The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-01-30
THO M AS PAINE.
The Anniversary Of His Birthdav-Interview
with an Old Lady Who Knew Him in Her
Youth-Lie and Habits Of the Man
The Monument in New Rochelle.

For many years after the death of the celebrated
Thomas Paine the lank and long haired fraternity
who styled themselves his followers celebrated the
anniversary OF his natal day, after their OWE
fashion. Brother Tsick a.el prevailed upon the
good nature Of Brother La-mental to give the ong<
limbed proselytes the use OF the granarY
his coach house. and there in the highest fervOn
or their great admiration for the illusrious dead
the meagre community would descant In long tonedI
nasal Oratory upon the wonderful gifts and powers
ofthe man whom they mad elected to follow Every
sentence In his writings that at all bore suspicious
meaning or was
CAPABLE OF CONSTRUCTION, !,
they would twist and pervert suit the calibre Of
their own mental organizations With no knowledge
OF the man and but little Of his doctrines they set
him up as the embodiment OF q curious set OF ldeas
which, when really slfted and reduced to "commou
sense" meant nothing at all. Still they
were ardent, and pursued the phantom
with zeal worthy Of better canse.j
When the granary coach-house was not procure
able these mud and humble men congregated in
any convenient spot where irantlc Zeal0ts might
indulge IN their fantastic doctrines without fear Of
interruption. When driven from the villages ana
smaller communities by the loud voice OF public
opinion they sought the crowded cities, where the
rush OF
THE TIDE OF LIFE
was too rapid for any to notice the shaky BARI
they were endeavoring to man9uvre. Then at night
concealed IN holes and corners, they preached td
one another those doctrines tina; would not bear the
light Of day. These men nOurished most vigorously;
during the first quarter OF century after the
death Of Paine. By degrees their num-
Der grew less, and they continued to decrease
until within the last few years, when they seem to-
have dropped almost completely out OF history.S
Yesterday the anniversary of Palne's birthday,
and but one gathering in honor OF the memory OF q
man who In his time stirred the souls OF men as
deeply, II not at times even more, than any OF his
compeers. Or course there may have been other
celebrations OF a more private nature TO commence
rate the entrance upon the stage OF life OF man
whom SO many have admired, ont they were so
strictly OF
SECRET NATURE
that nothing mas peea heard OF them. IN one
household, however, IN the village Of New Rochelle
the name OF Paine was pronounced with that re<
spect, and ieeiing people attach to persons and
things they Were famllar wlth IN YOUTH but than
nome OF Mrs. Charity. Badeau, an old lady
now In her eighty fifth year who knew
for him the strong Impressions OF her early
years. When HERALD reporter yesterday called
with ner daughter, herself, an old lady and her
graudaugnter, an intellectual and prepossessin4
or the OLD arstocratc type so rarely seen today.t
Though In her eighty year: Mrs. Charity
ties. Der eye for lady OF her age, Is sim ulariU
bright ana piercing, and she possesses to an emil
distinguish H ladies' adj ss Of her CAS- wnen
about Thomas Paine the old lady said, ~ knew hiIn
WELL Sir. He boarded III that little house YOU saw.
as you came H. ior several weeks, with my mOtner-
was then about eighteen or nineteen years OF ages
ami
He was very quiet thoughtful man. but little gfven
tastes. HIS usual evening meal was a BOWL Of
milk and bread, alter which he retired early
housekeeping on MS farm, which was Just across
the road from MS, and from our house be went tof
Msw ~ cSme rom New YarS SOMETIMES Too both s
our house and To the farm. she was sensblo,
woman, and think little deserving the scandal thet
world mas nung upon her name. AS for ThOmaas
Paine. you could not lind more upright cOnscten-t
tious man In this part OF the country. lie paid
every one what he owed MN, and. as far as II
could learn. he aid no one an injury.
or course he had many enemies AMI he mas sornet
to-day; and there are also many people who secretly
like him. but they afraid TO own II. You see,i
SIR, am not OF that class When he left TINS village
he went to New York, where he died. Was in the
city myself at the time, and shortly alter
THEY BROUGHT HIM OUT HERE
ana buried him on the farm on the opposite side Oh
the road from my house. Nine years after that
three men came out here at daybreak one
a%ag With aug taem and my husband asSe
them what they intended doing with MIN, and they
@ Weer se aa or or n HIe
could find Out. have heard, however, that ne
w sw to %e aea he
thrown into the sea. some nve and twenty yeara
ago number ol.gentemen IN New YORK ana lew
monument to ms memory you saw on the opposite
side or the road"
side the road and surrounded by nigh IRON railing.
IL Is but few Ieet from the original grave, which
looks now as II IC mad Uniy been recently deprived
OF ts tenant On the front Of the monument, facing
the road, Is the inscriplion:-
'Tne world Is my country; to do good IS my
$religlon." THOMAS PAINE.
THOMAS PAINE,
AUTHOR OF 3