The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1872-11-08
COOKING A DINNER.
How a Tennessee Girl Created a Sen.
sRtiOn.

How a Tennessee Girl Created a Sen.
(Gcupais Correspondence Of the Louisville Cour.
ier.JouInAl.
! heard Of young lady the other day up
in Middle Tennessee who, as river men
say, has taken another chute. The story
told about her did my soul good, and for
the. comfort Of other halfstarved dyspep-
tics like myself, whose tsrdy sustenation
Is effected by means OF fried chicken,
soggy biscuits, greasy hash and sole.
leather tritters, I'll relate it: For years
past, as mere matter Of iorm-somethinV
handed down from remote antiquity-the
officers Of the county lair held in the
neighorhOod where this young lady lived
have been In the habit OF offering pre-
MUM 10 the lady (unmarried) cooking
the best dinner II was a dead letter.
Nobody had contested for premium
within the memory oil the oldest inhabi-
tants. This year, however, the young
lady Of whom l am speaking determined
10 compete Tor the prize, Her name-I
wish could immortalizs twas Kate
Janawsy. The fair men set upa stove
for her, stretched q canvas to shield her
from the sun, and about eleven o'clock OF
the last day she went to work. The mat.
ter had been talked about by every one
in the neighborhood, and curiosity was
on tiploe, A crowd collected around the
place where the stove was set up early In
the morning, and kept increasing, but
when Miss Kate herself, a buxom, hand.
some girl Of nineteen, daughter Of the ex.
Mayor ofthe town,appeared on the ground
and, putting on white apron and rolling
up her sleeves, commenced operations, ali
other attractions were nothing. Every
one was eager TO see so novel q sight.
There was tree near by which soon be-
came black with spectators who had
climbed up TO get better view. The
branches were, finally, 30 burdened that
one by one they broke, precipitatiuk those
upon them 10 the ground, Until only one
man was left in the tree. He sat 10 alofty
fork, with eyes riveted on the scene be.
low. No amount OF persuasion by those
beneath, envious Of his better view, could
induce him 10 come down, even bride OF
ten dollars failed He said he was bound
TO see or die. Meanwhile the dinner
preparations went on apsce. The savory
smell Of the cooking food seemed to in.
toxicate the crowd, which pressed nearer
and nearer. 1t took all the police force
on the grounds to keep order. The time
arrived for the trOtting match, announced
as the sport Of the day, but the amphi.
theatre was empty. The Judges, with
the exception OF one grabbed, old widow.
err the timers, all were missing, and 80
nothing could be done. At hali.past two
the dinner was announced ready, and the
Judges, happy men, seated Themselves at
the table-the crowd regarding them
with ill.disguisCd envy. A roast Of beef,
delicately done, was put steaming hot
upon the table, then followed corn pud.
ding, whose delicate aroma fell upon the
oItactOriCs Of the excited crowd "like
breezes Of Araby the bIestr profnsion
Of vegetables, cooked TO perfection, fol
lowed next The judges ate and ate,
praising the flavor OF the food and the
skill Of the cook at every mouthiul. But
when, at last, dessert OF piping hot
apple dumplings made It's appearance,
the torbearAnce OF the crowd was at an
end. They broke through the ropes into
the ring with one accord, and the dump.
lings disappeared in trice.
One old fellow, q proprietor Of q store
and owner of big saw mill, proposed 10
the young lady on the spot, but he was
quickly Collsred and led of the grounds
by two younger aspirants, who made com.
mon cause against the aged sutton, saw
mill and all. That young lady was the
center of attraction in her town after the
cooking ieat She received twenty. Eve
oilers OF marriage the first week, and her
fame spread through all the country
round. An old bachelor fellow down in
Grumpy county, with o farm SO big that
1t takes him all day TO ride aroundit, and
cattle on hundred hills, heard Of her,
and made a pilgrimage all the way to
that town 10 learn the truth. He got the
girl, too, although some of the young men
OF tue place sued out writ Of habeGS cor
pus toprevent her being carried out OF the
county. They were too late.
This is, ! am aware, u rather sad ending
for so good story, but devotion TO the
tru til cOmpels me TO give nothing but the
simple, unvarnished reality.
She ought to have married that fellow
who set up there in the crotch Of the tree,
so long and at such fearful discomfort.
He wanted her, and he was poor, bilious
dyspeptic whom her splendid cooking
would have soon restored to usefulness
and society: but he was Door AM