The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1909-03-06
THE NIGHT NURSE.

For five years | had been night nurse at the
'Mlsericordla. said the good Sister of Mercy
who was speaking to me- 'and could fill volume
with my experience of wonderful conversions-of
wonderful examples of the patience love and mer-
cy Of God, of the power of sacrifice and the eff
cacy Of petitions sent up to heaven-dn behalf of
some straying soul. Let me tell YOU one that han
pened short time ago. Father Alexander. and Won
will agree with me it was a visible proof that faith
and prayer are never unrewarded, and that the
most unexpected events follow each other at times
so naturally that the marvellous seems to be the
ordinary course Of affairs.
There was in the hospital young man of -
or 25 who had serious throat disease. The trou-
bic had not progressed far. and was by no means
deemed lncurable. He not particularly reli-
gious and had idea of dying in fact had ev-
cry intention Cd of living and supporting his
widowed mother and young sisters. Their prayers
for him were unceasing. His mother particularly
offered constant prayers for his recovery although
she said TO me: Sister he is inclined to be
little wild, and, though he is so dear to me and l
have no one else to support me, sooner than know
he would forsake his God his religion, l would
give him up thousand times, if he were only
ready to goP
Time passed on, and he seemed to be getting a
little better. Still every night he suffered so dread
fully with spells of suffocation that it alarmed me-
but IN the morning l would find him up and dressed
sitting IN the sun parlor, amusing himself;
times chatting with the convalescents; sometimes
playing cards. At nights his agonizing pains al
ways returned. After one of these nights went to
the chaplain and told him my fears and asked him
to look after the patient and talk to him. He did
50; and when he left the young man he came to me.
Sister. l want you to put that man to bed;
mean to give him the last sacraments now
why, Father | said,' he is better today than
he has been this week why, left him in the sun
parlor in his chair playing cards?
so l found him. said the chaplain, but l
nozo hao7 fo1l tn II and & 4Ioon
countabe inspirations or intuitions warns that
l had better do as | said. Go to him, Sister, and
when he is in bed l will go to his room
"A male nurse was sent to tell him he was
wanted in his room. | there and / told him
gravely that the chaplain wished him TO go TO bed;
that he would administer the last sacraments. He
thought his case serious.
Why. Sister. 1 don't feel worse; / ate my
breakfast said the astonished man; i can't re-
ceive the sacramento
Il tried to tell him that sometimes priest is
supernaturally enlightened; that God often makes
known to him His will by an inspiration that must
not be ignored; that he had best obey.
"'WelP said the poor fellow 'I'll give in to the
priest; maybe he's right. But it seems strange to
me, when I'm feeling all right-but III GO
And be went to bed, it being about 10 o'clock
in the morning. The chaplain came, and with
great fervor the patient made his confession and
received Holy Viaticum and Extreme Unction. Aft
all was over he said to me: Sister, what have |
done that God should be good to me! There
must be some one praying for me, for the moment
the Sacred Host touched my tongue it became
conviction that / would die soon and oh! how [
prayed to be ready! | would like to see my mother
and sisters today
81 encouraged him, and in about an hour he
arose. dressed himself and went out again to the
sun parlor He was calm and collected and seemed
10 be praying interiorly. l went to the telephone
and spoke to his mother, and told her that he was
sitting In the sun paror but had received the
raments and would like to them. When she
asked if / saw any change | had to confess l be-
lieved him little better, and she said they would
visit him early the next morning
The day passed on, and that night l. made
my rounds his sufferings began usual. [ gave
him the customary medicines and he seemed re-
lieved I passed TO the other patients. In
sbout twenty minutes there came a nurse hurrying
to me- Sister. No 45 is very much worse; won't
YOU come TO himP Why. he seemed better fifteen
minutes ago. ] said. But I hurried down the
ridor and opened the door of his room. BY the dim
night lamp | saw white figure stretched the
floor ! hurried to the switch turned on the cleo
trio light and the nurse and myself raised his face
from the floor
eOne glance showed us he was deadP
and This was the man who laughing
his harmless game on the sun porch in the morn
ing hesitating about walking to bed to receive the
last sacraments! Whence came this Inspiration to
the cbaplain: this last and priceless grace! vas
some one praying for him Or was it Gods I'M
asked and unspeakable goodness to his su11eflng
creatures! Who can tell X
There was silence for moment; then looked
at the Sister and said, for my heart was touched;
..Wbo can hesitate to believe in our Redeemers spe-
al ;,dividual care for each one of His creatures
IN tbe face of such an event thisF-Ihe Rev.
Richard W. Alexander, in The Missionary