The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1872-11-23
COOKING 4 DINNER.
How q Tennessee Girl Created Q Sensation

COOKING 4 DINNER.
Row Tennessee Girl Created . seusatien
Memphis Cores Of the Louisville Courier-Journa al
l heard Of a young lady the other day up
in Middle Tennessee who. ne river men say.
has taken another chute The story told
about her did my soul good, and for the
comfort Of other half starved dyspcptics like
myself, whose tardy sustentation is effected
by means Of fried chicken, soggy biscuits,
greasy hash and sole leather fritters I'll re.
late it. For years past, as mere matter Of
form something handed down from remote
antiquity the officers of the county fair
held in the nj ghborhood where this young
lady lived have been in the habit of offering
/" premium to the lady (upmarried) cooking
the best dinner. It was dead letter. No.
body had contested for the premium within
the memory Of the Oldest inhabi;ant.
This year, however, the young lady of
whom am speaking determined 10 compete
for tho prize. Her namc-I wish l could
innortalizc twas Kate Janaway The
Fair men set up stove for her, stretched q
canvass 10 shield her from the sun, and about
II o'clock Of the last day she went to work.
The matter had been talked abont Ivy every
one in the ncighborhood, and curiosity was
on tip.toc. A crowd collected around the
the place where the stove was set up carly
in the morning, and kept increasing; but
when Miss Kate herself, buxom. hand.
some girl of nineteen, daughter Of the cx>
Mayor of the town, appeared on the ground
and putting on white apron and rolling up
her sleeves. commenced operations, oil other
attractions were nothing. Every one was
eager to see SO novel sight. There was a
tree near by which soon became black with
spectators who had climbed up 10 get bet.
ter view. The branches were. finally. So
burdcned that one by one they broke, pre-.
cipitaiing those upon them to the ground,
until only one man was left in the tree, lie
sat in lofty fork, with eyes rveted on the
scene below. No amount of persuasion by
those beneath, envious Of his better view,
could induce HIM to come down; even a
bride o: $40 failed. He was bound to see
or die.
Meanwhile the dinner preparations went
on apacc. The savory smell Of the cooking
food seemed to intoxicate the crowd, which
pressed nearer and nearer 1t took all the
police force on the grounds to keep order.
The time arrived for the trolting match an
nounccd as the sport of the day, but the
ampitheatrc was empty. The Judges with
the exception of one Grabbed old widowcr)
the timers, all were missing, and 60 nothing
could he done. At half past two tho dinner
was announced ready, and the judges, lap.
py men, seated themselves At the tsble-.he
crowd regarding them with ill.disguised
envy. A roast Of beef, dclicstely done, was
put steaming hot upon the table; then fol.
lowed corn pudding, whose delicate aroma
fell upon the olfactorics of the excited crowd
like ''brcczes Of Araby the blcst." A pro-
fusion of vegetables, cooked to perfection.
followed next. The judges ate and ate.
praising the favor of the food aud the skill
Of the cook ., very moutbful. But when,
1t last, dessert Of piping hot apple dump.
lings made ito appearance, the forbearance
Of the crowd was ct an end. They broke
through the ropes into the ring with one
accord, and the dumplings disappeared in
lrce.
One old fellow, proprietor Of Il store and
owner of big saw mill, proposed 10 the
young lady ON the spot, but he was quickly |
collarcd and led off the grounds by two
younger aspirsnts, who made common
cause against the aged sutton, saw.mill and |
al. That young lady was the centre Of at.
traction In Ter town sitter the cooking feat.
She received twenty .dyc offers of marriage
The first week, and her fame spread tho
Bntirc width Of the country. An old bach.
clor fellow down in Giundy county, with .
farm 80 big that it takes him oil day 10 ride
around It, and cattle On q hundrsA hills,
heard Of her. and made : pilgrimage oil the
way to that town to learn Tho trath. H
got the girl. too, although some Of the
young men of that place sued out writ of
Ia6eos corpus to prevent her heine carried
'ut of the county They were too late.
She ought to have married that fellow
who sat up there In the crotch Ut the tree %
0ng and at such fearful discomfort. He
wanted her, and he was apoor, bilious dys-
pcptic whom her splendid cooking would
have soon restored 10 usefulness and society
but he was poor. All! -