The Waxahachie daily light. [volume] (Waxahachie, Tex.) 1894-current, 1909-10-08
RETURNED THE PRIZE
A Trophy That Did Not Remain
Long In Captivity.
THE MISSING COAT OF ARMS.
II Belonged to the American Consulate
In Honolulu and Was Carried Off by
Party Of English Middies-The Res
titution and Apology.

In Honolulu and Was Carried Off by
aParty of English Middes-The Res
titution and Apology.
Speaking Of old times on the coast"
said an Oregonian, reminds me of
some of the sterling characters we
had there. One was Governor Me
Bride of Oregon. His first official du-
ties were at Honolulu, where he was
United States minister. King Kane
hameha was the ruler at the lame. The
minister was heroic type of man,
fhe father of fourteen children, and a
number of his sons became distin-
guished men in various professions.
He was a true American, east in an
ultra patriotic mold, and many stories
are told among the oldtimers of his
patriotism and bravery.
when Mcbride reached Honolulu
he found there were no outward in
sigma designating the American con
sulate or minister's office, so he had a
large American coat of arms cut out
of wood, gilded and decorated appro-
priately. and this was hung over the
office door that all the world might see
it, 1t was naturally a conspicuous OBJ
iect and of much interest to the pub
lic
zone day an English man-of-war
came into port The sailors and mid
shipmen were given liberty. and. as
often happens, some Of them had hi
= larious times. Among the then mid
shipmen were Lord Gordon and Lord
Beresford, who, like all midshipmen in
from long cruise. were out for
Jolly time. Walking down the street
they did not fail to notice that Yankee
coat Of arms. and as Beresford was
collecting bric-a-brac and curiosities it
occurred to him aud Gordon ihai this
would be a tine addition to their col
= lection. trophy worth having So
they selected a time when the minis
ter was away and the office closed,
presumably at night. and took down
the coat of arms. hired a native vehi-
Gle to carry it down to the dock and
actually succeeded in getting it aboard
without any of the ranking officers
knowing anything about it.
THE next morning when the minis
ter came down to the office his assist
ant sad:
"Mr. Minister. your birds taken
flight
"'What do you meant asked his
excellency.
Your coat of arms is gone, re-
piled the aid.
".Gone where? Flown OFF,
".No. exactly said the other. IT'S
just disappeared
The minister walked out into the
street and looked up. The coat of
arms. which was five or six feet
across. was noticeable by its absence.
1t had taken wings and flown away.
Exactly what the minister said has
not been chroucIed.
1T so happened that Beresford had
given the carriage driver an extra fare
for his trouble. Some one discovered
this and quickly reported it TO the min.
lister. who at once made n demand
upon the captain of the frigate for its
return. The captain. who was limo
cent. denied that the thing was aboard
ship. The minister sent his evidence
to the captain. reiterating his demand
and demanding an apology for the in
suit
1.-THE captain now began an investi.
CATION. and the culprits owned up and
took the coat of arms on deck, when
1t was promptly sent ashore and re
turned 10 the office of the minister.
Mcbride, who was there refused 10
receive it.
"'Tell the captain of your frigate
that | desire that the men who took it
down bring it back. place it where
they found it and apologize
Back to the ship went the men
with the coat Of arms and reported.
The captain ordered the young men to
90 ashore, take the coat OF arms TO the
consulate, replace it as they found it
and apologize to the minister.
1T was doubtless a bitter pill and
the young midshipmen had to stand
the badinage OF their comrades. The
two went ashore. ready to comply.
and took the coat OF arms to the con
sulate. The American minister had
not put himself out to keep the mat
ter quiet. and as fact the public was
well posted. and the consulate was
surrounded by IA crowd of Americans.
natives and others all laughing at the
predicamcnt of the young nidship-
men.
The minister had n strong sense OF
humor and determined to get all there
was in it, He preserved his dignity as
best he could as he received the young
men and listened To their apologies
The midshipmen then took the coat Of
arms from the hack and amid the
cheers of the crowd climbed to the
front of the building and placed it In
position. then hurried down. followed
by laughter and cheers &C. f. Holder
in New York Evening Post,
Delight of Varied Labor.
None bur the fully occupied can ap-
preciate the delight of suspended or,
rather. of varied labor 1t is toll that