The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1923-08-22
Application of
Dark Diplomacy
By MARTHA WILLIAMS

afternoon came Aunt Priscilla's drone
"Zaccheus he did climb a tree,
His Lord and Mars-ter for to se-ee I
over and over until the reiteration be
came unbearable. Richie Fair had lis
tened frownlng until patience. worn
threadbare, snapped. She sprang up
stamped her small foot, and cried
through the window: IF you don't
change that tune, Nanny, I'll come Out
there and murder you"
II amt no-ways feared" Priscilla
retorted. you CANT SPAR me-not
ontwell you'se safe married. Who else
In all de worl gwine bake cake an
make later custards, and cheese cakes
an cook turkey, an hams an things,
ftten fur de President, er eban de
king?
II well knows whit Use wuff-you
CANT skeer me, you imps O. Sattern
Sassin' me daterway, when l done
walk myself ter skillingtons totin' you
though de three-monts colic-an' set
tin up nights ter play wild you, twelI
was so sleepy mods in meetin' cherry
time I goes dar."
"Why, Nanny I thought you were
real quality" Richie answered In
q panied voice. "And you know real
quality don't throw up things. Spe-
c'ally not what's been done for poor
little teenty babies that had no say
about being born to make you trouble
you know I couldn't help any of
those things. Did 1 give myself collie?
And could I sleep all the time? You
made me sleep by daylight so you
could play around; then, when l
couldn't sleep any longer, of course
didn't want to be left all by my poor
little self"
'Dest you listen at her." Priscilla
apostrophized space. $50 hateful but
ter won't melt in her mouf! No, sir
ee-bob You couldn't make all dem
ole troubles, case you hadn't cut yo'
talk, no mon your teef, but yo' will
wus good Look at you right now!
Trouble skipped dis plantation right
erlong twell you growed up.
'Now-my Lawd in heaven yo' po'
pappy don't git no peace OBJ his life,
wild all de runnin' back and fo'th; all
de strange hawses eaten up his torn
and fodder, all de scalawags warm out
his fine Turkey carpets, an habbin' ter
tell somebody two-three times er week:
No, You CANT marry my darter I'm
er Chrischen, I hope, an 1 amt got de
heart to let We try ter do whut's past
mortal man: make her know whut she
wants and how she want 1t fer a week,
much less lifetime"
'Who's been telling you?" Richie de-
manded, giggling. Through the win
dow she saw mammy's plump Shout
ders heaving. Tits such as this
brought JOY to both of them.
But her question was for so long
she went on impatiently:
II reckon you're trying to make me
say something hateful, so you'll have
excuse not to make me the finest bas-
ket of all at the reunion. How'd you
like it If said 1 wouldn't take any at
all? I've great mind not to take a
scrap to eat. Then I can go with
anybody please"
"Speck you'll please ter ride wild
Tom-Bob Wimberly," Nanny COM
mented serenely: "An' lay he won't
go dar widout good rations. Wants
um ter match dat dar fine new kyar
he done bought him. All 1 got ter
do Is tell him: 'Marse Tom-Bob, done
gign my han ter de bes' dinner ever
went ter dis here reunitin' crowd
an he'll take all 1 fetch out-an' glad
er de chance"
"Umph-hunh But I'm goin' with |
Pete Mason-one Of the family-his |
reat-grandmammy was half-Fair, he |
says" from Richie exultantly.
BE mon two words ter dat bar
yain," nanny said. dropping the knife
With which she was peeling fruit for
Trying, and waddling within. "Yo'
,appy'll bust up de whole combobbera-
ion rudder'n to hab you ride up in
lie face OBJ all yo' kin wild dat dar seal
ywag."
HE won't know tin time" Richie
,outed. Nanny grunted: II knows.
OATS enough" then softening, Babe,
lon't you go be ugly. Lissen at me.
Pete Mason got fine outside-dat
int denying-but inside he's rotten.
,oner'n hab you trust yerself wild him
IL telefoam Marse Tom-Bob ter shoot
him. Dis amt foolin' needer-hit's de
vord wild de bark on it. So you be
ood."
Il wouldn't now not even If I want
d to-" Richie cried, defantly. "Ill go
nth him, dance with him-all the time
I feel like it-and snap my fingers at
II the Fairs and Conways and Pard
ldges, and all the rest If they want to
)ok cross-eyed over It,"
"Pears like you was bawned ter
lake trouble" nanny said, signing,
ut her eyes twinkled knowingly once
he was outside.
The reunion was the occasion Of
even counties in that 1t brought to-
ether yearly the widespread descend
nts Of three pioneer strains that had
)me hundred wears back from the