The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1881-11-17
BEING TAKEN CARE OF.

There is something harder to learn,
and more difficult to put in practice,
than taking care of the sick, and that
is, being taken care of when you are
sick yourself Kind and devoted nurses
sometimes prove to be selfish and exact
ing invalids.
II will be some years before the
younger readers of st. Nicholas are in
trusted with the care Of others; but
every number finds many Of them laid
aside from s.books, and work. and
healthful play trying their best. let us
hope, not to be impatient patients. No
directions can make sick days short
and pleasant; but. as they have to be
borne, every one wants to form those
habits which will make the burden as
light as possible to themselves and
others.
You may as well make up your mind
at once that there is no charm which
can make it easy. There is no royal
way to get through measles or mumps,
and even children in palaces must find
sick days drag by slowly. The only
way to make life in q sick-room en-
durable is to remember, first and last,
and always, that no amount Of grum-
bling and complaining can take away
pain. The thing to be done is to lift
the burden as cheerfully as you can.
and bear il with patience. Do not inn
agine that talking of your troubles will
do any good. Every one who has had
experience knows how hard it is to be
i'll, and those who are SO fortunate as
to have had no such experience will
not realize your sufferiDgs any the
more il you describe every detail.
In the first place, always remember
that it is not pleasant nor easy work to
take care Of sick people, and if you do
the best youscan, you will still tax the
strength and patience Of your friends
very much.
Do not be exacting about little
things, and make as little trouble as
you can. aud try to be grateful for
everything which is meant as kind
ness. +.
Children are often tempted to be
fretful when they are i'll. A petulant
:. Don For ~ don't want that tires
a nurse more than an hours watching.
Do not expect your friends to take It
for granted that you appreciate the
many steps which they take in your
behalf. without any expression of graf
itude from you.
just think how you would dislike to
be called away from all your usual en-
pl0vments, to occupy your time in rum
ming up and down stairs on errands.
How would you like to read
aloud when you wanted to 70
out? or leave your own dinner
to grow cold while you carried
the salver upstairs, lest the tea and
toast should not be at their bestp I
presume you would be willing to do It,
but wouldn't it be easier and pleasanter
If met by = cordial acknowledge
ment of your kindness, instead OF by 3
silent aequiescencep Let the ready ex-
preston of appreciation Of small favors
become the habit of your life. and then
you will not have to make an effort to
be grateful for the services which 9TH
ers render you when You are III.
When you feel as Glory McQuirk did,
when she used to say, Lots of good
times, and amt in 'em,p remember
that you are only taking your turn out.
Nobody goes through life without ILL.,
ness. and instead of feeling jealous OF
your friends who are web and able to
enjoy more than you can. try to be
happy in their happiness.
This is very hard, sometimes; but If
you cannot feel just as you ought, you
can at least keep from putting your
envious thoughts into complaining
words. It is bad enough to be sick,
without being ill-natured, too. Some
H. IL
ing help instead Of burden, their
happy, patient ways making the sick
room the pleasantest place in the
home. 1t was often said OF one of
these bright examples: Z Helen is al
ways so cheerful that it is impossible
to realize that there is an invalid in the
house.
There is another dear little friend Of
mine. who has lain for years In con-
slant pain with spinal disease, who vet
has courage to say: Don't be very
sorry for me, because I have SO many
things to make me happy, and don't
mind not being able to walk, because r
have always been ILL., She shortens
the wakeful nights by repeating poetry
from her memory, which she calls her
might library. How much happier
for her and for her friends than ii she
spent those tedious hours in thinking Of
her own sufferings.
The lesson of instant obedience to
rightful authority ought to be learned
when one is well, for when illness comes.
life or death often hangs upon the hab-
its learned long before.
Perhaps have done wrong, doc
tor said the mother Of self-willed
daughter. '.but Amy was so unwilling
to take the medicine which You ordered.
that did not give it to her.
The physician gravely replied: mad
am, you hare done very wrong" When
the little girls death proved his words
true, the mother realized whats dread
full alternative it is to choose between
the two risks, of neglecting needed
remedy, or putting sick child into .
passion, by enforcing an obedience to
which it is unaccustomed.
Do not allow yourself to think that
you are the only person in the world
who does not feel perfectly comfortable
and happy. It is avery bad idea to try
to make yourself the center around
which the whole household must re-
YQlye. People fall INTO this fault before