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Ed Coles Tribute to Col Vennie Colonel Vennie is dead and gone He was carried off in the most peaceful generous way that most of us would be willing to go if we had control of such matters Very little pain if any but jut a peaceful shock and then the end Xothing can be anticipated sweeter Let us hope his hereafter is as sublime sublimeMost Most of the readers of this humble column probably did not know the Colonel intimately That was their misfortune In these days of strife and deceit what a supreme pleasure it was to meet a man like Colonel Vennie a man with a kind word for the unfortunate One willing to give his last cigar to a friend and go without himself One who would split his last drink from the hip pocket if there vas only half an ounce in the flask One whom you could open your heart to laying your troubles on your sleeve and go on your way knowing that they were in safe j keeping and sacred A true and loyal friend Such was Colonel Vennie VennieVERY VERY FEW COLONEL VENXIES VENXIESThat That he will be missed by his associates is unquestioned For many many years 1 he was a pal of Colonel Matt Winn They were like the Siamese twins almost i inseparable For years they had been pals together Where one was the other vas on the same floor There was no two sides to their business relations which were extensive What one wanted he could have without argument and should it j inove a failure the other would say Never mind you thought it was for the best That is sufficient for me meThere There was no scolding nor rebuking just an acceptance with the same feeling whether the outcome was good or bad badIf If the world were only crowded with men of like character how happy and contented everybody would be Everybody could go to sleep without worry or care and awaken in the morning as Colonel Vennie did with the same cheerful smile for the most lowly menial or the millionaire aristocrat Everybody was equal on this earth to Colonel Vennie But he is gone and as George Wood the old monologue artist used to recite as an encore encoreWe We came to this world naked and bare We go through this world midst sorrow and care When we die we go we know not where But if weve done well here well do well there Theres no doubt about Colonel Vennie doing well there thereED ED COLE
