Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1899-07-29
BOB INGERS0LL DEAD.
The Noted Infidel Goes to Meet
his God.

his God.
Col Robert G. lngersoll. lover of lib
erty, orator, author. lecturer. humani-
| tartan. agnostic, lawyer. infdcl. died
last Friday, at his country home, Wal
ston, Dobb's Ferry, n T.. Of heart
trouble-agina pectoris
He did not die as he would have
chosen to die-Slowly. conscious 10 the
very last The end came in the twink
ling Of an eye-inStant transition appar-
emily from good health to death.
The smile that started 10 mantle his
features never was finished He died
before his wife could seize his hand.
His death resulted from hear disease,
from which he had suffered since 1896
In that year during the Republican
National Convention. he was taken i'll.
and had To return home He never
fully recovered from the attack Of heart
disease and was under the care Of phvsi-
clans constantly. For several DAYS
prior to his death Mr. lngerSoll was NOT
so well but felt better III the forenoon
Of his last day on earth.
Col. In-ersoll spent the morning
swinging in hammock and sitting on
on the veranda with the members of the
family. He said he was better and had
no pain. Just before noon lac went To
his room where he. his wife and nurse
We're alone for few moments when she
remarked
"Lunchcon is almost ready. let me
have il sent upSfai.- 60 ...a.'
mo he replied decidedly, Il don't
want anybody TO wait on me yet"
Little did the wife know, or did he
know. that these were to he the last
words he ever was to utter He sat in
his chair and yawncd. His wife noticed
his tongue
Why" She said, Its as white as
chalk
Col IngcrSol smiled for just the small
est part of a second Then his head fell
back, his jaw fell. and his eyes took on
the blackness of insensihility
He has tainted = cried Mrs Inger-
soil TO the housekeepcr. Miss Sharkey
She looked To her practiced eye it
meant more
The Colonel is dying = she cried,
running out of the room TO arouse the
household.
In moment every member of the
family was present one brought brandy
another a hot foot bath They all had
learned means to avert collapse. and
every thing was done 10 save life but
ali in vain. the noted agnostic was dead
Colonel Ingersoll was the greatest foe
Christianity has ever known His father
was preacher whose efforts 10 influence
the boy had an opposite effect He
famed ignorance of every thing per-
tanning to future life and denied the
existance of God To the end.
In spite of his agnosticism he had
many friends among the Christian clergy
who admired him for his genuine love
of justice. There was nothing vindic-
tive about Colonel Ingersoll; he applied
reason to the criticisms directed AT him
by orthodox writers. and never grew
coarse in defending his side of con-
troversy.
HIS HOME LIFE.
One of the ruling traits of Ingersoll's
character was his great fondness for his
home, his wife and children. He is said
by those who have closely known him
To have had one of the most beautiful
home lives that could have been imag-
ined. He never enforced his views of
religion upon the members of his family.
allowing them 10 hold their own ideas
upon that subject. Nothing delighted
the close social intercourse that the
home affords.
When his children were i'll their
earlier years, he was their constant
friend and companion, and had the
happy faculty of becoming child i'll
spirit himself for the time being. He
had sweet and winning nature with
those who We're dear and close TO him,
and if there was one thing more than
another that he sought to impress upon
his household it was the importance of
cultivating a spirit of sympathy and
sunshine and human helpfulness. He
never allowed word of controversy
that would entail bitterness to be
uttered within his house. There was
peace. serenity and love.
HIS MANY TRAITS.