The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1880-12-31
A Romantic Story Of the Far East.

SATKI KUMARA, the hero of curious
Hindustani story, preferred testing .
damsel's capability before tying the
knot. Master of prosperous and prof
table business, he came to the conclu-
sion that wife was wanted to complete
his happiness, and determined 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 encountered q
girl that pleased his eye he asked her to
cook his rice for him. Some laughed at
him, some reviled him, none seemed in
clined to comply with his modest de-
mand, and it seemed as if he would have
to take his rice home uncooked. At
length he reached Swira, where he be-
held beautiful girl, who, instead of
ridiculing 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 water, then dried it in the
sun, and that accomplished, rubbed the
grains gently on the ground, removing
the bran without breaking the rice.
Calling her nurse, she dispatched that
worthy to sell the bran, and with the
proceeds purchase an earthen boiler,
two platters and some fuel. By the time
this commission was executed the rice
had been brayed in mortar, winnowed
and washed, and was ready to be put in
the boiler with five times its bulk in
water. As soon as it had swollen suffi-
GENTLY the boiler was taken from the
fire, the water cleared of the scum, and
the boiler put back, and the rice con-
stantly stirred by the pretty cook until
she was satisfied it was properly done. By
turning the boiler mouth downward she
extinguished the fire, and, collecting
the unconsumed fuel, dispatched the
old woman to convert it into
butter, curds, oil and talnarinds. This
achieved, she told the enraptured Sakti
Kumara to 90 and battle, and not to
omit rubbing himself with oil. Having
obeyed orders, the wife-seeker was d.
rected to seat himself upon plank on
the well-swept door, on which were al
ready laid large plantain leaf and two
platters. His charming hostess then
brought him water in perfumed jug,
and administered two spOOnfuls of we'll
oOesoOhOA AA~O ssAA 6ASSe RASPs~A W.
serving up the remainder Of the rice
mixed with spices, curds, butter, and
milk, of which Sakti Kumara ate his
fill, and then INDUCED in q 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 fortune-teller took his bride
home, to astonish her as the Lord of
Burleigh astonished his rustic love; but
the Hindu lass was luckier than Tenny-
sons heroine, for we are assured that
she lived long to worship her husband
as god, to pay the most assiduous at
tention to his household affairs, to super
intend the regulation of the family COM
ing in due course, and made her house
such an abode of bliss that Sakti Kuma-
"a was well repaid for the trouble he had
taken to get a good wife, and tasted in
his well-ordered home the joys of para
dise.-C hGmbers's Journal.