The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1889-02-22

course, there warn no Wnoopln cough
to see, bein' as how the w hadn't come
yet!
Oncet when Hiram wanted to dreen the
home pasture he wen to the cyclopeedy to
find out about it, but all he diskiyered
wuz: "Drain-See Tile This wuz in
1860 and the cyclopeedy had only got down
to G.
The cow WIZ sick with lung fever one
spell and Leander laid her dyin' to that
cussid cyclopeedy, cause when he went to
readin' bout COWS it told him TO ''See
Zoology"
But what's the use NV harrowin' up ones
feelin's talkin' nd thinkin' about these
things. Leander got so after awhile that
the eyelopeedy didn't worry him at all; he
grew to look at it ez one NV the crosses
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
that last yoiume-to tell the truth, this
kind Nv got to be his hobby and I've heern
him talk bout it many a time settin'
round the stove at the tavern nd squiftin'
tobacco Juice at the sawdust box. His
wife, Hattie, had passed away with the
yaller janders the winter W come, and all
that seemed to reconcile Leander to sur
WIN her wuz the prospect nv seein' the
last yolyume of that c~yelopeedy. 14emuel
Higgins, the book agent, had gone to lis
everlastin' punishment, but his son, Hiram,
had succeeded TO his fathers business md
continued TO visit the folks his old man
had roped in. By this time Leander's
children had growed up; all Oh EN- wuz
marr'd, and there wuz numeris grand
children to amnse the old gentleman. But
Leander wuzn't to be satisfied with The
common things Wv airth; be didn't seem to
take no pleasure in his grandchildren like
most men do; but his mind WIZ 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 till he'd got
all the cyclopeedies his contract called for;
he wanted to have everything Strengthened
out before he passed away.
When-oh, how well I~recolIect it--when
! come along he u SO overcome that he
fell over in a fit nv paralysis, md the old
gentleman never got over it. For the next
three years he dropped md pinned, and
seemed like he couldn't hold ont much
longer. Finally he had to take TO his bed
he wuz SO old nd feebie-but he made 'em
move the bed up against the winder SO he
could watch for that last volyume of the
~cyclopeedy.
The end come one balmy day in the
spring NV 81. His life wuz a-ebbin' pow
eriul fast; the minister wuz there, md me,
nd Dock Wilson, nd Jedge Baker, nd
most NV the family. Lovin' hands smooth
ed the wrinkled forehead nd breshed
back the long, scant, white hair, but the
eyes of the dyin' man wuz sot upon that
piece NV road down which the c~yclopeedy
man allus come. ,
All to oncet a bright nd joyful look
come into them eyes nd oil Leander riz up
in bed nd SEE: ATS come"
"What is it, father?' asked his daugh-
ter sarey, sobbin' like.
"he sees the shinin' gates NV the Moo
Jerusalum.'
mo, no." cried the aged man; sit is the
cyclopeedy-the letter Tits comin'!'
And sure enough. The door opened and
in walked Higgins-he tottered rather than
walked, f'rhe had growed old md feeble
in his wicked profession.
Here's the Z~cyclopeedy, MIR. Hobart
says Higgins.
Leander clutched it; he Rugged it to his
pantin' bosom; then stealth one pale hand
under the piller he drew out a faded, bank
note nd gave it to Higgins.
II thank Thee for this boon" SEE Lean
der, rollin' his eyes up d~evoutly: then be
gave a deep sigh.
'Iold on" cried Higgins, excitedIy,
s'You'ye made a mistske-it isn't the
last
But Leander didn't hear hirR-his soul
he'd fled from its mortal tenement md he'd
scared rejoicin' to realms nv everlastin'
bliss.
lie is no MORE SEE Dock Wilson,
m~etaphorically.
"Then who are his hcirs9" asked that
moan or;ttar H5r,,;uc
'sWe be" seq the family.
'Do you conformity and severally ac-
knowledge and assume the obligation Of
deceased to me?'' he asked 'em.
ssWhat Obligation asked Peasley Ho-
bert, stern like.
Deceased died OWN me i'r a ~cyclepee-
dyi" seq Higgins.
That's a lier' SEE Peasley. 1--WE all
seen him pay you for the ""
but there's another one to come,' seq
Higgins.
Another" they all asked.
s'Yes, the index.'' SEE he.
So there wuz, and I'll be ~eternaily goll
burned il he amt a-suin' the estate in the
probate court now fr the price NV il!
Young ladies, on the eve of marriage,
now give ''spinster dinners, at which
female friends only are entertained. They
f.A aA1 an-