The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1917-04-26
A Bottle and a
Message
By F. A. Mitchell

man all over But now I'm livin' in
clover.
There be stories of bottles with mes
sages in 'em dropped from ships goin'
down, that the messages bein written
for a joke. This has made aussons
think that all messages found IN bot
ties are jokes. But this isn't so, as !
can prove. for l picked up one of them
bottles myself, and the pussons that
the message was written to are Twin
and can vouch for my story. But the
message I'm tlrinkin' of was differ
ent kind from the jokes.
One day when | was pulin in my
net with catch o mackerel ! saw
bottle bobbin' up and down. 1t fioated
near me. and | had only to put out an
oar to take it in. The cork want
sealed, but it was driven y. 50 tight
that ! had to cut it out. There was a
paper inside and message o.. it. writ
ten with lead pencil This is the
way it read
On Steamer Ellen Hathaway
Ship goin down in a gale. | kidnapped
Stephen Cartright. He's Twin with Math-
ew Drake, No. - Bennett Street. Balti-
more. Maryland. SAM SHARKEY.
1t didn't seem TO me that If "a Teller
was goin' to make a joke he'd write
that sort of a one. SO the next day |
takes the message to Boston and hands
it In at police station. They called
1t fake or something like that. but
said they'd see that it got to the party
what it was written to-
Not hearin' nothin' from it for some
time, l forgot all about 1t. | jist kept
on fishin'. One day young Teller
come down on to the dock where |
was mendin my net and looked at me
and asked if | was Jack Bunker.
said that was my name.
He stood lookin' at me kind o. queer
for awhile; then he said
''Mr. Bunker, IL you had a wish
granted what would the wish be?"
my friend" l said, I'm nothin but
a fisherman. | hain't got no time to be
thinkin' about whether or not I'd like
the sky fer blue bandannar."
The Teller was a-studyin' me all the
while. and when I'd said that he says:
"Mr. Bunker, is that your boat tied
up alongside the pierY'
II reckon 1t is" I'says.
How would you like a new one?'
How would like new one? What
dye take me fer-a lunatic? or course
I'd like new boat In place O. that old
trap. I'm thinkin' that the next time
! git caught out In gale she'll let me
down into the brine"
us there anything else you'd like.
Mr.. Bunker?'
looked up at him, wonderin' eff he
was loony.
Young feller" l says, 81 reckon II
I'm goin' to get these nets mended I'll
have to shut you or all to oncet. I'd
like new house ON the bluff over
there. all furnished, with garding
I'd like thousand dollars year to
keep 1t up. Id like the celler stocked
with good grog. Now I've tole you all
this perhaps you'll let me alone for
awhile"
He turned away without sayin' moth
in more. and l thought he was mad
| was sorry. but l didn't see why he
should take up my time askin fool
questions. SO | thought no more
, about It.
Less'n month after that somebody
begun to build house on the bluff
When 1t was finished 1t was the pur-
tyest little shack | ever seen. And one
day when l come down to the dock |
found single sticker about thirty feet
long, bran new and rugged out with
everything needed. anchored out about
a cables length. And the queerest
thing about it was that on her stern
was painted the same name as my ole
tub. l asked who was her owner.
but nobody seemed to know anything
about her.
That afternoon come in early from
fishin'. not havin' no luck, and as l
rounded up to the pier who should see
standin' on it but the lunatic that was
askin' me how many things I'd like
to have il | could get 'em. When I'D
throwed the painter around a post the
Teller said to me:
mir. Bunker. when l was here some
time ago think you said you'd like a
house."
Yes, and a garding. Are you goin
TO begin that racket ag'in2"
do you see that house up on the
bluff?
'In course do. My eyes are as good
as when | was at sea and could take
IN bird on the horizon"
THAT house is yours. The cellar 1,
well stocked with grog, and there 1!
plenty Of room for a garden"
MY friend" said l. I'D better d,
you a favor. From what madhous,
did you escape?"
"You also said." he went on, not no
ticin' my remark, that you'd like ,
boat. There she Is out there"-pointes
to the new boat. still ridin' at anchor
land in a deposit company's vaults II
Boston are some 5 per cent bonds tina
: will give you thousand dollars a yea