I could never withstand distress.
I said: "Bring him to my lecture.

I'll start him for you." "Oh, if you could but do it! If you could but do it, all our family would bless you for evermore--for he is so very dear to us.

Oh, my benefactor, can you make him laugh?
can you bring soothing tears to those parched orbs ?" I was profoundly moved.

I said: "My son, bring the old party round.
I have got some jokes in that lecture that will make him laugh if there is any laugh in him; and if they miss fire, I have got some others that will make him cry or kill him, one or the other." Then the young man blessed me, and wept on my neck, and went after his uncle.

He placed him in full view, in the second row of benches, that night, and I began on him.