St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1895-11-16
BENTLEY's GHOST.
BIZ WILL L1sENBEE.

v l.
en-. Mark Bentley had taken passage
with US, and likelier young man 70,
e.ever saw. He was going to enter thu
establishment of his uncle, Nicholas
Barton, of the firm of Barton and Clip
pinger, brokers and shipping mer,
chants, and as old Barton was getting
up in years, and had no nearer kin, Il
was generally understood that young
BENTLEY would be heir to his large for.
tune.
We l1a9Sbeen out a week from New
York when Mark disappeared. Over.
board that was all we could make OF
It, sir, and there wasn't man aboard
che Vixen but was shocked at the incl
dent The whole thing was a.rnysterg.
tor there wasn't soul could tell for GER
tain what had become of Bentley. But
IS he was not on board, there was ONLY
une conclusion to come to, and that was
ilc had fallen overheard and ban lost.
But as be was a young man who never
took strong drink, and as there had
been no stormy weather since leaving
port, the mystery about poor Bentley's
disappearance seemed all the more pug
zling.
The night of Bentley's disappearance
was very dark, and about three In the
morning, as was taking my turn at the
wheel, | thought I heard splash for
ward, and / was pretty sure some one
had gone overheard. I threw couple
OF life buoys over and gave the alarm,
but, bless you, they only pooh-poohed at
me, and the mate fared up and says to
me:
Spriggins, you'd better take less
grog, and you won't see men going over
board like this"
Well, they don't make so light of me
when it is discovered that Bentley is
missing, which is not till some hours
after; but Capt. Strong refuses to lay.
hy, swearing q good deal that such an
accident should happen aboard him.
But II passengers will go staggering
overheard In fair weather. says he,
"or, what's more likely, commit suicide,
am not to stand by whole day to look
for a corpse lying at the bottom of the
sea- 4
So, with sails set, we continued our
course to Rio. Off the West indies
heavy squall struck us and carried us
far out of our course, and for the next
week the weather was about as rough
as one would want to see. Aside from
small leak which was sprung and
some cabin skylights which were
smashed by falling yards, the Vixen
suffered no damage to speak of.
think it was the night after the |
storm had blowed itself out that Bent
ley's ghost was first seen. It was well
on In the night, and was taking my
turn at the wheel, when all of sudden
Magsby comes on deck looking white as
a sheet Magsby was man of about
forty who had taken passage to Rio,
and, barring the fact that he drank a
good deal of liquor, knew nothing
about him. Well, he comes up to the
binnacle, and leaning on the rail looks
as II he might go over, SO white and
shaky was he.
After standing there for moment
and saying nothing, he asks:
'Do you believe in dead mems
ghosts?r
Il can't say" I replied, 'sbeing as /
never saw one"
"Well," says he, after moments ST.
lence, IF didn't see Bentley's ghost in
my cabin just now, then never saw
anything in my life" Il
OF course, / thought he had only
been drinking little too much, and had
imagined he had seen a. ghost. So L
only smiled and said that guessed he 4
had been dreaming or had had night
mare
mo, sir,s he said, running his hand
'ver bis face, as if to brush something
away; ut was no dream, and I say to
you, as certain as God lives, / saw the
ghost OF Mark Bentley this night"
aNonsensel" said I. Surely you CAM
believe what you are saying. It's only
/ fancy" IA
BuS for ali that there was something
n the mans look that gave me kind
# s.creepy" feeling.
Say what you will" he replied, "but
ust come to my cabin withrne as soon
s you are relieved from your post. and
.ou can see for yourself"
With this, he walked forward and
tood leaning. on the rail, gazing into !.
he sea. Although it is no uncommon !, ,
hing to see sailors who firmly believe
. such superstitions stories, am not
ne of them. Still, couldn't get the :
nan's words and looks out of my mind, !
nd when was relieved went to him,
nd, in light tone, said:
"Co1ne now, and we'll GO down and :
ake look at Bentley's ghost" :
Without a word, he led the way to his
abin. It was quite dark in there, for : :
here was no light save what came =
trough bit of skylight that hadn't :.
cen covered with d tarpaulin, u / was Tl :,
bout TO strike light, when he caught : :
le by the arm and turned my face /
ward the bunk where he had been =,
eeping. ]. !
Look" he cried, In a frightened i
hisper. his hold Tightening on my !,
I'm. u saw 1t again, but ii faded i,
wayl There-there it is!'' =
/ turned my face toward the bunk. i,
I'd as did SO saw a kind ofshimmer- "
ig light lowering over the pillow. 81
seemed to move back and forth with W
ID swaying Of the vessel. Then all Of q,
sudden it grew brighter, and, as / am b,
ring. there was the face of Mark Bent In
v as plain as see yours this moment. Il;
ell sir YOU might have knncl,ed RIO | IL