The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1909-05-27
A SISTERS DIPLOMACY.


out possessin' the gift of diplomacy" said
Mr.. Poskitt. as he and his friend Mr.
Merrill discussed parliamentary matters
over pipe and glass in the parlor OF
The King George, would be like unto
cook who tries to make custards with
out eggs and milk. Diplomacy, sir, is
one O. the finest arts human bein' can
acquire"
give no doubt it is, sir, since you re-
mark it, said Mr.. Merrill. cts word
at 1 oft see i the newspapers i con.
nection VII parliamentary affairs an
such, tho never rightly understood the
meanin' on it. Summat to do WI man
agin' state affairs, reckon?"
"It's one O. them terms 'at's difficult
of explanation" answered Mr.. Poskitt,
''but you're not very far wrong in your
definition of it's meanin', Thomas. Man
n'-schemin'-usin artfulness-goin
! round about ways to get somewheer If
YOU can't get theer in a straight line
YES. that's what diplomacy and diplo-
matte policy means, sir. An that's what
ALWAYS makes me contend that men as
diplomatists is not to be compared WI
the members of what we may term the
fair SEX"
sMeanin' the ladies, sir?" said Mr..
Merrill.
"Iadies-women- replied Mr..
Poskitt, shaking his head. "Ah!-the
very cleverest diplomatist 'at ever [
knew were a woman. And not young
'un, neither"
"Dear me. sir" said Mr.. Merrill 81
should like to hear about that. Were
it very bad case, sir?"
"Worse nor aught at the sharpest
attorney could accomplish" replied Mr..
Poskitt. "Here, we'll take another
glass, an I'll tell you about tiny
mare'u be none the worse for bit more
rest. Ye see," he continued, when the
glasses had been replenished and the
pipes refilled. cit were a matter AT hap
pened when I were lad, an a rare bit
O. fun it occasioned when it all came
out, as things always does come out in
village. Yell have been through
Cherry Magma on yer way to York now
and agen? Well, when [ were happen
nineteen or twenty there were brother
an sister, farmers, livin' at the Moat
farm at Cherry Magma fine ramblin'
old place WI big garden, and orchards,
and a rare lot o. good land to it. They
were neither on 'em on the young side
he'd be 81, and she'd be happen couple
o. year younger-and he were an old
bachelor, and she were an old maid.
Name O. Ditchison-Mattha and Sarah
Ditchison--an' L should say they were
the best-off folk i them parts, cause
their family had saved all the brass they
hn
mean!'
''Aye, siri" chuckled Mr. Merrill.
"Aye, very well, indeed, sir-spend nowt
an save ALL"
Exactly" said Mr.. Poskitt. SIT were
always said O these two at you might
as well try to skin a fintstone as to get
owt out o. them, and it were none so
far off bein' true An 1 can remember
'at they looked it, an ALL Mattha were
none foul-lookin' man for his age-a
big boned, fresh -colored man, very well
preserved, but one o. them AT never had
| and 'at never thowt o. askin' anybody
to take friendly glass, either at mar
ket or at his own fireside."
''Dear, dear, sir!" said Mr. Merrill.
'That were bad, Mestur Posllitt!'
AYE, DuG SlSJcI WcIc WOISc uOI
what he were," continued Mr. Poskitt.
with an elaborate nod of the head. can
ye'd ha' thowt so if yed nobbut set
eyes on her. She were one O. them
| females, Thomas, 'at's straight up one
side and straight down t'other-as an
ovid married man we'll understand what
I mean-and she were as thin as kid
ney bean stalk. Theer were nowt good
lookin' about her-she'd a face 'at looked
as if it 'ud turn milk sour, and / never
saw her i but one bonnet i my life, and
that had been her mothers"
"a right cheesparer, apparently" re-
marked Mr.. Merrill.
"She'd never ha' slept in her bed,
wo'dn't Sarah Ditchison, if she'd thowt
theer were cheeseparin' left!" said
Mr. Poskitt, with emphasis. "Howsum-
liver, to continue t. narration-theer were
new farmer come to t. place, chap
named Burton, an he'd gotten dowter
named Sophia, an rare, fine, upstand-
in wench she were-a reight bonny UNI,
somewheer about 20 year AVID. All t.
young men i Cherry Magma were i love
VII her i two minutes, an no wonder.
But nobody 'at knew him 'ud ever ha'
thowt 'at Mattha Ditchison 'ud fall a
victim to t. lass's charms. 1t were well
known at he'd never as much as looked
at woman in his life in soft way,
and ye'd ha' laid thousand to one WI
confidence AT he never would. How
sumiver, afore t. Burtons had been es-
tablished i t. parish three months
Mattha were as bad as lad o. 49,"
"Aye, some on 'em is like that theer,
sir!" sighed Mr.. Merrill.
"Well, of course, it were bit afore
Sarah found it OUT continued Mr.. Pos
kit, "but she began to notice 'at Mattha,
who'd never gone anywheer in social
manner before, were beginnin' to spend
all his evenin's at Burton's. When she
spoke to him about it, he said 'at Burton
were very well-informed man. How
sumiver, afore many weeks were over
he came home one night and told Sarah
'at he'd come to t. serious conclusion AT
it were high time he were a wed man."
''Well, he were reasonable age, sure
| w." remarked Mr.. Merrill.
'Aye, he were quite ripe,' said Mr..
Posl1itt. 'sWell, now, Sarah Ditchison
were born diplomatist. She said nowt
except to ask Mattha who he aimed at
weddin' Then he told her Sophia. She