The patriot. [volume] (Indiana, Pa.) 1914-1955, 1919-07-05
The Handy Man
By RALPH HAMILTON
Copyright. 1919. by Western Newspaper UnIon)

his pipe, just filled, between his lips,
an unlighted match in his hand. Its
sulphured end was pressed down upon
the edge of the irOn-bOund wheel Of
stationary buggy. AS its driver start
ed up the match flared, Zeb ignited
the tobacco, uttered a sigh of comfort
at having been spared all exertion by
cleverly utilizing a convenient source
of friction, and was hailed by by
stander, who smiled at the action
qualities Of the old man.
Looking for a handy man, Per
kins," spoke Zeb. you don't happen
to know one, do your"
"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, half
the front COrnice is hanging loose and
one edge Of the kitchen lost it's under
pinning last night in the big blow and
runs down hill Ike 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 l
can help you out" said Zeb's cOmpan-
ion. "Unless he's through with his
work up at the house, he's there now
a likely, honest seeming young fellow
who came along last evening and Of
fered to fix up the fences for a bed
and his meals"
"Ill go right down to your place and
see him." said Zeb, eagerly. IF was
spry as / used to be I'd fix things
up myself"
Ward Evans for 50 the handy man
called himself, had just finished one
task and was ready for another He
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 a reason
able basis Of compensation.
81 seem to have a natural knack for
tinkering," he explained to Zeb. you
furnish the tools and material and I'll
do the rest"
II should think he had a knack, as
he calls itI" observed Nettie Darrell
to her father q 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, jOk-
ing, saying pleasant, cheering things
half of the time. He worked without
ceasing 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 plastering and
he made it tight. Two grimy 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-
sical possibilities. Regularly he gave
his host and his daughter a concert.
But it was in his narration of his va
ried career that he particularly inter
eSted them. He had been q circus
rider, manager of Il ranch, a political
orator and superintendent of logging
camp. He loved to refer to this latter
experience.
1T was there met my best friend
Willis Drake" he told his interested
auditors. "That was the brightest
period of my life-except being with
you people," he added, with a glance
at Nettie, who flushed slightly, while
her father looked pleased at the COM
pliment "Ah, Willis Drake! a man
with a heart of gOld-the life of the
camp. He left at the end of the sea-
son to go back to his father, q wealthy
SOutherner. He had left home to be-
come a wanderer. l got a letter from
him q month ago, and what do you
think? His father had died, leaving
him great fortune, and as soon as he
settles the estate he's coming to find
me, and he insists that We'll be like
brothers for the rest Of our lives"
Evans received another letter from
his friend week later. The latter
was coming after him at once. By
this time Ward had become friendly
and familiar with the Darrells. He
had completed the work he had agreed
to do, but he fingered on, and they
were glad to have him about, and
Ward was gladder still to- bask in the
sunshine of Nettie'S winning smile.
Then his frien, arrived and bore
him away to the hotel. \ handsome,
impetuOus sort of 4 fellow, Drake took
a decided fancy to Nettie, and Ward
encouraged it, What better than to
see his dearest friend happy in the
possession of a wife worthy of any
man, in the estimation of Ward? He
sighed as he told this to Mr. Darrell.
1t was with a secret pang that he
broached the subject of fostering q
further mutual liking between Nettie
and his friend.