Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1910-07-26
RETURNED THE PRIZE
Trophy That Did Not Remain
 Long In Captivity.
THE MISSING COAT OF ARMS.

Belonged to the American Consulate
 In Honolulu and Was Carried Of by
 Party of English Middes-The Res
 .;+ution and Apology.
 Speaking of old times on the coast ..;d an Oregonian, reminds me ct come of tss sterling characters ws sod thare. One was Governor Ac- pride of Oregon. His first official du. des were at Honolulu, where ne was rnited States minister. King Kane homeha was the ruler at the time. The ,,inister was a heroic type of man, Mo father of fourteen children, and . ,nmber of his sons became distin' o,,isbed men in various professions. uo was a true American, cast in an altra patriotic mold, and many stories are told among the oldtimers or his natriotism and bravery.
 "When Mcbride reached Honolulu he found there were no outward in. sionia designating the American con- sulate or minister's office, so he had Iarpe American coat of arms cut out If wood eilded and decorated appro- nriately. and this was hung over the office door that all the world might see if I, was naturally Q conspicuous ob- ,act and ot much interest to the pub lie.
 "One day an English man-of-waz came into port. The sailors and mid. sni,,Ilcli were given liberty, and, as f,f iarious t.nes. Among the then mid shipmep were Lord Gordon and Lord Reresford. who, like all nlilshipmen in from a long cruise were out for a folly time. Walking down the street thev did not fail to notice that Yankee roat of arms, and as Beresford was collecting bric-a-brac and curiosities 1t occurred to him and Gordon that this would be fine 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 native vehi- cle to carry it down to the dock and actually succeeded in getting it aboard without any of the ranking officers knowing anything about it.
 s'The next morning when the minis. ter came down to the office his assist. ant said:
 ".Mr. Minister. your birds taken flight
 ".What do you mean? asked his excellency.
 ".Your coat of arms is gone,' re piled the aid.
 ".Gone where? Flown off?'
 ".Not exactly said the other. '1t's just disappeared.'
 street and looked up. The coat of arms, which was five or six feet across, was noticeable by it's absence It had taken wings and flown away. Exactly what the minister said has not been chronicled.
 ! Tt 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. ister, who at once made a demand upon the captain of the frigate for its return. The captain, who was 1nno. 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
 'The captain how began an investi- gation, and the culprits owned up and took the coat of arms on deck, when 1t was promptly sent ashore and re. turned to the office of the minister. Mcbride, who was there, refused to receive it.
 "'Tell the captain of your frigate that l desire that the men who took it down bring it back. place it whers 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 go ashore, take the coat of arms to the consulate, replace it as they found it and apologize to the minister.
 Tt 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 fate. the coat of arms to the con. sul nt pub American minister had ncsNakSelf out to keep the mat ter quiet. and as fact thespnhlic was well posted. and the consulate was surrounded by crowd of Americans. natives and others, all laughing at the predicament of the young midship men.
 The minister had strong sense O. numor and determined to get all there was In 1t. 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