The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1880-11-11
LADIES COLUMN.
How She Cooked HIS Pica


Chambe Journal: Sakti Ku-
mara, the hero of a curious Hindus-
tani story, preferred testing a dam
sells capaDility before tying the
knot. Master OF a prosperous and
profitable business, he came to the
conclusion that a wife was wanted
to complete his happiness, and de-
termined to 60 in search OF one.
Adopting the guise of fortune
teller, and carrying some rice
bound up in his cloth, he started on
his travels. Whenever he ercoun-
tered a girl that pleased his eye, he
asked her to cook his rice for him.
Some laughed at him, some reviled
him, none seemed inclined to COM
ply with his modest demand, and it
seemed as if he would have to take
his rice home uncooked. At last
he reached Swira, where he beheld
a beautiful girl, who, instead OF rid
iculing or abusing the strange trav-
eler, relieved him of the rice, and
babe him be rested. Then the
kindly maiden set about preparing
the rice. First, she stepped it in
the water, then dried it in the sun,
and that accomplished, rubbed the
grains gently on the ground, re
moving the avn without breaking
the rice. Calling her nurse, she
dispatched that worthy to sell the
bran, and, with the proceeds, pur-
chase an eartEen boiler, two plat
tiers and some fuel. By the time
this commission was executed, the
rice had been brayed in a mortar,
winnowed and washed, and was
ready to be put in the boiler with
five times its bulk of water. AS
soon as it was swollen sufficiently,
the boiler was taken from the fire,
the water cleared Of the scum and
the boiler put back, and the rice
constantly stirred by the pretty
cook until she was satisfied it was
properly done. BY turning the
boiler mouth downward she extin
guished the fire, and, collecting the
unconsumed fuel, despatched the
old woman to convert 1t into but
ter, curds, oil and tamarinds. This
achieved, she told the enraptured
Sakti Kumara to go and battle, and
not to omit rubbing himself with
oil. Having obeyed orders, the
wife-seeker was directed to seat him
self upon a plank on the well swept
floor, on which were already laid a
large plantain leaf and two platters.
His charming hostess then brought |
him water in a perfumed jug, and |
administered two spoonfuls of we'll
seasoned rice and ghee, preparatory
to serving up the remainder of the |
rice mixed with spices, curds, but
ter and milk, of which Sakti Ku-
mara ate his fill, and then INDUCED |
INDUCED in a siesta, with a mind at
ease, knowing his quest was ended.
AS soon as he woke he asked the
girl to become his wife, and she be-
ing willing, the necessary ceremony
was gone through without delay;
and the supposed fortuneteller took
his bride home, to astonish her as
the Lord of Burleigh astonished his
rustic love; but the Hindu lass was
.uckier til an Tennyson's heroine,
Tor we are assured that she lived
ong to worship her husband as
god, to pay the most assiduous at
ention to his household affairs, to
the regulation of the $
amily coming in due course, and to 6
make her house such an abode of !
Hiss that Sakti Kumara was well re- !
,aid for the trouble he had taken to {
ret a good wife, and tasted in his q
home the joys of Para /
Use. {