Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1889-04-19


oi peu and Leander laid her dyin' to that
Used cyclopeedy, cause when he went to
zooIl bout cows it told him to "See
lat's the use Nv harrowin' up ones
talldn' md thinldn' about these
lgsl Leander got so after awhile
that the cyclopeedy didn't worry him at all !;
he grew to look at 1t 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 the
last volyume-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 tarvern md squirtin' tobacco
Juice at the sawdust box. His wife,
Hattie, passed away with the yaller jauders
the winter W come, and all that seemed to
reconcile Leander to survivin' her wuz the
prospect NV seein' the last volyume Nv that
cyclopeedy. Lemuel Higgins, the book
agent, had gone to his everlastin' pun
ishment, but his son, Hiram, had sue
ceeded to his fathers business md continued
to visit his folks his old man had roped in.
By this time Leanders children had growed
up; all on 'em wuz marr'd, and there wuz
numeris grandchildren to amuse the oil
isfied with the common things NV airth; he
didn't seem to take no pleasurein his grand
children like most men do; his mind wuz
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 CYCLIC
peedy. He didn't want to die till he'd got
all the cyclopeedies his contract called for
he wanted to have every thing Strengthened
out before he passed away.
When-oh, how well recollect it-when
Y come along he wuz 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 pined, and
seemed like he couldn't hold out much
longer. Finally he had to take to his bed
he wuz so old md feeble-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 'S7. 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 uvroad down which
the cyclopeedy man alluS come.
All at oncet a bright md joyful look come
into them eyes md oil Leander riz up in bed
md sez: "It's come"
"What is it, fatherp' asked his daughter
Sarey, sobbin' like.
"Hush," sez the minister, solemnly; che
sees the shinin' gates Nv the Moo Jerusa-
lem"
"No, no." cried the aged man, "it is the
ha {,,y
And sure enoughl The door opened and
in walked Higgins-he tottered rather than
walked, f'r ne had growed old md feeble in
his wicked perfession.
"Here's the q cyclopeedy, Mr.. Hobart"
says Higgins
Leander clutched it, he hugged it to his
pantin' bosom; then stealin' one pale hand
under the piller he drew out faded bank
note md gave it to Higgins.
'Ithank Thee for this boon, sez Leander,
rollin' his eyes up devoutly; then he gave
deep sigh.
''Hold on" cried Higgins, excitedly.
"You've made 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" seq Dock Wilson, meta
phorically.
"Then who are his heirsH' asked that
mean critter Higgins.
1--WE be-" sez the family.
''Do you conformity and severally &C
knowledge and assume the obligation OF de-
ceased to meln he asked 'em.
"What obligationl" asked Peasley Ho-
bart, stern like.
Deceased died owin' me FIR CYCLIC
peedyp' sez Higgins
"That's lie !" SEE Peasley. "We all seen
hum pay you for the n"
"But there's another one to come" seq
Higgins.
"Another9" they all asked.
} ayes, the indexp sez he.
80 there wus, and I'll be eternally goll
burned if he amt a-suin' the estate in the
probate court now fr the price Nv itl-Chi
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