THEY PUT IN A SWANKY PLACE
They had imported French liquors and wines of all sorts. They were the
first to give free lunches too. Before that time they had just served
straight red whiskey and nothing else much. There was a fireplace in the
end of the building. Sometimes Jobe, Squire, Cooper would bring in
turkeys. Mr. Williams would buy a bunch and put in the cellar. They would
roast them on the fireplace.
(Old Squire, Jobe, Cooper was a famous man out in the Shive community,
in the west part of the county. Must have served as J. P. And got that
title. Mr. Jerry Waggoner, who worked for John L. Spurlin in the big
store, later had a drugstore at Hamilton, and his boys, were good friends
of mine - married Squire Cooper’s daughter. My Uncle Tom Roddy told me
this story: the boys were having a good time one Christmas night by the
fireplace at Wilcox’s out in the hills. Squire Cooper played the
fiddle, and remarked that he could play anything. There was an old tom cat
on the hearth, and someone in fun told him he couldn’t play the cat. He
picked up the cat, put the end pf its tail in his mouth, pumped him like a
bagpipe, and the cat made music. And Mr. Wilcox, and old fellow, some
years back confirmed this story.
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CHESLEY'S HAMILTON COUNTY INTERVIEWS
BY
HERVEY EDGAR CHESLEY, JR.
Born: 21 November, 1894
Died: 17 July, 1979