As his general education was finished, and he began to study law in earnest, a room in his father's office was especially fitted up for his use, and here lie mastered the intricacies of legal lore and prepared himself for the examination which must precede his admission to the bar. It has been said that the hopes of the father were completely wrapped up in the son. The desire of the former that the young man should do well in the examinations was so great that, as the ordeal approached, his anxiety quite un- nerved him, and he was obliged to absent himself during the examination. In this suspense his relief can be imagined when a neighbor brought him the news of the result, remarking with a laugh, You need not have felt anxious, Bentley, for your son has carried off the honors, with the highest standing in the entire class of thirty candidates who took the examination." And such indeed was the fact. Immediately upon his son's admission to the bar, the elder Mr. Bentley formally turned over his office to him, placed all his affairs in his hands, and gave him the full revenues of their joint practice. Thus gradually the elder lawyer withdrew from active practice, devoting his energies in other directions, until the full burden of his extensive legal business was fully settled upon his son's shoulders.

Nor was the latter in any way unworthy to take his father's place. He maintained the same relative position in the community as his father, displayed similar abilities and the same unimpeachable integrity, and inspired everywhere the same widespread confidence and respect. He frequently championed the cause of his fellow-citizens, as his father had done. For example, he was the successful counsel in proceedings whereby the unjust water rents on vacant property, and upon property where the water privileges were not used, were set aside and made inoperative, with thus a great saving effected to the taxpayers. Again, at the time of his death. he was the representative of the citizens in proceedings instituted to set aside the whole tax levy on the ground of gross inequality in its assessment. But his practice was most remarkable for his handling of commercial entanglements and the adjustment of the affairs of great corporate enterprises. He manifested great ability in settling disputes, and thus keeping them out of the courts. He was the counsel for the Standard Oil Company, one of the leading counsel of the Lehigh Valley Railroad Company, and counsel for the Barber Asphalt Company, of New York City, and the Provident Institution for Savings and the Consumers Gas Company, of Jersey City. He also rendered important legal services to the Pennsylvania Railroad Company.

Mr. Bentley was a man of remarkable powers of memory. He kept the most minute details of all of his cases in his mind, and could lay his finger on any given fact at any time. After his father's death he, in 1875. formed a legal partnership with Charles H. Hartshorne, under the firm name of Bentley & Hartshorne. This endured until January 1, 1886, when Mr. Hartshorne was obliged to withdraw on account of ill health. From this time until his own death Mr. Bentley practiced alone. This sad event occurred on the 30th of April, 1888, when he was in the prime of life, and it was considered a public calamity by the whole community. He was never strong in constitution, yet did not himself realize this fact, and often worked beyond his strength. He was of a refined, sensitive, and sympathetic nature, benevolent and whole-hearted like his father, and as deeply attached to his own family.