The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1872-11-23
COOKING a DINNER.

HOW TennesSee Girl created Sensatl0n.
emphis Correspondence ofthe Louisville
heard of a young lady the other day up
III 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 haltstarved dyspeptics like myself,
whose tsrdy sustentatiOn is effected by means
of tried chicken, saggy biscuits, greasy hash
and sole-leaiher fritters, I'll relate it. For
years past, "a a mere matter OF form-some
thing handed down from remote antiquity
the officers Of the county fair held IN the
neighborhood where this young lady lived,
have been in the haoit of Offering premium
to the lady (unmarried) cooking the best din
ner. It was dead letter. Nobody had con-
tested for the premium within the memory of
the Oldest lnhabltant This year, however, the
young lady of whom am speaking determined
to compete for the object Her name i wish
could immortahze twas Kate Janaway.
The fair men set up stove for her, stretched
a canvas to shield her from the sum- and about
eleven O'clock of the last day she went to
work. Tie matter had been talked about by
every one in the neghborhood, and curiosity
Was on tiptoe. A crowd collected around
the place where the stove was setup, early inthe
morning, and kept increasing, bat when Miss
Kate herself, q buxom, handsome girl of nine.
teen, daughter of the eG.Mayor of the town,
appeared on the ground, and, putting on
white apron and rolling up her sleeves, com.
menced operations, all other attractions were
nothing. Every one WAS eager to see so novel
a sight There was tree near by which soon
became black with spectators who had climb
ed up to get better view. The branches
were, finally, so burdened that one by one they
broke, preclpltxting those upon them to the
ground, until only one was left in the tree.
He sat in lofty fork, With eyes riveted on the
scene below, No amour. OF persuasion BY
those beneath, envious Of his better view, could
induce him to come down, even bride OF ten
dollars failed He said he WAS bound 20 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. II took all
| the police force on the ground to keep order.
| The time arrived for the trotting match, An
nouRccd as the sport OF the day, but the am
phitheater was empty. The judges, with
| the exception of one Grabbed old wldoweD,
the timers, all were missing, and so nothing
| could be done. At halt-paSt two the dinner
was annCupced ready, and the Judges, happy
men, seated themselves at the table-the
crowd regarding them with ill-disgulsed envy.
A roast Of beet, de!iCately done, was put
steamlng hot upon the table, then followed
corn-puddiug, whose delicate aroma fell upon
the oliactories of the excited crowd like
breezes of Araby the blest;' a profuson of
vegetables, cooked to PERFECTION, followed
next. The judges ate and ate, praising the
flavor OF the food and the skill of the cook at
every mouthtul. But when, at last, a
desert of piping hot apale-dumplings made
| its appearance, the forbea-ance Of the crowd
was at an end. They broke through the ropes
into the ring with one accord, and the dump
llngs disappeared In trice.
One CID fellow, proprietor of store and
owner OF big ssw-mill, proposed to the young
lady on the spot, but he WAS quickly collsred
and led of the grounds by two younger aspi
rants, who made common cause against The
aged sutton. saw.mil and all. That young
lady was the center Of attraction in her town
after the cooking feat. She received twenty
five offers of marriage the first week, and hel
fame spread through all the country round
An old bachelor fellow down in Grundy
County, with farm SO big that it take!
him all day to ride around it, and cattle on
hundred hills, hoard Of her and made pilgrim
age all tho way to that town to learn the trnth
Hs got the girl, too, although some Of the ouns
men of the place sued out writ ofhAbeas csrpu
to prevent her being carried out Of the county
They were too late.
This 10, I am aware, q rather sad ending for u
good story, but devotion to the truth compel
me to give nothing but the simple, unvarnishsl
reality.
She ought to have married that fellow who "a
up there in the crotch of the tree, 80 long, ant
at such fearful discomfort. He wanted her. ant
he WAS q poor. bilious dyspsp,io whom he
splendid cooking would have soon restored +
usefulness and society; but he was poor. All
UYA Ia VWs-~