, 1877-08-03
A Bulgarian Feast.

Colonel Baker was one day invited to
dinner 10y rich yeoman in Bulgarian
village, who had risen to independence by
agriculture, and was now the owner of
landed property and large flocks of sheep,
though he had commenced life with only
a plow and pair of buffaloes. His ac-
coant of the feast is not uninviting:--
About s o'clock my Bulgarian host
came to announce that dinner was ready,
and we proceeded to his house, where we
were ushered into the room, for there was
only one besides the family bedroom.
Everything WAS scrupulously clean, the
room was tastetully arranged with rugs
and cushions, and there was a blazing
fire on the ground in the center of the
room, and upon it several copper pots
which gave forth most savory smells.
The female part of the establishment
were there to receive me, and they con-
sisted of the wives of the host and his son,
together with daughter, all remarkably
plain. But the heat! The month was
July, and the room was like an oven,
while I, as the honored guest, had to
take the seat near the fire!
whispered to the Vice-Consul that
before dinner was half over there would
be nothing left of me but the wick, and
SO he considerably suggested to our host
that as it was lovely moonlight night,
we might dine in the veranda. Happy
thought Our host at once consented,
but not without expressions from the fe-
male portion of the company that we
should die of cold, although the thermom-
etor was at 10 deg, Fahrenheit.
We were soon seated, cross-legged
and Turkish fashion, in circle on the
ground in the veranda, the ladies looking
on; in the center was placed basin OF
soup, and We were each given shallow
iron spoon, with which we were supposed
to dip into the common bowl. Ii there
is one thing which / cannot "abide" it is
sitting cross-legged aud Turkish fashion
on the hard ground. The heels of my
buots get into wrong places, l find that l
have bones where | always thought all
was soft, and l either sit so far back
ward that am in danger Of rolling over
in that direction, or 50 far forward that l
have the appearance ofsaying my prayers,
besides which get the cramp; so that
altogether 1 did not feel exactly at my
ease in this sedentary attitude. Added
to this, the distance from my mouth to
the common bowl" was considerable,
and to transfer the soup across it in a
shallow spoon was feat which was only
to be accomplished by patience and per-
severance. In my first attempt got the
cramp in my foot when my spoon was
half way to my mouth, and deposited the
soup outside instead Of inside my waist
coat, and learned that it was decidedly
hot, which was so far satisfactory.
then tried the kneeling attitude and
got on better. The soup was delicious
mixture of sweets and sours, and full of
vegetables.
Next came lamb, roasted whole, head
and all, which we all cut at in common;
but the expression on the lambs counte-
nance made me feel like cannibal. The
delicious pastry called "melena" fol-
lowed, wine was handed round during
the meal, and even an alderman might
have felt that he had dined.
The son of our host and his wifethen
came round with a brass dish, piece OF
soap,and very pretty embroidered towel,
with which we clean,ed our hands, and
relapsed into coffee, cigarettes, and con-
versation.