A big mystery

I live in St. Petersburg, Fla., and have for about 45 years. Today, while on the way to Home Depot, I stopped at a yard sale and among other things I really didn't need, I bought a Natural Wonders Songbird Lantern (fancy for bird feeder) for $2.

When I got it home and opened it up, it was wrapped in a Whitefish Pilot newspaper dated Dec. 1 1994.

I took the feeder out and found several things underneath the newspaper. One was a jar of "Huckleberry Jam by Jill 12/94." There was also a pinecone and a small soft gift wrapped in green Christmas paper on the bottom of the box that I, of course, was hoping was a wad of cash.

Turns out it is a crochet angel with a card that reads "For Grandma and Grandpa, Love JJ."

There was another card in the box that reads "Merry Christmas Mom and Dad. We miss you. All our love, Joe, Jill and Jacob."

I don't know how or why the gift never reached its intended destination, but I felt compelled to try

to solve someone's 12-year-old mystery.

Paul Mathis

St. Petersburg, Fla.