny hands and her torearms
are like pipestems.
She Chambers over her opium layout on
the dirty counterpane and huddles up, a
dirty bundle, head on pillow and skinny
fingers playing nervously with the top OF
a carved opium box. She dips a mixer
into the black paste, twiris it and brings
up a gummy drop to fry over the flame
OF her spirit lamp. Then as she alter
nately toasts the opium and rolls it on the
edge of her pipe bowl, the Queen begins
to talk in a high pitched whine.
Some people wot hits de pipe quits
after n while. / cant quit; l got the habit
/ been hittin' the pipe for twelve years