The Van Buren press., 1895-11-16
BENTLEY'S GHUST.
BH WILL LlsENBEE.

never 'oid you the story Of Bentley's
snost' I'D |? Well. 1t all happened dur
ing my second voyage to Rio In the viz.
sn. Mark Bentley had taken passage
Win Us, and hkelier young man Won
aever saw. He was going to enter ths
seapnshment OF his uncle, Nicholas
oareen, or 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. h
was generally understood that Young
BENTLEY would be heir to his large for.
tune.
We had been out a week from New
ferk when Mark disappeared. Over.
ooaro- that was all we could make of
.. str, and there wasn't man aboard
TIE Vixen but was shocked at the incl
tent. The whole thing was mystery.
tor there wasn't soul could tell for GER
tain wnar had become of Bentley. But
- be was not on board. there was only
one conclusion TO come to, and that was
he had fallen overheard and been lost.
But as be was . young man who never
took strong drink. and as there had
been no stormy weather since leaving
sort. the mystery about poor Bentley's
disappearance seemed all the more pug
ding.
The night Of Bentley's disappearance
was very dark. and about three in the
morning, as was taking my turn at the
wheel, I thought heard splash for
ward, and I was pretty sure sone one
had gone overheard. threw a couple
OF life buoys over and gave the alarm;
but, bless you. they only pooh-poohed at
me. and the mate fgred up and says to
mes
"Spriggfns, 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
by, swearing good deal that such an
accident should happen aboard him.
But IL 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 corpse lying at the bottom of the
sea-
So. with sails Get, we continued our
course to Rio. Oh the West Indies a
heavy squall struck US and carried us
far out of our course. and for the next
week the weather was about Is 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 1t 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 ut the wheel, when all of sudden
Magsby comes on deck looking white as
o sheet. Magsby was q man of about
forty who had taken passage to Rio.
and. barring the fact that he drank .
good deal Of liquor. knew nothing
about him. Well, he comes up to the
pinnacle, and leaning on the rail looks
a. If he might go over. 50 white and
ehaky was he.
After standing there for . moment
and saying nothing, he asks:
"Do you believe In dead mems
ghosts?''
II can't say" I replied. being as l
never saw one.~
"Well," says he, after moments ST.
lence, "if I didn't see Bentley's ghost in
my cabin Just now. then I never sew
anything in my life."
OF course, thought he had only
been drinking q little too much.and hsd
imagined he had seen ghost So l
only smiled and said that guessed he
had been dreaming or had had q night
mare.
/ mo, sir" he said, running his hand
over bis face, as il to brush something
away; 'it was no dream, and say to
you, as certain as God lives, saw the
ghost Of Mark Bentley this night"
"Nonsensel" said 1. Surely you can't
believe what you are saying. It's only
fancy"
But for ali that there was something
In the mans look that gave me kind
Of Creepy" feeling.
Say what you will," he replied, "but
Just come to my cabin with me as soon
ns you are relieved from your post, and
you can see for yourself"
With this, he walked forward and
stood leaning on the rail, gazing into
the sea. Although it is no uncommon
thing to see sailors who firmly believe
In such superstitious stories, ] am not
one Of them. Still, couldn't get the
mans words and looks out of my mind,
and when was relieved went to him,
and, in q light tone, said:
Come now, and wen go down and
take look at Bentley's ghost
Without word, he led the way to his
,abin. 1t was quite dark in there. for
there was no light save what came
through bit Of skylight that hadn't
been covered with q tarpaulin. was
ubout to strike light, when he caught
me by the arm and turned my face
toward the bunk where he had been
sleeping.
'Lookl" he cried, In . frightened
whisper, his hold tightening on my
arm. 81 saw it again, but it faded
away, There-there 1t isl"
l turned my face toward the bunk.
and as 1 did so saw kind of simmer
ing light lowering over the pillow.
It seemed to move back and forth with
the swaying of the vessel. Then all Of
sudden it grew brighter, and, as am