Coeur d'Alene evening press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1907-1929, 1909-07-28
THE RETURN OF
THE MARY DENTON
sy EVELYN wErwoRTn.
lcopyright, 1903. by American Press A.uo.
citation

The Mary Denton was A whaler tha.
made voyages from New Bedford
about the middle of the nineteenth
century. The only testimony that
nave to personally bear in the mater
o. ner last return is that 1 was one az
those who saw her the morning she
was observed to be making into mort
with all her sails set. I'm not going "a
ny 70 explain anything either psyche.
logically or scientifically. That shall
leave the reader to do after reading
the story.
The Mary Denton was named for the
niece OF the owner. There were a
number Of Dentons in New Bedford at
tnat time, mostly sailor folks. Mary
was about twenty. She was in love
with young fellow named Kendell-
Edward Kendell-a fine young fellow
put landsman. KendeII was as mnch
IN love with Mary as she was with
nlm' put he was at the beginning Of
NE and was not yet prepared to sup
port Wife, Mary had a love for the
sea, inherited from generations Of sail
or ancestors. Whether 1t was this that
induced her father to ask CaDtain
Denton to take her on a whaling vow.
age or whether he wanted to get her
away from Denton with a view to
breaking or the match or to pass
some Of the time that must elapse be.
Iore their marriage I don't know. 1
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 a voyage that
was to last three years.
Edward Kendell seemed heartbroken
when he heard that he was to be sen.
arated from his love for this long pc
riod. Mary would have been delighted
to go had it not been for leaving a lover
behind. AS 1t 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 bust.
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 vessel with
only her old uncle and crew of un.
refined men. and a cruise would like
ly build up her physique, which was
delicate. For little while after she
had gone he seemed stupefed, then
suddenly went to work with a will
that was bound to produce results.
New Bedford. being then the center for
the whaling industry. was a lively
place, and Kendell was employed with
a mercantile house trading in the oil.
Every year he was advanced both as to
position and salary. When the time
for the return of the vessel had come
he had become one of the first young
business men of the place.
Captain Denton had told Kendell
that he would bring his girl back to
him on the third anniversary Of her
departure. and some said that IL he
were ahead Of time on nearing port he
would slow down and II behind would
hurry. But as he was dependent on
the winds this was doubtless said to
encourage the downhearted young fel-
low. Naturally we wondered If the
ship would come in on the appointed
day. Kendell seemed to think 1t
would. But noticed one thing about
him-after n certain date he became
very respondent He said in explana-
ton that he had had dream or q SEN
cat or nf he hok
the ship was In trouble.
l shall never forget the third ami
versary of the sailing of the Mary
Denton 1t had rained during the
night before, and the morning was
balmy, but with fog. l was sitting at
my desk ON the second floor by a win
dow facing the harbor when the sun
came out heard a cry from the
street, There she is, true enoughw
Looking. saw the fog rolling away
and ship with all her canvas set
coming In under a very light breeze.
/ ran downstairs and into the street,
to find several people looking at the
coming ship We all agreed she was
the Mary Denton. While we looked
another bank Of fog enveloped her.
We waited to see it roll away. but
there was no break In 1t till sunset,
when it suddenly vanished.
But where was the Mary Denton7
We all had expected to see her riding
at anchor. There was not a sign OF
her. She could not have sailed away,
for there had been no wind. She could
not have sunk in the harbor.
| was standing beside Edward Ken
dell when the fog lifted. The moment
saw the ship was not there ! looked
at him. An ashen gray slowly spread
itself over his face. as If be had been
touched by a specter. With moan he
turned away and disappeared.
There were five of US who saw the
shin. all, as | have said. agreeing that
she was the Mary Denton Most Of
us believed that she had for some rea-
son and IN some unexplained way
stopped in the fog and probably drift
( ed out TO sea. But why she should not
have cast anchor In plain view Of her
mort none Of us could understand.
3 nHw