The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1903-05-30
THE HANDY MAN.

There are men who are 'aS handy
as woman about the house and
can make bed and sweep room
and cook a meal to perfection, and
that is more than most woman can do.
Such men are appreciative of good
housekeeping, because they know
just what toll and care go to its attain
ment, and while not more lenient
with the shortcomings of chronic in
competency, they are apt to overlook
the mistakes of inexperience and ex-
cuse more on that score than do wo-
men.
While housekeeping is not mems
work, it might we'll be made so in
this topsy-turvy age to the satisfac-
ton of housewives and the advantage
of many handy, unemployed young
men. Fancy yourself say: Make
waffles for breakfast, James, and boil
over the plum jam if it's working"
The handy man can dress the chill
dren without buttoning aprons down
the front and blouses down the back,
and while he reads the papers he can
keep an obstreperous baby quiet for an
hour by the simple process of inclos-
ing it between his knees as in wise
and giving it few peach-stones in
tin cup to play with.
He can be sent upstairs to get
roll of scraps out of the left-hand cor
ner of the lower bureau drawer and
can find it on the top closet shelf as
unerringly as retriever scents out
hidden game; and he can match a
blue sample with something that you
know is blue the minute you get
good look at it in the light.
He can hang picture true and can
clean off the picture rail while he is
up there without merely calling at
tention to the dust and he can get
the children's kitten to come out of
the tree without chopping it down.
He puts his wife's wrap on for her
without rufling her back hair and her
temper, and he oils stubborn lock
on the bedroom door instead of set
ting chair under it every night for
year. He arranges all sorts of lit
tie conveniences about the house,
frn,-1zn-hracket ontle bacle-norch for
mel with swing door; and he can
carry the baby without warping its
clothes up over its head until it re-
sembles feather duster.
In the business world the handy
man is optimistic and resourceful, for
he has mental handiness as well as
manual dexterity, and, being able to
apply remedy for small annoyance,
he brings a serene confidence to the
consideration of battling and intricate
complications.
If minister, he handles his differ
ing flock wisely. and while they are
under the impression that they range
the stars, he has them tethered neat
ly to the pulpit by one foot and he
ingeniously molds the universal truth
to suit the individual need until they
all wear his version of the creed and
it fits each like coat of tan.
If a doctor, he can look at child's
throat along a spoon handle without
calling out the militia to quell the dis
turbance and he can neatly enwrap
patients head with a wet compress
without also wetting the soles of his
feet; and, if necessary, he can trans
form the bed from hummocky tor
ture to rest-inviting plane as deftly
as if his business were managing
sheets instead of people.
The blessed handy man can also
build a fire without opening the house
from end to end to let out the smoke
and bringing the salvage wagon on
the run and he can pick UP drop
ped nickel in the street car without
losing his hat, his temper and his bal
ance.