The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-06-16
ri MI'SH F.4KFR.
A Man Ready to Tackle Any Kind OF job
With Tools OF His Own Making.

THE MI SH FAhER.
A Man Ready TO Tackle Any Kind OF Job
with Tools OF His Own Making.
Yes, mum, I'm a mush faker. That's
as much a trade as plumbing or timing.
What does it mean? | guess you're not
Irish. are you mum? Mush faker is Irish
for umbrella member, or maybe it's just
hobo.
But a mush faker doesn't only repair
umbrellas. Oh, my. no! A mush faker,
num-, will tackle anything you can think
OF that needs fixing, but, of course, UNI
brellas, boilers and tinware are the COM
monest.
This umbrella is in pretty bad shape,
but | can fix il so it will do for many a storm
yet and I'll only charge you IS cents. This
other isn't so bad; thatll be a quarter.
AS | was saying, there's nothing a mush
faker won't tackle in the line of tinkering,
and all for a little change. Tools? Oh,
yes, they're all in that little box / carry
with a strap over by shoulder.
well! Well! You'll excuse me for laugh
ing, num-, but your question seems kind
Of funny TO me who has been at it so bng,
No, they don't sell mush takers outfits
anywhere that l know of. You see there
wouldn't be anybody 10 buy them. real
mush faker always makes his own kit.
Il see you're looking at my furnace.
Looks Just like the ones the plumbers carry
to melt their lead in, doesn't it? Made that
myself, too. Oh, yes. Surprises you? It's
simple enough,
you see the bottom il stands on? just
look underneath. See, it's a little agate
saucepan turned upside down. The body
Of the furnace was an old fashioned oil can,
the kind your mother kept under the big
kitchen table handy to fll the lamps from.
But the cone shaped top is knocked of.
THE heavy wire handle came off a paint
keg. The>other trimmings | fashioned ont
Of bits OF tin from cans and things.
Maybe you're wondering what that 8
for. That's a hammer, and a finer hammer
was never sold for such. lou see it's a
good sized iron nut screwed on a stick
just long enough TO give a good grip with
the hand. wouldn't swap 1t for tho
finest store hammer in the land. They're
a nuisance. The longer you use this the
frmer IL gets.
Il can do the most delica te work with
the sharp corners OF the nut. drive a heavy
nail with the fiat side or split rivets with
the edge. That's what l made my furnace
with. It's small, light and will do the
work OF any hammer; in fact, it's half a
dozen different hammers all in ne
"~Resourceful did you say? Well. |
I can do with my kit, The times change;
there are new things coming UP all the time
that | nave to fix, There's automobiles.
Now maybe you don't believe that,
mum ManY's the automobile I've fixed;
You see. MIN. | often find them stalled
out on a country road a good manv miles
from anywhere at all. II they can tell
me what the trouble is III find a way.
Yes, num-. the man for an emergency
is a mush faker, whether he's a great man
will you hand me that other n now,
mum? Thank you. This is a fine frame.
They don't make EN- like that any more
No, indeed. Your grandfather carried it,
sure, ! knew il.
1T doesn't take much to start a man
up in this business. II he has a lite piece
OF wire and a nail he can make a living,
and | nave started on less myself.
You see, nine times out of ten when you
are called in "a fix an umbrella 1t is simply
the little wire hinge that has BECOME rulsted
and broken. The wire fixes this and the
nail is used to twist the wire and break it.
But, as l say, | have started on less. |
was put of a freight train once IN a conntry
But l went by the houses calling Umbrellas
to mend!' wasn't going to worry about
how to do it until l had the job'to do,
Nobody seemed 10, want me, though
| But i KNEW There ItlllNl I've ullt plphti UNI
brellas in that town. It's q poor home that
hasn't got one at least. So / turned about
in my tracks and went right up to the near
est house. To the woman that came to the
door | said
"'Haveh't YOU an umbrella with a broken
rib? | will fix il for ten cents just az
though | had been sent there for that pur-
pose.
-Sure enough, back she comes with the
familiar dangling joint. II was an old
foehionad nu1hrolla with a wooden stiOk
The handle was deeply carved and of a
different kiud of wood from the stick. |
knew right away that they didn't belong to
each other.
this handle came off Off said |. II you
have | can use 1t to mend this with
We'll, mum. she hunts UP that Did UNI
brella and in a few minutes | walk away
dozen good ribs. After that | was ready
to do any ordinary job in the town.
yes, num-, this gum tissue is wonderful
stuff. | can fasten the handle on that
little girls parasol with it. Let me see II.
my little lady Oh. amt you the image Of
an eye could see IL.
Eyes. mum, | just wind it about, 30, heat
it with the candle and press it down hard.
Now let it rest there for a few minutes and
il will be as firm as ever.
"You haven't anything else to fix, mum?
Well. thatll be thirty-fve and twenty-five
and ten for the little parasol. That makes
- Yes, num-, 70 cents.
Bless you, mum, | couldn't change a
dollar; | haven't a penny about me, VI
Now that's too bad. What will | do? Oh,
thank you, mum. But I'll surely make II
up to you II l eve come by this way again.
That ! will. Thanl& you and good day,
mum.
"U-u-u-m-m-brellas & mend"
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-, trt,h., R.