Hard To Suit

A San Francisco man, as reported by the Cali, had been in bed for several months with a malady that made him very nervous and irritable. Ilis wife and daughter ministered to him assiduously, but were sometimos at their wit's end in trying to satisfy his cepricious desires. As the young lady said once, her father was "so unreasonable that he would scold if an angel were waiting on him." One night, when the mother and daughter were both thoroughly tired out, a young man. a friend of the family, was called in to watch with the sick man for six hours after midnight. The invalid's wife instrueted him about the medicines, and especially cautioned him to be careful about disturbing the patiënt. "Ile is very irritable," she said. "Don't speak to him except when he speaks to you, and if he is asleep when the time comes for him to take his medicine, don't disturb him. "And by the way," she added, as she was about leaving the room, "you may like something to read. Ilerc is Mark Twain's 'Roughing It;' it will amuse you, but you musn't laugh while reading it, for Mr. J will fancy you are laughing at him, and will be very much annoyed." The young man performed his duties to the best of his ability, but on going away in the morning was thanked rather curtly by the invalid. As soon as he was gone Mr. J broke out. "See here, mother," said he, "don't ever send that numskull to watch with me again." "Why, father, what do you mean? Wasn't he attentive? Ile didn't go to sleep, did he?" "No, no, no; but I was awake for two hours, and I watched him reading Mark Twain's book all that time, and - " "But, father," interposed Mrs. J , "I gave him that book to occupy his time. Ile - " "(Jh yes, yes, that's right; but that fooi sat there for two hours reading that book, and never smiledonce."