There were some wicked long knives lying about, and
the whole thing, lit up by the light of one lantern, was a grim picture
of horror I shall never forget and hope never to see again. And this is
called pleasure! What a mercy, Mamma, our idea of joy is different. I
am glad to have seen these strange things, but I never want to again.
Everyone's head swam from the smell of the opium, and Tom said he was
rather sorry he had let us go there because of that; but Octavia told
him not to be ridiculous; experience is what we had come to America
for, and this is one of the sights.
After that we just had fun, going to a joss-house to have our fortunes
told, where a quaint priest and acolyte went through all sorts of comic
mysteries, and finally paired Octavia off with one of the detectives
for her fate! (Tom was furious!) and me with Valerie's brother, and
Gaston looked in despair at that! Then after buying curiosities at the
curio shop, we returned to the automobiles and went to Delmonico's to
supper. But the opium had got into our brains I think, for we could
only tell gruesome stories, and all felt "afraid to go home in the
dark!"
And now, Mamma, in case you have been worrying over us going into awful
places, I may as well tell you that at the end of supper our host
informed us that the whole show of the opium den had been got up for
our benefit, and was not the real thing at all!!! But whether this is
true or no I can't say; if it was "got up" it was awfully well done,
and I don't want to see any realler.
Pages:
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122