Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1895-11-20
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s.THE CYCLOPEEDY."
One of EUGENE FIELDS Best Stories.
----,-,-,--~y-~rrr7 Observation-Disclosures Hdz1ln1aEr

his hobby. and I've heern him talk
bout IL many a time settin' round the
stove at the tavern nd squtrtin' tobacco
Juice at the sawdust box. His WIFE,
Hattie, passed away with the yalleI
janders the winter w came, ana all
that seemed to reconcile Leander 10 sur
win her wuz the prospect NV seem
the last yolyume nv that cyclopeedy.
I,enuel Higgins. the book agent, mad
gone to his everlastin' punishment; Dut
his son, Hiram, had succeeded to ms
fathers business nd continued TO Visit
the folks his old man had roped in. by
this time Leanders children had grow
ed I'D: all on 'em wuz marr'd, and there
wuz numeris grandchildren to amuse
the OF gentleman. But Leander wuzn Z
TO be satisfied with the common things
Nv airth: he didn't seem TO take no
Measure in his grandchildren like
most men do: his mind wuz alters sot on
somethin' else-f0r hours nd 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
cyclopeedy. He didn't want to d. all
he'd got all the cyclopeedies his con-
tract called for: he wanted to have
everything Strengthened cut before he
passed away
When-oh. how we'll I recollect it
when Y came along he wuZ so overcome
that he fell over in a fit NV paralysis,
nd the old gentleman never got over
It. For the next three years he drCOp-
ed nd pinned, and seemed like he could
mt hold out much longer. Finally he
had to take to his bed-he was so old
nd feeble-but he made EN- move the
bed up aginst the winder so he could
watch for that last yolyume Of the cy-
clopeedy.
The end come one balmy day In the
spring nv ST. His life was a'ebbin
powerful fast: the minister was there,
nd me, nd Dock Wilson, nd ledge
Baker. nd most NV the family Lovin'
hands smOothed the wrinkled forehead
nd brushed back the long, scant white
hair but the eyes Nv the dyin' man
wuz set upon that piece NV road down
which the cyclOpeedy man allus come.
All 10 oncet a bright nd joyful look
come into them eyes. nd old Leander
riz up in bed nd SCI, IT'S come"
What rs It. father?" asked his
daughter Sarey. sObbin' like.
flush" SCI the minister, solemnly;
"he secs the shinln' gates Nv the Moo
Jerusalum."
NO. no." cried the aged man: at is
the cyclopeedy-the letter Z-it's COM
in"
And sure enough, the door opened,
and In walked Higgins He tottered
rather than walked, for he had growed
old nd feeble in his wicked perfession.
Here's the 2 cyclopeedy, Mr.. Ho
bart" 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 Hig-
gins.
4 thank thee fer this boom" sez
Leander, rollin' his eyes up devoutly;
then he gave a deep sigh.
Hold on" cried Higgins eXcitedly;
you've made a mlstake-it isn't the
last"
But Leander didn't hear him-his
soul he'd fed from it's mortal tenement
nd he'd scared rejoicin' to realms NV
everlastin' bliss.
He IS no more" sez Doc Wilson,
metaphOrically.
Then who are his heirs?" asked the
mean critter Higgins.
eve be-" SEE the family.
do you conformity and severely ac-
knowledge and assume the obligation
Of deceased to met" he asked EN-.
What ohligatiOn?' asked Peasiey
Hobart, stern like.
Deceased died OWN me fer CYCLIC
peedy," SEE Higgins
That's a lie" SEE Peasley. eve all
seen him pay you for the Z!'
'But there's another one to come" "
SEE Higgins.
Another" they all asked.
Eyes, the index" SEE he.
So there wuz. and I'll be eternally
burned eff he amt a'suin' the estate in
the Probate Court now f'r the price Nv
it,"