The Ketchikan miner., 1908-10-17
A DOUBLE MYSTERY.
IOriyinal.l

TOT NacaliOu ue uiWusS hiSA hAA~A to the woods and waters with his rod. established himself at some point about which fish congregate and pro- ceeded to enjoy the days. He never took a companion with him for the reason that he had no chum who loved fishing as he did. and any one who was indifferent to the sport would spoil it for him.
 One summer MT. Ward located his headquarters at the village of D., surrounded by lakes. in which were many kinds of fish. and by streams well stocked with trout On the morn- ing after his arrival. before other peo- pie had risen. he was stepping lightly along the street of the village, armed to the teeth with weapons to attack fish. moving in the direction of lake, when he passed white cottage with green blinds. On the porch hung a small school black board. on which was chalked:
 Ice-Cream.
 Ward surmised that the first was notice to the iceman and the second a notice to the milkman. Thinking it would be good joke to make sign of it. he took up piece of chalk that lay handy on a window sill and wrote under the other words "and soda wa ter" so that it read:
 Ice Cream-and Soda Water
 When he returned in the evening the blackboard had been wiped clean, but the next morning when he went out again he saw written on it:
 Fish.
 By this time he was a bit ashamed of himself for having interfered with some housewife. as he supposed, in her notifications to tradesmen. and, desiring to make reparation, he re- turned to his quarters and. selecting a fine pickerel from the mess of the day before, left it at the back door, where 1t would doubtless be discovered by the cook when she came down and opened up the kitchen for the day.
 The next morning as Ward passed on his daily journey to the fishing grounds he looked. as usual, for the notice of what was wanted in the way of supplies The notice read:
 Trout.
 It so happened that he had brought home a fine string of trout the day be- fore. and. being quite pleased at the whimsical idea of furnishing supplies to the housewife who supposed she was getting them from the tradesmen, he turned again to his quarters. got half dozen fat trout and deposited them at the kitchen door. He chuckled to himself at the dialogue between the housewife and the fishmonger in their efforts to explain the mystery. There was a bit of mystery for him as we'll. On his return evenings. which was usually about o'clock when he passed the house he looked at it. hop ing to catch sight of the housewife, for at that hour. of course, every one in the town was stirring But never once did he see a human being in or about the cottage.
 On the fourth morning that Ward went out on his journey the sign on the blackboard read:
 Berries.
 It happened that the route to the fishing ground was lined with luscious blackberries. Ward. who by this time was nearly as much interested in the requirements of the white cottage as with his fishing hurried on. gathered couple of quarts of berries, went back to the house and deposited them in heap on the morning paper. Then he sped away, fearing some one might get out of bed and discover him.
 The next morning came a surprise. When Ward looked at the blackboard he did so with wide open eyes. There was the word:
 Flowers.
 Now. there were no flowers to be purchased in the village, at any rate at that hour in the morning. But Ward had seen lots of wild flowers in the woods. He repeated his effort of the day before, only this time he gath cred flowers instead of berries, and hurried back to the house with them. Instead of taking them to the kitchen he stepped nimbiy on to the porch and was about to lay them before the front door when 1t opened, and there stood as pretty girl as he had ever seen, blushing, laughing and, above all, her eyes dancing with mischief. He doffed his hat. II have to thank you" said the girl, flor the delicious fish and berries you have brought me and now for these beautiful flowers" -a r
 "So it's you who have the joke on me instead of the joke on youT 'I was up and dressing when you passed the first morning. Hearing some one On the porch, looked through the blinds and saw you go away with your rod and basket. When went down found the change you had made on the board. Knowing that you were fisherman, I resolved to get even with you. I have kept getting even ever since"
 But why have I never seen any one about fn the day"
 "A party of us,- all schoolteachers. have taken this cottage for our yaca- tiOn and are fo knap spipsterg' hall