A well known writer who came to New Orleans in 1877 was known as 'A Lapidary in Words'

Lafcadio Hearn

"Cooling your coppers" is an old slang term for treating a hangover (the neighbors and I were out howling at the eclipsed moon last night). Old Noo Awlins guzzlers used to "cool their coppers" with Vichy or Kissengen waters (in the early days of steam engines, boilers were made of copper and the term was derived thusly).