The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1895-12-26

one winter, but the cyclopeedy didn't
help out at all, cause all it said wuz:
'Hoopin' Cough - See Whoopin'
Cough"-and, Nv course, there warn't
no Whoopin' Cough to see, bein' as how
the w hadn't come yet!
Oncet when Hiram wanted to dreen
the home pasture, he went to the cyclo-
peedy to find out about 1t, but all he
diskivered wuz: "Drain-See Tile"
This wuz in 1859, and the cyclopeedy
had only got down to G.
The COW wuz 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 tallin' md thinkin' about
these things? Leander got so after
awhile that the cyclopeedy didn't wor-
ry 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 the
last volume-to tell the truth, this
kind Nv got to be his hobby. and I've
heern him talk bout it many time
settin' round the stove at the tavern
nd squirtin' tobacco juice at the saw
dust box. His wife, Hattie, passed
away with the yaller janders the win
ter w came, and all that seemed to rec
oncile Leander to survivin' her wuz
the prospect NV seein' the last volyume
NV that cyclopeedy. Lemuel Higgins,
the book agent, had gone to his ever
lastin' punishment; but his son, Hiram.
had succeeded to his fathers business
nd continued to visit the folks his old
man had roped in. BY this time Le-
ander's children had growed up; all on
'em wuz marr'd, and there wuz numeris
grandchildren to amuse the OF gen.
tleman. But Leander wuzn't to be
satisfied with the common things NV
airth; he didn't seem to take no pleas
ure in his grandchildren like most men
do; his mind wuz alters sot on some
! thin 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
cyclopecdy. He didn't want to die till
he'd got all the cyclopeedies his con-
tract called for; he wanted to have
everything 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 fit Nv paralysis, nd
the old gentleman never got over it.
For the next three years he drooped md
pined, and seemed like he couldn't hold
out much longer. Finally he had to
take to his bed-he was 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, nd most Nv the family. Lovin'
hands smoothed the wrinkled 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 to oncet a bright md joyful look
come into them eyes, md OF Leander
riz up in bed nd sez: "It's come!"
"What is it, father?" asked his
| daughter Sarey, sobbin' like.
| "Hush," sez the minister, solemnly:
she sees the shinin' gates wv the Moo
Jerusalum."
"No, no. cried the aged man; sit is
the cyclopeedy-the letter Tits COM
in'!"
And, sure enough, the door opened,
and in walked Higgins. He tottered
rather than walked, FIR he had growed
old md feeble in his wicked perfession.
Here's the eZcyclopeedy, z 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 Hig
gins.
81 thank thee for this boon," sez Le-
ander, rollin' his eyes up devoutly;
then he gave 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 had fed from it's mortal tenement
md he'd scared rejoicin' to realms NV
everlastin' bliss.
HE is no more" sez Dock Wilson,
methaporically.
'Then who are his heirs?' asked that
mean critter Higgins.
"We be-" sez the family.
"Do you conjointly and severely ac-
knowledge and assume the obligation
of deceased to me?" he asked 'em.
what obligation?" asked Peasley
Hobart, stern like.
! Deceased died OWN me FIR CYCLIC
pedy!" sez Higgins.
THAT'S lie!" sez Peasley. eve all
seen him pay you for the II"
But there's another one to come,"
sez Higgins.
"Another?" they all asked.