Evening journal., 1909-06-01
THE RETURN OF
THE NAVY DENTON
By EVELYN wETwoRTH.

copyright, 1903, by American Press AsHo-
ciauonl
The Mary Denton was a whaler that .
made voyages from New Bedford /
about the middle or the nineteenth .
century. The only testimony that ! I
have 10 personally bear in the matter
OF her last return is that was one OF
those who saw her the morning she 7
was observed to be making into port
with all her sails set. Pm not going to
try to explain anything either psyche
logically or scientifically. That I shall
leave the reader to do after reading
the story.
The Mary Denton was named for the
niece of the owner There We're
number OF Dentons in New Bedford at
that time, mostly sailor folks. Mary
was about twenty. She was in love
with a young fellow named Kendell--
Edward Kendell--a fine young fellow.
but o landsnan. Kendell was as much
In love with Mary as she was with
him, but he was at the beginning Of
life and was not yet prepared to sup
port a wife Mary had a love for the
sea, inherited from generations. OF sail
or ancestors. Whether it was this that
induced her father TO ask Captain
Denton to take her ON a whaling voy-
age or whether he wanted to get her
away from Denton with n view 20
breaking Off the match OF 10 pass
some Of the time that must elapse be.
fore their marriage / don't know
never heard that the Dentons had any
objection TO Kendell provided he could
take care Of Mary. At any rate, Mary
went with her uncle on. voyage that
was TO last three years.
Edward Kendell seemed heartbroken
when he heard that he was to be sep
arated from his love for this long pc
riod Mary would have been delighted
TO 20 had it not been for leaving a lover
behind. AS It was, she was equally
cast down. She cheered her lover with
the hope that by the time Of her re-
turn he would be doing well in busl-
ness and they could be married.
Whoever conceived this plan Of sep
arating them seems to me to have act
ed with as much foresight as human
beings are given. The lover knew that
he was in no especial danger OF losing
his love while shut up on q vessel with
. only her old uncle and a crew Of un-
refined men, and a cruise would Ike
~ build up her physique, which was
delicate. For a little while after she
had gone he seemed stupehed, ther
suddenly went to work with a WI
that was bound to produce results
New Bedford. being then the center fo
the whaling industry. was a lively
place, and Kenden was employed with
a mercantile house trading in the oil
Every year be was advanced both as L
position and salary. When the tim'
for the return Of the vessel had COM
, he had become one Of the first younl
I, business men Of the place.
Captain Denton had told Kendel
that be would bring his girl back I
: him on the third anniversary Of he
departure, and some said that If h
c were ahead Of time on nearing port
/, would slow down and II behind woul
d hurry. But as he was dependent o
the winds this was doubtless said
= encourage the downhearted young fe
low. Naturally we wondered IL th
ship would come I'm on the appointe
day Kendell seemed to think
would. But l noticed one thing abou
him-after a certain date he becam
very despondent. He said in explains
ton that he had had a dream or a ser
sation, or something Of the sort, thi
the ship was In trouble.
I shall never forget the third ann
versary Of the sailing Of the Mar
Denton. It had ralued during IL
night before, and the morning wS
balmy, but with fog. I was sitting 1
my desk on the second floor by a Wi
dow facing the harbor when the su
came out I heard a cry from Il
street, There she IS true enough
Looking, I saw the fog rolling ava
and a ship with all her canvas s.
coming in under a very light breez
ran downstairs and into the stree
20 find several people looking at II
coming ship. We all agreed she WI
the Mary Denton. While we look'
another bank Of fog enveloped he
We waited to see It roll away, b
there was no break in It till suns'
! when it suddenly vanished.
But where was the Mary Dentol
We all had expected to see her ridiI
/ at. anchor There was not a sign
her. She could not have sailed ava
for there had been no wind. She cou
; not have sunk I'm the harbor.
1 was standing beside Edward Ke
dell when the fog lifted. The nome
I saw the ship was not there look
at him. An ashen gray slowly spre
, itself over his face, as II he had be
! touched by a specter. With a moan
turned awav and disappeared.
There were FIVE Of us who saw (
ship all, as have said, agreeing th
! she was the Mary Denton. Most
!; us believed that she had for some r.
d son and in some unexplained W
s stopped in the fog and probably dri
= ed out to sea. But why she should I
G have cast anchor in plain view Of
port none OF us could understand.