The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1877-06-28
Travelling With an Interpreter.

| At Slatitza, a pretty Bulgarian village
I had q fair specimen of the beauties q
travelling with an Interpreter who wa
also steward and generalissimo OF my lit
tie party.
| Pano had been In America, and hat
caught some Of the smart habits Of tha
energetic race; but he had not lost til,
habitual dilatoriness of an Ottoman sub
fject.
He begged me not to trouble mysel
there were fowls to be had, and in al
hour he would have grand meal ready
consisting of soup, boiled fowl, stuffed
cucumbers and melina, delicious Bul
| garian pastry.
days ride of over fifty miles, was decided
ly comforting.
Pano disappeared into the family haunts
of the inn, and ! leisurely unpacked my
bag, had comfortable wash and change
and, as it was lovely evening, took a
stroll through the town.
returned in about an hour and sal
down to read. / was extremely hungry
but knowing the customs of the country
was determined to be patient
Time passed; 1 looked at my watch,
and found it was more than two hours
since Pano had assured me the dinner
would be ready in an hour. I therefore
inwardly congratulated myself that il
would soon appear; possibly the fowl was
tough and required extra boiling.
In about quarter of an hour my at
tention was attracted by a great hustle out.
side, and an evident alarm among the
poultry, with sounds as though of missiles
flying about. "What Is the matter, Pano p,
/ am trying to catch this fowl, sir.'
"What fowl?' "Oh, this fowl for din
ner, SIR" He had not even commenced
to cook the dinner, and it was now past
eight O'Clock.
But the delay did not lay there. When
the fowl was caught, killed and plucked,
it then occurred TO them that fire was
necessary to cook 1t, and sticks had to be
found and blown into flame; and all this
time the Khanjee's wife was, of course,
talking vivaciously. } Bls5J E'
At last, some time after nine O'Clock,
the pot was bubbling on the fire, and a
smell as of incense waited through the
air. At ten O'Clock thought the soup
r-,sse -~e >sJ--- 5,-----a
something in plate. What are you
doing f'' I asked. ~ have got some
rice, sir; it's capital for soup; SO I'm 60
ing to put 1T in. Soon we shall have fine
dinner"
Now. .ice nearly takes an hour to boil,
and he was deliberately, at ten O'Clock,
going to put rice into the soup, which was
then nearly ready. t,g4I5lsLtf-
My patience was exhaustec and the
pangs of hunger were strong upon me !;
so, seizing the pot, made off to my
room, and supped off stew and bread, to
the great disappointment of Pano, who
would have had the whole of his promised
courses ready if had waited till past mid
night. This is not an exceptional case,
but the rule of dilatory action than other
wise, and type Of the manner in which
the whole administration of the couh-
try, public, private and domestic, is car
ried on.
NV trouble with Pano, the interpreter,
was almost as great as my annoyance with
Pano, the caterer At the risk of trying
the patience of my readers, will give an
instance OF the difficulties which usually
beset me.
am passing field, and espy crop
which have never seen before, and q
man working in the field. / call up the
interpreter. Pano, what Is that grow
ing there?" 81 don't know, sir" !" Ask
that man, and find out all about it," He
talks to the man for about ten minutes.
"Well, what does he say?" He says,
sir, that he plants little seeds, and it grows
like that" . Does he give it TO his horses
or cattles' Another long talk now takes
place, and the answer comes at last. No,
he does not give it to his CATTLE y What
does he do with it, theni" More talk.
He SAYS it is little white seed. Sort of
brown color.'' Well, what does he do
with it?" A very long conversation, car
ried on in crescendo tones, and which be-
came very excited. Now we shall have
it. aHessays, sir, that there is a little
oil in that seed y Well, what does he
do with the soilp' Talk. He sells the
OIL" do people burn the oil" Talk.
g No, he says the people do not burn the
OIL F" What do they do with it?'' Talk.
"He says they eat the OIL" stWhat is the
name Of it?" Talk. He says they call
it different names" "What is it generally
called % Talk. "He says it's sometimes
called sesame" He then plunges into
violent conversation, until you would sup
pose quarrel brewing, and at last says
This man says that cattle are very fond
of that"
This leads to a new line of inquiry, and
at last, out Of all the answers, l learn thai
the plant is called sesame that it Is grown
for its seed, which is made into oil; tha
this oil is eaten with various kinds Ol
food; that the refuse is given. in the form
of ssoil cake,n to cattle; that it is q sum
mer crop and profitable. Baker's Turkey
= - ~. ~ -