The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1869-05-07
TtIM FAPAL SHOT


TUE FATAL SHOT.
Among the many fair castle homes of
England there could be none fairer or more
stately than Coran Castle, Suffolk. There
lived Squire Coran, q fine specimen of the
olden school-stern, rugged and unbending
as one of his own oaks, yet, withal genial
and kindly. The meanest peasant on his
estate walked brisker when he saw the
squire and smiled for five minutes after
hearing his merry ''Fine morning; first-rate
weather!''
Nearly forty years had passed since the
squire laid his fair girl-wife in the vault of
the Corans-nearly twenty since he had
buried by her side the one son Of their short
~edlock. Yet Coran Castle was not desc
late. The :''heir," though he had died
young, had lived long enough to leave
widow and two orphan babes to his fathers
care. The orphans were now. grown up,
and the names of Hugh and Emma resound-
ed through the castle, shouted in the full,
CHEEKY voice of the hearty old man. Dearly
did he love them both; but Hugh was some
what wild and wayward, and would some
times thoughtlessly thwart his grand
imperious will. One sore subject ever lay
between them. The old squire was giant
In stature and strength; his youth had been
signalized by feats of prowess and daring
of which he never wearied TO boast. Hugh
>
field sports, and, being small and delicate
in frame, constantly took to himself his
grand-father's careless SCOTS about ''lady-
men" and "degeneracy."
Not half a mile from Coran Castle was O
large tract of heath and moorland, very
wild and lonely. and at that time infested
with highwaymen. It was necessary to
cross this district to reach the neighboring
village of Wrettel. One day, in the winter
nrh hol
this village. He did not return when ex-
pected, and dinner was served without him.
just as it was over, he came in, excusing
hlsatardiness by saying that suspicious cha
racters had been seen on the moor, and,
therefore, he had waited for companions on
his homeward journey. His mother was
about to commend what to her seemed but
prudence, when the squire broke into n
storm of invective at Hugh's "cowardice."
When had he feared any mortal man-least
of9 all, midnight robber? The moorland
offered no shelter for band of highway
men, and he took shame that one of his race
dreaded encounter with any single foe Old
as he was. he would ride over Coran Moore
alone at midnight, and no hand should
harm him or touch his purse. He blnshed
yes. that was the stinging word-for the
last of the Oorans of Coran
In vain did Hugh answer gently that he
usefully to the proof, that he owned he had
but little of the reckless daring of the an
cient Corans; but still he thought-he mo-
destly said he thought, for the youth was no
braggart-that he would risk his own life to
save another's But the squires last words
were too much. His blue eyes flashed he
threw down his knife, left his dinner unfi-
nished, and his mother and sister in tears.
He did not show himself all that evening
E,afa "a of YnI( rf,ac
tel, bearing tidings of the sudden and dan
gerous illness of an old friend of the
squire's. The man who brought the letter
went on with another to q more distant
neighbor.
81 shall go at once" said the squire to
Emma and her mother. 81 must see him
again in life. :"
"rhen Rogers will attend you?" suggest
ed the widow, timidly.
mo; Latymer Coran was no court popin-
Joy, who could not take care of himself; he
was not afraid of the dark; towards were
unknown in his young Gays"
Squire Coran went to his room to prepare
Tor his journey. Boosting never strengthens
ones own courage, and he took great care
that his pistol was in good order. At an
other time, notwithstanding the reality of
the danger, he would not have taken the
pistol; but now h, loaded it with deadly
precision. and laid it carefully in his great
coat pocket.
l1nma ran to call her brother to say good
bye but she found his door locked, and
Aoould get no answer.
y Ley him alone" said her grand father;
'}et MIN alone; example is better than pre-
oel, aic 50 he rode away.
1Serc was only a cloudy moon, but the
ot"o'Aearted traveller knew his road, and