The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1919-06-04
The Handy Man
By RALPH HAMILTON
yrlght, 1919. By Western Newspaper Unlon.)

Old Zeb Darrell stood at the curb,
his pipe, Just filled, between his lips,
an unighted match In his hand. It's
sulphured end was pressed down upon
the edge of the iron-bound wheel of
stationary buggy. AS its driver start
ed up. the match 1ared Zeb ignited
the tobacco, uttered a sigh of comfort
at having been spared all exertion by
cleverly utilizing convenient source
of friction, and was hailed by by
stander, who smiled at the action
which fully disclosed the indolent
qualities of the old man.
Looking for a handy man, Per-
kns," spoke Zeb. you don't happen
to know one, do you?"
"Why, there's Joe Lott, the carpen-
ter, and his old helper, who started In
for himself doing odd jobs" but Zeb
shook his head dissentingly.
"Plutocrats, with their eXtravagant
charges" he declared. "YOu see, the
old place is pretty nigh going to rack
and ruin. The porch is wobbly, halt
the front cornice is hanging loose ana
one edge of the kitchen lost its under
pinning last night in the big blow ana
runs down hill like an ice slide. NO,
what I'm looking for is some handy
fellow who Will put in about two
weeks tinkering around and mending
up odds and ends for his keep, and
mebbe a little extra"
"Why, come to think of it, perhaps
can help you out" said Zebs compan'
ion. "Unless he's through with his
work up at the house, he's there now
likely. honest seeming young fellow,
who came along last evening and Of
fered to fix up the fences for bed
and his meals"
"Ill go right down to your place and
see him." said Zeb, eagerly IF | was
spry as l used to be I'd fix things
up myself"
Ward Evans, for so the handy man
called himself had just finished one
task and was ready for another. lie
listened to the story Of his prospective
employer, readily tracing his niggardli-
ness, but finally engaging to put in his
time at the Darrell place on reason
able basis of compensation.
81 seem to have a natural knackl for
tinNkering," he explained to Zeb, "You
furnish the tools and material and FL
do the rest
Il should think he had knack, as
he calls It observed Nettie Darrell
to her father week later, and she
glanced admiringly at the ramshackly
house. Ward Evans had won her lik-
ing magically quick. In the first place
he was good looking, and smiling, 1ok-
ing, saying pleasant, cheering things
half Of the time. He worked without
eeasing all day long and had an eye
for every loose shingle and Tapping
board. He practically rebuilt the
house, the sheds, the walks, the fences
There was some loose plasterlng and
he made it tight Two grlmy rooms he
repapered, Strengthened up the porch
propped up the sunken kitchen and
suggested that coat of paint would
make the old place look like new.
Evans had a flute he played eve
nings, and he was an expert in its mu
Seal possibilities. Regularly he gave
his host and his daughter a concert
But 1t was in his narration of his va
! ried career that he particularly inter
ested them. He had been a circus
| rider manager of a ranch, a politica
| orator and superintendent of logging
! camp. He loved to refer to this latter
experience.
1T was there I met my best friend
Willis Drake" he told his interested
| auditors. THAT was the brlghtes
period of my life-except being will
you people," he added, with a glance
at Nettie, who flushed slightly, while
her father looked pleased at the com
pliment. "Ah, Willis Drake MAJ
with heart of gold-the life of tn,
camp. He left at the end of the sea
son to go back to his father, wealth,
Southemer. He had left home to be
come wanderer. l got letter from
him a month ago, and what do yol
think2 His father had died, leaving
! MIN II SIedl lbilultf anu as opoAl 90 II
settles the estate he's coming to flint
me. and he insists that We'll be lill
brothers for the rest of our lives"
Evans received another letter iron
his friend week later. The latte
was coming after him at once. B,
this time Ward had become friendl
and familiar with the Darrells. Fl
had completed the work he had agree
to do, but he fingered on, and the
were glad to have him about, am
Ward was gladder still to bask in tn
sunshine of Nettie's winning smile.
Then his friend arrived and Dor
him away to the hotel. A handsome
impetuous sort of fellow, Drake too
a decided fancy to Nettie, and War
encouraged it. What better than t
see his dearest friend happy in tn
possession of a wife worthy of an
man, in the estimation of Ward? H
sighed as he told this to Mr.. Darrell
1t was with secret pang that h
broached the subject of fostering
further mutual liking between Netti
and his friend.
"WeH, I've sort of studied Netti
about this match" reported Mr.. Dai
ren, day or two later. Its no g
She hasn't the least interest in Drak'
outside of his being your friend. |