Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-08-21
Cooper Stepped Forth.

| Cooper Stepped Forth.
every European nation. We had lawyers.
doctors. clergymen, college professors. en-
| gineers, editors, and every variety of skill
| ed mechanic. Among the latter was Capt.
Cooper of Connecticut who had learned
| the trade of taller in his youth, and who
was conducting a large clothing store at
| Hartford when patriotism dominated profit
| and sent him into the army.
Where every man felt sick and mean
| to use an expression common at the time,
| only the very sick and helpless were sent
| to the prison hospital, the eastern, ground
| floor room of Libby. Dr. Sabal the con-
1ederate surgeon in charge of the prison
nosp1tai, was as generous and sympathetic
| as he was handsome and able, and that is
| saying much This gentleman kept the
| hospital full, and the5factitha 1t was much
| warmer than the other quarters made it a
desirable place. at n
A Proposition.
There is one ailment which, at the front
| or In prison. "old soldiers could assume
| without immediate fear Of detection, and
| that is rheumatism; Rheumatism of the
affected character has kept many a man,
with more cunning than courage out of the
range OF the enemy's rifles. 1 was myself
| in hospital recovering from typhoid pneu-
monia. when Capt. Cooper was brought
down from the lower east room, Rheuma-
t1sm In the legs had 80 crippled the captain
mat ne could hardly crawl, but his arms
appeared to be all right The nurses in the
hospital were detailed Union soldiers who
mad been confined inethe Pernberton build
ing, warehouse lower down and across
the street from Libby. Capts Cooper prov
ed to be jolly good fellow; but 1t was
noticed that when the confederate authori-
ues were not about his rheumatism did
not seem to interfere with agile locomotion.
got &c,
cannot imagine, but he had those coveted
appliances, and he used them to repair the
damages IN the old uniforms of his com
rades. ~ Ss--A
One day. while Cooper was sitting cross-
legged on his cot. repairing the rents in
capt Bohannan's trousers, La Touche the
PRISON aoJutant, came in and watched the
LYME lyme needle with unusual interest. La
1oucne was a stout man, whose thick neck
ana norid face bespoke love for good Iiv-
ing. he was very neat in his person, a
pacneior, and no end Of a gallant as we
afterWard learned.
"See here captain" called ont Adi+ 7.
iouche, after he had watched Cooper for
some time, are you a regular tailor?'
That Is my trade" replied Cooper.
Think you could make me a full-dress
was the next question.
to go by" =
Oh. we have no plates. but can give Won
the details; know all about EN- Then
the confederate adjutant went on to saw
tnat ne had secured all the materials hut
ina that tailoring had become expensive in
the confederate capital as to preclude the
maxim up of the clothes
&c see, continued La Touche there
is 10 be a ball at the state house in two
weeks and II l could have the suit made
up at reasonable price, in time for that
event, 1t would take a great load Off INV
mind '
Big Price.
Confederate money had deprecated very
much at this time, SO that the prices of ar
ticles. ordinarily plentiful were fabulous.
knowing this, the cautious Yankee asked:
What would you have to pay Rich
mond tailor for making such uniform?"
About $780," blurted out La Touche.
IF l guaranteed you satisfaction and
charged one-half, would you give me the
job?'
Gladly said the delighted adjutant,
and the contract was closed. La Touche
must have thought the transaction irreg-
uiar, Tor there was much secrecy in his
manner when the next day he came in
alone, carrying large bundle, in which
was the material to be made up.
Cooper examined the goods. and after
taxing his customers measure 1.-THE Gus
temer brought tape line with him),
when La Touche turned to leave, Cooper
called out:
Il don't want deposit, adjutant be-
cause I'm afraid you'll clear out and not
come back to my shop for the goods; but
as you know, hard-working man needs
mere and better feed than one who's doing
nothing. So If you could bet me have lit
tie on account from time to time 1t would
give me nerve for the work.
La Touche took the hint and left 500.
AS there were no dangerous cases In the
hospital at this time. the visits of DR..
the morning and evening. On such occa--
sions Cooper had his work hidden away
under his blanket. and his rheumatism was
invariably mo better, sirsi
With nothing to read and only the old
home or the present situation to think of.
time hung like an ever-crushing weight on
the hands of the prisoners. But as sooa
as Cooper started into work in the hes
pital every man who could crawl from his
blanket gathered about to watch.
Every day. soon after noon, La Touche
danced silently into the hospital ITO be fit
ted and to see how the work CT art Was
progressing. At eachi visit he grew more
delighted. TN haven't ready the day be-
fore the ball." said Cooper.
All Had the Same Idea.
The night before this creation in gray
blue and gold was completeft-it had al
ready been paid for-Capt. Singer of the
SD Ohio. who had about recovered from
gunshot wound in the thigh. received at
Chickamsuga, drew me to one side and
said:
II have a plan for escape. and ! want
.of course IN do it, said. "But why
not let me in?"
ST can't"
why not?s
suit" .
had pianI ed to take La Touches unifcrm
from under Cooper's head, and, after pit
ting 1t on. pass ont, when the guards were
changed at daylight the next morning.