The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1918-07-19
HIS DEATHBED REPENTANCE,

we nave nedTu dill our llle Iue ulS-
cussion about deathbed repentance.
Some of~the preachers have pointed
to the thief on the cross and argued
forYit, while others have told US that
the doctrine did not apply in these
latter days where the opportunity to
be good had come to a man all these
years before he was stretched on
the cross. Some of them have read
to us that "my spirit will not always
strive with man, while others have
sung that
"While the lamp of life holds out to
burn,
The vilest sinner may return, etc.
1t. seems that our own Cole be-
longs to the latter branch of the
church, because, after having told
the boys that he was not "a'skeered"
of Wilson, and after having had
| them shout themselves hoarse at the
bravery of their noble leader, he
has now about-faced and is one of
our most loyal-Wilson democrats,
although his. erstwhile friend, Col.
Cheshire, says; that Cole ""wished to
God" that Hughes would be elected
| president. ~- go. g
We have all seen the time in the
country, though, when a man was
/ about to be called before the judg-
ment seat, or supposed, he was. The
faithful old women, and all the old
maids, gathered, looking solemn, but
still hopeful, each bringing her, fav-
orite remedy to heal any and all
kinds of ills. Col. Bill Mckinney
of Greenwood told US that he took
the whole menu on one occasion.
Well, Brave Cole has of late been
mighty sick. In fact he has been
face to face with political death for
several weeks, and on last Saturday
the faithful old> women, including
that charming old maid Johnnie
Aull, attended at his bedside at Lit
tie Mountain, in Newberry County,
where Cole looked political death
squarely in the face. They all had
their remedies, but just which one
it was that told Cole that the only
thing which would land him in poll
teal heaven was a full tablespoon
full of Wilson Tanlac, we do not
know. ..
Whether he kicked much or not,
or whether it was necessary to hold
his nose we have not been told, but
we do know now that Cole took the
dose. He appeared early this week
in Manning the most rearin' Wilson
man in the whole state. The little
girl about whom Col. Dial has been
telling, who made. over 100 at
school on all studies is no longer in
it. Cole is 400 per cent Wilson
and is still coming. He tells the
boys that when he gets up to Wash
ington he is going to walk right up
to the president and tell him that
he is an American Senator, he
stands behind the country in the
time of war, and is with the presi-
dent, tooth and toe nail, to finish.
More than this he tells US that if it
is necessary he will put the presi-
dent in the race for the third term,
which Washington declined. and
will stump the United States for
him. Think of it friends! That is
Cole talking. He intends to take
the president by the hand and tell
him so. He is to take that hand,
smeared with the blood of all the
fresh young manhood of this coun-
try, and tell the president all this.
Is Cole "a 'skeered?"
More than that, he will raise a
regiment, and himself go to France
and personally spank the Kaiser on
the back steps of his home in Ber-
lin. So said Cole as he lay asick.
Cole has %repented. He is willing for
the people to forget all he has said
and done.
But one of the worst things about
these deathbed repentances is, that
sometimes the fellow doesn't 60 up
to heaven at once, but is left on