Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1909-05-07
A SISTER S DIPLOMACY.


"To be member of Parliament with
out possessin' the gift Of diplomacy, said
Mr.. Poskitt as he and his friend Mr..
Merrill discussed parliamentary matters
over a 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. Its word
at / oft see i the newspapers i con-
nection wi parliamentary affairs an
such, tho / never rightly understood the
meanin' on it. Summat to do wi man
agin' state affairs, I reckon?'
ITS one o. them terms ats difficult
Of explanation" answered Mr.. Poskitt,
but you're not very far wrong in your
definition of its meanin', Thomas. Man
observation-disclosures artfulness- goin'
round about to get somewheer if
you can't get theer in straigL 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"
"Meanin' the ladies, sir?'' said Mr.
Merrill
Iadics-women- females" replied Mr.
Poskitt, shaking his head. Ahl-the
very cleverest diplomatist at ever
knew were a woman. And not young
un. neither"
Dear me, sir" said Mr.. Merrill Il
should like to hear about that. Were
it a 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
marell be none the worse for bit more
rest. Ye see" he continued, when the
glasses had been repenished and the
pipes refilled sit were a matter at hap
pened when | were Il lad, an rare bit
o fun it occasoned when it all came
out. as things always does come out in
village Yen 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 'en on the young side
he'd be 81, and she'd be happen a couple
| o. year younger-and he were an old
bachelor, and she were an old maid.
| Name o. Ditchison-Mattha and Sarah
Ditchison-an' / should say they were
the best-of folk i them parts, cause
their family had saved all the brass they
could lay hands on--ye know the sort |
meant"
Aye, sir" chuckled Mr.. Merrill.
Aye, very WELL indeed, sir--spend nowt
an save ALT"
| Exactly" said Mr.. Poskitt 1T were
| always said o these two 'at you might
as well try to skin tiintstone as to get
owt out o. them, ana it were none so
/ far eff bein' true. An | can remember
at they looked it, an all! Mattha were
none a foul-lookin' man for his age-a
big boned, fresh-colored man, very well
! preserved, but one O them at never had
word for anyone except on business
and at never thowt o. aslin' ANYBODY
to take a friendly glass, either at mar
ket or at his own tireside"
Dear, dear, sir!" said Mr.. Merrill.
That were bad, Mestur Poskitt"
Aye, but t sister Were worse nor
what he were,' continued Mr.. Poskitt
with an elaborate nod of the head "An'
ye'd ha' thowt so if ye'd 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 Wen understand what
| / meau-and she Were as thin as kid
ney bean stalk Theer were nowt good
| loollin' about her-she'd 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.
shed never ha' slept in her bed
wo'dn't Sarah Ditehison, If she'd thowt
theer We're a cheeseparin' leftl" said
MIR. Poskitt. with emphasis. "Howsum,
liver, to continue t rration--theer were
new farmer come to t place, a chap
named Burton, an he'd gotten a dowter
named Sophia. an rare, fine, upstand-
| in weuch she were--a reight bonny I'M
somewheer about 20 year avid All t
young men i Cherry Magma Were i love
vi her i two minutes, an no wonder.
But nobody at knew him 'ud ever ha'
thowt at Mattha Ditchison nd fall a
victim 10 t lass's charms. 1t were we'll
| known at he'd never as much as looked
at a woman in his life in soft way.
and ye'd ha' laid a thousand to one WI
! confidence AT he never would. How
sumiyer. afore t Burtons had been es,
tablished i t parish three months
Mattha were as bad as a lad o. 49,
Ave. some on 'em is like that cheer,
sir" sighed Mr.. Merrill.
We'll, of course it were bit afore