New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-11-16

had told me about. Mr.. Cooper grasped my hama
warmly, still imprecating his luck in breaking
pipe which he had smoked for forty years, and
then We all sat down around the fire. Gradually
others dropped in till there were nearly a dozen In
the room. All made occasional excursions through
the door to that region where prohibition ola not
do what might be expected OF 1t from Its name.
Mr.. Cooper, the clerk, after throwing his broken
pipe into the fire with a parting voiiey wnich
would have made a professional pirate trembe,
corner and went in to supper still wearing hi, hat.
When he came out he went through the private
door back Of the counter and was gone about nve
minutes, during which time the landlord sighed
the others and sat down and began to smoke.
After awhile somebody said something about
big days work he had done, and Mr.. Cooper spoke
mp SHARPLY nnf h toa MIN ra wear aSo
this last summer began the clerk soemny' :,
done days work that was iivin wonder. IL
was deowD on Zeb Green's place, an II was mowin
grass. There was nine Of US started In IN the
mornin, an at night was the only one left-rest
all tired eout. | took drink OF good Jamaica
rum ev'ry time / come around, an wore eout
People come from miles around for the next ten
year to see the big piece that Bill Cooper moved
in one day" Everybody said it must have been 7,
Of az remarkable s days moving which he did thirty
years ago, but Mr.. Cooper looked at HIM con-
temptuousy and got up and went through the
prlVate door, while the landlord gIOdEeu' hitei
Mr.. Cooper had been back ten or fifteen minutes
he suddenly asked how long ago II was that ne
had said il was when he did the big moving at
Zeb Green's. lie was told forty years. He looked
disguised and swore little and wondered how
he made the mistake. 1t was fifty years ago last
July, and he tired ont thirteen men, Then ne
rested while and again disappeared through the
secret door. When he came out he smoked q pire
full and again told the story of his big days work
at Zeb Green's substantially as before except that
he placed it sixty-ive years before, and said that
he tired out twenty-One men. 1t was becoming
interesting, especially after he made another trip
through the door and said that il was seventy
years ago that he tired out twentysix men at Zeb
Green's. The landlord explained to me in low
voice that Mr.. Cooper was first-clasS hotel clerk
for duty in the daytime, but that as night clerk
he was failure on account Of that moving story
Mr.. Cooper continued to make regular trips, and
gradually the evening wore away and the CON-
pany broke up / asked the landlord to show ME
to bed. He went in the dining-room and got
candle Just as started up the stairs Mr.
Cooper, who had not been visible for twenty
minutes, put his head out Of the private door
Boys" he said. femme tell you bout big days
work done at Zheb Green's Hundred year ago
thish shummer-forty-fve men tired out Whoop!
Then we went upstairs, while Mr.. Cooper checked
off every name on the register as paid. :" Mr..
Cooper is q born hotel clerk" said the landlord
as he left me in my room, and he would a. been
clerk in some big house where they've got forty
or fifty rooms if it hadn't been for that mowin
story. It's held him down all his life. I've
known him to get it back as far as hundred and
thirty year, with sixty-five men tired out.