AN AGED MOTHER'S APPEAL.
By Editor
[THE following was sent to this office with the request that we publish and send to the Temperance Societies.] Mr. Francis Vincent, City Treasurer of Wilmington, Del., wrote to a Philadelphia paper an account of the loss of the whale-ship Essex, about 60 years ago, by being struck by a whale. Since the article was published he has received the following letter, and although it is impossible that this mother's blue eyed boy could have been on board the Essex, alluded to by Mr. V., yet we publish the letter, hoping it will be widely copied by our brethren of the press, and perhaps through its agency the tidings for which the widowed mother's heart has longed for twenty years may be brought to her. The following letter is the mother's own language:— PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 21, 1879. FRANCIS VINCENT: Kind Sir.—Pardon an aged, widowed mother writing to a stranger. Seeing an account in the Ledger of a whaling ship Essex, with your name attached to it, which was wrecked about twenty years ago. I had a dear son who, when I last heard from him, about twenty years ago, dated his letter at Honolulu, Sandwich Islands, saying that he would be home soon. His name was William D. Bentley, light complexion, and with blue eyes and red whiskers when he left home; he also had an impediment in his speech. As a kind friend will you do this for an aged mother? As I do not know how to address a letter to this Mr. Nickerson, the only survivor of the Essex, will you please do so for me, and ascertain if my son was one of the unfortunate crew? I have heard he was on a whale-ship about that time, and if he is dead I will be reconciled, as I will then know his end. For about 20 years I have been every day trying to learn something of the fate of my long-lost son. This Mr. Nickerson lives on the island of Nantucket, and if you will write to him, or to any other person having knowledge of the loss of any whaling vessels, you will ever have the kind remembrance of a broken-hearted old widowed mother. If any one knows of my son's death I wish them to be candid and let me know. My address is No. 1821 North 21st street, above Montgomery avenue, Philadelphia. P. S.—I did not see an account of the Norwegian bark; perhaps my son was on that. Will you please inquire? Very respectfully, MRS. SARAH D. BENTLEY. Will not our readers who have been whaling, or who have friends that have been on whale-ships, do what they can to aid this aged anxious mother in obtaining some intelligence of her absent Willie? Our consuls could aid in this matter also, and do for this poor mother what they would be so grateful to another for doing for them. Let us all try and see if we cannot obtain tidings of Will Bentley.