A Remarkable Episode.

Manawatu Herald, 6 September 1894, Page 3

A Remarkable Episode.

9 • - The death ot Mr Coker calls to mind a romantic episode in his career, and a still more romantic incident in the life of a young English squire who, for some months, made Christchurch his home. The facts are stated to have been somewhat as follows : — A j young scion of one of the oldest families in England had made his way. to New Zealand, and became stranded in this city. The late Mr with that keen insight into human character for which he was remarkable, and "with that kindly foiling for which hundreds will

revere ljis memory, befriended the young Englishman, sot him on his feet; and aided him in returning to Hi 9 aHe&Mili Hoiiiei Kow totiipi one »* ''angest parts of tne 1 . <h- were three lives ntttv .. young fellow and the :i - . ( and in a fe*v rncnths these were all sleeping with their father's* One perished, id a railway accident; one in a yatih'titie; fatality; and,, the other was killed in the hunting field. The younger son then came into the estates, and one of the first things he did was to repay Mr Coker for bis kindness, as far as the mere money was concerned; and added a wai'ift ihvjtation' to his. benefactor to come add see hitii id England. Mr Goker paid the visit when he wetifc id England, and the young fellow devoted himself to his old friend in a way that stamped him as a thorough Englishman. He did more, taking Mr Coker into the old hall, he begged biln, to select from the trophies and old oak carvings there* in, something to place in the hall of Coker's Hotel in Christchurch. Mr Coker hesitated, objected, remonstrated ; but all to no purpose. He made his selection, and the old oak carvings and other valuable relics stand to dny in the entrance hall of the hotel. Soon after Mr Coker's return, and when the glorious old trophies and carvings were placed in their new home, our late townsman was distressed to hear that the generous heart of the young Englishman had ceased to beat. He also had been killed in an accident. Verily, truth is stranger than fiction. —Star,