Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1889-04-17
MEDICINE LODGE KANSAS WEDNESDAY APRIL II 1899
le grew TO look at 1t ez one nv the crusses

ne grew TO look at It ez one nv the crussos
that human critters has to bear without
complainin' through this vale NV tears.
The only thing that bothered him wuz the
fear that mebbe he wouldn't live to see the
last voiyume-to tell the truth, this kind Nv
got to be his hobby and I've heern him talk
bout 1t many time settin' round the
stove at the tarvern md squirtin' tobacco
JUICE at the sawdust box. His wife,
hattie, passed away with the yaller janders
tie winter w come, and all that seemed to
reconcile Leander to survivin' her wug the
prospect Nv seein' the last voiyume nv that
cyciopeedy. Lemuel Higgins, the book
agent, had gone to his everiAstdn' pun
nhment, but bis 500, Hiram, had suc-
ceeded TO his father s business'na continued
TO visit his folks his old man had roped n.
By this time Leander's children had Rrowed
up; all on 'em wuE marr'd, and there wux
numeris grandchildren to amuse The or
gentleman. But Leander wuzn't to he sat-
isned with the common things nv airth; he
didn't seem to take no pleasure In his grand
children Like most men do; his mind wua
alters sot on somethin' else-for hours md
hours, yes, all day long, he'd set out on the
front stoop lookin' wistfully up the road for
that book agent to come along with a CYCLIC
peedy. He didn't want to die til he'd got
ell the cyclopeedies his contract called for;
he wanted to have every thing Strengthened
cut before he passed away.
When-oh, how well 1 recollect it-when
come along he wuz so overcome that he
foil over in fit nv paralysis, md the old
gentleman never got over It, For the next
three years he dropped md pined, and
seemed like he couldn't hold out much
longer. Finally he had to take to his bed
he wuz 80 old md feeble-but he made 'em
move the bed up against the winder 90 he
could watch for that last volyume of the
cyclcpeedy
The end come one balmy day in the spring
Nv 81. His life wuz a-ebbin' powerful fast;
the minister wuz there, md me, md Dock
Wilson, md Jedge Baker, md most nv the
family Lovin' hands smoothed the wrlnkled
forehead md breshed back the long, scant,
white hair, but the eyes of the dyin' man
wuz sot upon that piece Nv road down which
the cyclopeedy man allus come.
All at oncet a bright md joyful look come
INTO them eyes md OF Leander riz up in bed
md sez: "It's come"
What is 1t, father?n asked his daughter
Sarey, sobbin' like
"Hush," sez the minister, solemnly; she
sees the shinin' gates Nv the Moo Jerusa-
lem
No, no" cried the aged man, "it is the
cyclopeedy-the letter Z-it's oomin'l''
And sure enough! The door opened and
m walked Higg1ns-he tottered rather than
walked, fr he had growed old md feeble in
his wicked perfession.
Here's the cyclopeedy, Mr.. Hobart" I"
says Higgins.
Leander clutched II; he hugged It TO his
Peutin' bosom; then stealin' ono pale hand
under the piller he drew out q faded bank
note md gsvo it to Higgins.
'1thank Thee for this boon, - seq Leander.
rollin' his eyes up devoutly; then he gave q
deep sigh.
Hold on" cried Higgins, excitedly.
you've made a mistake-it ISN'T the last"
But Leander didn't hear him-his soul
he'd fed from its mortal tenement md he'd
scared rejoicin' to realms Nv everlastin'
bliss.
He is no more," sez Dock Wilson, meta
phoricaiy.
Then who are his heirsl" asked that
me@a critter Higgins.
I'VE be, 'eez the family.
''Do you conjointly and severally ac-
knowledge and assume the obligation OF de-
ceased to mel" he asked 'em.
"What obligationp' asked Peasley Ho-
bart, stern like.
Deceased died owin' me f'r CYCLIC
peedyr' sez Higgins.
''That's a liep' sez Peasley. "We all seen
hlm pay you for the z ~
''But there's another one to come" sez
Higgins.
"Anotherp' they all asked.
eyes, the indexr' sez he.
So there wuz, and I'll be eternally gcll
burned if he amt a-suin' the estate in the
probate court now FIR the price Nv iti-Chi-
cago News