And, sure enough! the door opened, and in walked Higgins. He tottered rather than walked, f'r he had growed old 'nd feeble in his wicked perfession. "Here's the Z 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 a faded bank-note 'nd gave it to Higgins. "I thank Thee for this boon," sez Leander, rollin' his eyes up devoutly; then he gave a 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 hed fled from its mortal tenement 'nd hed soared rejoicin' to realms uv everlastin' bliss. "He is no more," sez Dock Wilson, metaphorically. "Then who are his heirs?" asked that mean critter Higgins. "We be," sez the family. "Do you conjointly and severally acknowledge and assume the obligation of deceased to me?" he asked 'em. "What obligation?" asked Peasley Hobart, stern like. "Deceased died owin' me f'r a cyclopeedy!" sez Higgins. "That's a lie!" sez Peasley. "We all seen him pay you for the Z!" "But there's another one to come," sez Higgins. "Another?" they all asked. "Yes, the index!" sez he. So there wuz, and I'll be eternally goll durned if he aint a-suin' the estate in the probate court now f'r the price uv it! 1889. * * * * * Dock Stebbins. DOCK STEBBINS. Most everybody liked Dock Stebbins, fur all he wuz the durnedest critter that ever lived to play jokes on folks! Seems like he wuz born jokin' 'nd kep' it up all his life. Ol' Mrs. Stebbins used to tell how when the Dock wuz a baby he use to wake her up haff a dozen times un a night cryin' like he wuz hungry, 'nd when she turnt over in bed to him he wud laff 'nd coo like he wuz sayin', "No, thank ye--I wuz only foolin'!" His mother allus thought a heap uv the Dock, 'nd she allus put up with his jokes 'nd things without grumblin'; said it warn't his fault that he wuz so full uv tricks 'nd funny business; kind uv took the responsibility uv it onto herself, because, as she allowed, she'd been to a circus jest afore he wuz born.