The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-05-15
LOOKING 1T UP.
MI FOsdiek Learns the Value OF an Ency-
cIOpedia.

cIopedia.
Mr.. Fosdick sat in his library reading
newspaper. He threw the sheet aside, rose
and went to the bookcase which contains
his encyclopedia and ran his eye along the
volumes He did this two or three times,
and then he spoke, making a great effort
to be calm, and succeeding about as well
as most men succeed when they try to be
calm in the bosom Of their families. This
is what he said:
lone of the unexplained mysteries is
why the particular volume in an encyclO-
pedia set which you want to consult is al
ways the one that is missing from the
bookcase. Another of the mysteries which
despair Of ever hearing satisfactorily ex-
planned is why you people can never re-
turn hook to the case after using it. -
(Which volume is it you want, dear?'
asked Mrs Fosdick meekly, she being in
cluded in the term ''you people, =" used by
Mr.. Fosdick.
II want the volume with the Els in it.
There is an allusion to Mount Etna in the
newspaper which I want to verify, and
that particular volume is the only one of
the whole two dozen which isn't in its
proper place. -
Mrs. Fosdiek went to the bookcase and
began to search its shelves. Then she
looked in another bookcase, but without
success, and her husband expressed his I'M
alterable conviction that either his wife or
his daughter had removed it from it's place
and failed to return it.
81 believe Ethel did take it to her room
the other day. said Mrs. Fosdick after u
moments thought.
'Ethelr'
Ethel was curled up in a big leather
chair reading novel and had taken no
part in the discussion.
YES mamma"
Didn't you take a volume of the ency-
clcpedia to your room the other day when
you had to write an essay on Emerson?"
81 believe 1 did, mamma"
''You must have left it there. Hurry
and bring it down"
Ethel left on her GRAND, and Mr.. Eos
dick occupied the time in delivering some
extempOre remarks on the way women had
of dropping things wherever they happened
to be, regardless of the place appointed of
their keeping. sit makes me so cross, y
he continued, Ito find my books of refer
ence anywhere and everywhere but where
they ought to be, that am seriously con-
sidering the ACCESSIBILITY of locking up the
reference bookcase. Volumes of that char
acter should never be taken from the Ii
brary, under any circumstances Now, I
am always very particular myself to re-
place book on its proper shelf as soon as
I am through with it. Well, where is it?''
he asked, as Ethel reappeared without the
book.
II remember now that I brought it back
as soon I was done with it, papa, - said
Ethel.
but that's impossible, child. You
must have left it somewhere. 1t isn't in
the case. "
''iOh, now remember!'' exclaimed Mrs.
Fosdick
''Well?'' queried her husband. "You ere
the one who took it away and forgot to
bring it back, are your
NO sir it was you, YOURSELF Don't
you remember that you got interested in
an article on Egypt and brought it up to
my room to read it to me night before
last?'
"LLI believe I did,
Its in my room yet, know. 1 saw it
this morning and intended to bring it
down to the library. Ethel, think you'll
find it on the bureau in my ROOM
Miss Fosdick made another trip up
stairs, and her father maintained a stolid
silence during her absence. When she re-
turned, she had the missing volume in her
hands Mr. Fosdick took it and began to
turn its leaves in silence, as the incident
seemed to call for no further comment from
him His wife said nothing, either. She
simply thought.
Presently there was another impatient
exclamation from Mr.. Fosdick.
''What is it now, dear?'' she asked.
''Look at that, he replied, pointing to
a place on the open page. She looked and
read this line:
ttEtna. See Ktna. Lilo