The Winslow mail., 1925-09-01
RHYAN PROVES HE
KNOWS MECHANIC
BY APPEARANCE

That it is part of the Great Plan
that help shall be provided where
help is needed, was demonstrated
in a unique way Tuesday morning
when two motorists met and sup
piled the needs of each other.
S. w. Proctor and c.. w. Rhyan,
in Mr.. Proctor's Buick coach, were
ON their way to Flagstaff when, at
point twelve miles from their
destination, the motor of the car
stopped suddenly and refused to
start again What the trouble
was, they could not determine, and
finally decided to just wait until
some one came along who could
fix the trouble or tow the car.
Several cars passed without
showing the least disposition to
lend a hand.
Looks like we are here for quite
WHILE" Mr.. Proctor remarked,
looking impatiently at his watch.
He was due in Flagstaff at noon,
where he was going to attend the
Rotary luncheon.
Here comes car" Mr.. Rhyan
announced, "and I'll bet hat it's
got a mechanic in it. What you
say we flag him and see what he
can do?"
He got out of the Buick while
Mr. Proctor laughed doubtfully
and tagged the car. With vio-
lent chug the driver brought the
machine, a 1916 model Overland, to
a sudden stop. In the seat beside
him was young woman with
baby in her arms.
What's your trouble?" the sup
posed mechanic asked.
Don't know. Do you know any
thing about Buick?" Mr.. Proctor
asked.
''Do II" the tourist replied. II
worked for several years in the fac
tory where those things are made"
Not such bad luck after all, Mr.,
Proctor thought, while Mr.. Rhyan
assumed a modest I-told-you-so ex-
preston. A mechanic is a mechan-
ic, and you can tell them every
time, standing still or on the run.
1t makes no difference, was what
he probably was thinking.
The man Immediately began an
investigation of the inside workings
Of the Buick, while the wife and
baby stood watching the perform
ance, and smiling all the while as
world as trouble. A little delay in
their journey could not perturb
them.
After rather a lengthy consulta-
tion, the mechanic looked up, rath-
er oily from handling the oily parts,
and gave the verdict that the such
and-such wire was broken between
the whatnot and the what-do-you-
call-it, and that he could not re-
pair it with the tools in the car.
He could tow the machine into
Flagstaff, though, if they wanted
him to, he volunteered, and though
he was headed toward Winslow, the
old Overland was turned around
and, with the Buick trailing behind,
was driven back to Flagstaff.
After seeing his car was in the
hands of repairmen in a Flagstaff
garage, Mr. Proctor asked the pro-
prietor of the garage what he owed
the man who had towed him in,
according to the established towing
charge. Twelve dollars" he said.
1--WE charge dollar a mile"
Mr.. Proctor then walked up to
the mechanic, who was standing
outside. He pulled a ten-dollar
bill out of his pocket, handed it to
him, and reached into his pocket
again for the other two dollars.
"Wait a minute" the mechanic
said, and held out a hand in pro-
test. "This is enough. I'm sure
glad to get this much, though. We
spent our last thirty cents for
breakfast here this morning, and |
traded my motometer for gas, but
we can get along for quite way
on this Thanks. Why, this is
more than we had when we left
Los Angeles. We had just nine dol
lars then. Hope I see you again
sometime. Goodbye" and he was
gone.
Can you imagine that?" Mr..
Proctor said, turning to Mr. Rhyan:
"and the way that woman and baby
smiled! Well, I'm glad we could
help them out, and they surely
helped us. But here it is 8 o'clock.
l guess We won't go to any Rotary
luncheon today"
Its too bad a mechanic didn't
show up sooner" Mr.. Rhyan said,
"but you could tell those other
folks who passed us didn't know
anything about cars"