The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1872-11-28
COOKING A DINNER.
How a Tennessee Girl Created
q Sensation.

How a Tennessee Girl Created
a Sensation.
aW W4 = aasaW l-s< .zf 1890 -lR
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Il heard of IA young lady the, other
day up in Middle Tennessee who, as
the river men say, has taken another
chute. The story told about her did
my soul good, and for the comfort oil
other half starved dyspeptics like my
sell, whose tardy sustenation isaffect-
ed by means OF fried chicken, soggy
biscuits, greasy hash and sole-leath-
err fritters, I'll relate it. For years
past, as mere matter of form-some-
thing handed down from remote an
tiquity-the officers of the county fair
held in the neighborhood where this
young lady lived have been in the
habit of offering premium to the la
dy (unmarried) cooking the best din
ner. 1t was dead letter. Nobody
had contested for the premium with
in the memory of the oldest inhabit-
ant. This year, however, the young
lady of whom / speak determined
to compete for the prize. Her name
l wish ] could immertaiize it-was
Kate .Janaway.i The fair men set up
a stove for her, stretched a canvas to
shield her from the sun, and about,
IL lo'clock of the last day she went to
work. The matter had been talked of
by, every one in = the, neighborhood,
and curiosity was on tip-toe. A crowd
collected around the place where the
stove was set up early in the morning,
and kept increasing, but when Miss
Kate herself, q buxum, handsome girl
n 60nnhfoFs of ho 10
or of the town, appeared on the
ground, and, putting ona W hite apron
and rolling up her sleeves, commence
were nothing. Every one was eager
tree near by which soon became black
with spectators who had climed up to
get, . better view. The branches were
finally, so burdened that one by one
they broke, precipitating those upon
them TO the ground, until only one
man was leftin the tree. Hessat in a
lofty fork, with eyes riveted on the
scene below No amonnt, of persua-
sion by those beneath, envious of his
better view. could induce him to come
down. even a bribe of $40 failed. v He
said dohe was bound Ito see or die.
Meanwhile the dinner preparations
went on apace. 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 trotting match, an
nounced as the sport of the day, but
the aamphitheatre was empty. The
judges with the exception of one; crab.
bed old widower, the timers, all were
missing, and SO nothing could be DONE
At half past two the dinner was an
nounced ready and the judges, hap
py men, seated themselves at the ta-.
bie,-the crowd regarding them with
ili-disguised- envy. A roast OF beer,
delicately done, was pat steaming hot
upon the table, then followed corn
pudding, whose delicate, aroma fell
upon the oIfactories of the excited
crowd, like breezes of Araby the
blest;"" q; profusion of vegetables
cooked to perfection, followed next.
The judges ate aud ate, praising fhe
flavor of the food and the skill of the
cook at every mouthful. But when
at last q desert of piping hot apple
dumplings made, its, appearance the
forbearance of the crowd was at an
end. They broke through the ropes
intoa the ring with one accord, and
the dumpiings disappeared in q trice.
One old fellow, proprietor of
store and owner of q big saw min,
to the young lady on the
spot, but he was quickly collared and
led off the ground by two younger as
pirants, who made common cause
against the aged suitor, sawmill and
all. That young lady was the center
of attraction I'm her town after the
cooking fest She received twenty
gve offers of marriage the first week,
and her fame spread through all the
country around. An old bachelor
fellow down in Grundy county, with
q farm so big, that it takes him all day
to ride round it, and cattle on hum
dred hills, heard of her, and made a
all the way to that town |
to learn the truth. He got the girl,
too, although some of the young men
of the place sued out a writ, of habeds
corpus to prevent her being carried |
out of the county. They were too
late. e -s94fgsUE { >ts9s2f3E Z 10 89A9asl 3saI
This ia, i am aware, q rather bad |
ending for so good q story, but devo- |
tion to the truth compels me to give |
nothing but the simple, unvarnished |
reality. iS9H s3taat1 saga s2ii
She ought to have married that fell
low who sat up there in the crotch of
The tree, so long and at such fearful |
He wanted her and, he |
was poor, bilious dyspeptic, whom
her splendid cooking would have soon
to usefulness, and society,
but he was poor. Ah!-Louisrille
Courier j Jougndt. - 1fss alii = Ge