Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1880-11-11
7 Joh1. if you had q besI' 70 skeery. II
kuoRed all tho time at you wanted Il. ask
me, but itwasn' 4 my place 70 say nythipg,
you know. q y (. Is
.The Test for q wife.
4 How She COOKED HIS RICE

4 ~ OW5 oHE UoOkED Ills HlCE.
Sakti Kumara, the hero of curious
| Hindustani story, preferred testing dam
soils oapability before tying tho knot.
'Master of a prosperous and profitable bu--
sine.s, he came to the conclusion that q
wife was vented to complete his happiness,
and determined to go in search for one.
Adopting tho guise of q fortune tellor aud
carrying some rice bound up in cloth, he
Estarted on his travels. Whenever he en-
countered a girl that pleased bis eye, he
asked her to cook his rice for him. Some
laughed at him, some reviled him, mono
seemed inclined to comply with his modest
demand, and it seemed as if ho would havo
to take his rice home uncookcd. At last
he reached Swira, whore he beheld beau
tiful girl, who, instead Of rdiculng or abus.
ing the strange traveller, relieved him of
the rice, and bade him bo rested. Then
the kindly maiden set about preparing tho
rico. First ,ho stepped it in water, then
dried it in the sun, and that accomplished,
rubbed the grains on the ground, removing
tho avn without breaking the rioe. CALI.
ing her nurse, eho despatched that worthy
to sell the bran, and with the proceeds pur
chase an earthen boiler, two platters, and
some fuel. BY the timc this commission
was executed the rico had been 5rayed in u
mortar, winnowed aud washed, and was
ready to put ia the boiler with i've times
it's bulk of water. As soon; as it had
swollen sufficiently the boiler was taken
from, the fire, the water cleared Of the scum,
and the boiler put back, and the rice con-
stautly stirred by the pretty cook until she
was satisfied it was properly done. By
turning the boiler mouth downward she
extinguished the fire, aud, collecting the
uuconsumed fuel, dispatched the old wo-
man to convert it into butter, ourds, oil
and tamarinds. This achieved she told
the onraptured Sakti Kumari to 90 and
batho, and not to omit rubbing himself
with oil. Having obcyed orders, tho wife
seeker was directed to scat himseif upon
plank on a we'll swept floor, on which were
already Ibid large plantain leaf and two
platters His charming hostess then
brought him water in perfumcd jug, aud
administered two spoonfus of vel seasoned
rice aud ghec, preparatory to serving up
the remainder of the rice mixed with spi-
ces, curds, butter and milk, of which
Sakti Kumari ato his fll, aud then iudulg-
ed in siesta, with a mind at ease, know
log that his quest was ended. AS soon rs
he woke he asked tho girl to become his
wife, aud she, being willing, the necessary
ceremony was gone through without delay;
aud the supposed fortune teller took his
bride home to surprise her as the Lord Of
Durleigh as!oDislied his rustic love; but the
Hindu lass was luckier than Tennyson's 8
heroine, for we assured that she lived long
10 worship her husband az god, to pay
the most assiduous attention to his house
hold affuirs TO superintend tbo roou
lation of the family coming in duo
course, aud made her house suob
an obode of bliss that Sakti Kumara was
we'll repaid for the trouble he had tnkeu to
get good wife, and tasted in. his well
ordered home the joys of Paradise.
Chambers Journal.