Northwest enterprise. [volume] (Anacortes, Wash. Ter.) 1882-1887, 1883-04-07

The Story of the Priest Who Stood at the In
fdel's Deathbed.
THE WRETCHED APARTMENTS
WHERE HE SPENT HIS LAST
HOURS.

said she, Mr.. Paine has been sc
much bothered of late by the Other
denominations calling upon him that
he has left express orders with me tc
admit no one to-day but the clergy
men of the Roman Catholic Church.
Upon assuring her that we were
Roman Catholic clergymen she
opened the door and showed us into
the parlor. She left the room, and
shortly after returned to inform us
that Paine was. asleep, and at the
same time expressed wish that we
would not Disturb him. For" said
she, ''he is always in a bad humor
when reused out of his sleep; 'tis
better to wait little till he be awake.
We accordingly sat down and re
solved to wait more favorable mo
ment. Gentlemen" said the lady
after having taken her seat also, II
really wish you may succeed with
Mr.. Paine, for he is laboring under
great distress of mind ever since he
was informed by his physicians that
he cannot possibly live and must die
shortly. He sent for you to-day be-
cause he was told if any one could
do him good you might. Possibly he
may think you know of some remedy
which his physicians are ignorant Of.
He is truly to be pitied. His cries
when he is left alone are heartrend
ing. oh, Lord, help mel he will ex
claim in his paroxysms OF distress;
God help me! Jesus Christ he'll p mel
the same expression with
out the least variation in tone of
voice that would alarm the house"
Sometimes he cries, oh, God!
what have L done to suffer SO much ?
Then shortly after, But there is no
God! And again, little after,
Yet if there should be, what will be-
come of me hereafter?' Thus he will
scream, as if in terror and agony, and
call out for me by name. On one of
these occasions, which are very fre-
quent, L went to him and inquired
what he wanted Stay with me- he
replied; for Gods sake. for l cannot
bear to be left alone / then OBJ
served that 1 could not always be
with him, as l had much to attend to
in the house. 'Then,' said he. send
over child to stav with me, for it is
a hell to be alone | never saw" she
concluded, IA more unhappy, a more
forsaken man; it seems he cannot
reconcile himself to die"
Such was the conversation of the
woman who had received us, and who
probably had been employed to nurse
and take care of him during his i'll
ness. She was a Protestant, yet
seemed very desirous that we should
afford him some relief in his state of
abandonment, bordering on complete
despair. Having remained thus some
time in the parlor, we at length
heard noise in the adjoining pas
which induced us to be-
lieve that Mr.. Paine, who was sick in
that room, had awoke. We accord
ingly proposed to proceed thither,
which was assented to by the woman,
and she opened the door for us. On
entering we found him just getting
out of his slumber. A more wretched
being in appearance l never before
beheld. He was lying in bed suffi-
ciently decent of itself, but at present
besmeared with dirt; his look was
that of a man greatly tortured in
mind; his eyes haggard, bis coun
tenance forbidding, and his whole ap-
pearance that of one whose better
days had been one continual scene Of
debauch. His only nourishment at
this time, we were informed. was
more than milk punch, in
which he INDUCED to the full extent
of his weak state.
As soon as we had seated ourselves,
f. Kohlman, in a very mild tone of
voice, informed him that we were
Roman Catholic priests, and were
come on his invitation to see him.
Paine made no reply. After short
pause +. Kohlman' proceeded thus:
Il have read your book entitled The
Age of Reason, as well as your other
writings against the Christian re-
ligion, and am at loss to imagine
how a man Of your good sense
could have employed his talents
in attempting to undermine what, to
say nothing of its divine establish
ment, the wisdom of ages has deemed
most conducive to the happinss of
man. The Christian religion, sir ="
''That's enough, sir, that's enough
said Paine, again interrupting him.
Il see what you would be about; l
wish to hear no more from you, sir.
My mind is made up on that subject.
1 look upon the whole of the Christian
scheme to be tissue of absurdities
and lies, and Jesus Christ to be
nothing more than cunning knave
and impostor.'
l felt degree of horror at think
ing that in a short time he would be
cited to appear before the tribunal OF
his God, whom he so shockingly
blasphemed, with all his sins upon
him. Seeing that +. Kohlman had
completely failed in making any inn
preston upon him, and that Paine
would listen to nothing that came
from him, nor would even suffer him
to speak, l finally concluded to try
what effect I might have. l accord
lngly commenced with observing:
"Mr. Paine, you will certainly allow
there exists a God, and that this God