The Room with the Tassels - Carolyn Wells

Carolyn Wells

The Room with the Tassels

CHAPTER I

Wanted: A Haunted House

But I know its so,  for Mrs. Fairbanks saw it herself,  and heard it, too!

The air of finality in the gaze levelled at Braye defied contradiction, so he merely smiled at the girl who was doing the talking. But, talking or silent, Eve Carnforth was well worth smiling at. Her red hair was of that thin, silky, flat-lying sort, that spells temper, but looks lovely, and her white, delicate skin,  perhaps the least bit hand-painted,  showed temperament while her eyes, of the colour called beryl,  whatever that is,  showed all sorts of things.

Then from her canna-hued lips fell more wisdom. And Professor Hardwick believes it, too, and hes

A college professor, broke in Landon, dont try to gild his refinement! But really, Eve, you mustnt believe in spooks,  it isnt done

Oh, but it is! Youve no idea how many people,  scientific and talented people,  are leaning toward spiritualism just now. Why, Sir Oliver Lodge says that after the war great and powerful assistance will be given by spirit helpers in matters of reconstruction and great problems of science.

Milly Landons laugh rang out, and she politely clapped a little, fat hand over her mouth to stifle it.

Milly Landon was an inveterate giggler, but dont let that prejudice you against her. She was the nicest, dearest dumpling of a little woman who ever giggled her way through life. And as hostess on this present Sunday afternoon occasion, she sat, one foot tucked under her, on the davenport in her long, narrow parlour, on one of New Yorks East Seventieth streets.

It was a parlour like thousands of others in the city, and the quartette of people talking there were much like the people talking in those other parlours, that Sunday afternoon. Their only superiority lay in the fact that they constitute part of the personnel of this absorbing tale, and the other people do not.

Milly and her very satisfactory husband, Wynne Landon, were affably entertaining Rudolph Braye and the herein-before described Eve Carnforth, two pleasing callers, and the talk had turned on psychological matters and then, by inevitable stages, to the supernatural and spiritualism.

It is all coming in again, Eve declared, earnestly. You know it was taken very seriously about thirty or forty years ago, and then because of fake mediums and fraudulent séances, it fell into disrepute. But now, its being taken up in earnest, and I, for one, am terribly interested.

But its so old-fashioned, Eve, and Milly looked at her guest in disdain.

Its gammon and spinach, thats what it is, declared Landon, very rubbishy gammon and a poor quality of spinach!

Queen Victoria didnt think so, Eve informed them. She may have been old-fashioned, but she believed thoroughly in the spiritual reappearance of her friends who died, and especially took comfort in the communion and visitation of her dead husband.

Its this way, I think, offered Braye; it seems to me its like that old Lady or the Tiger story, you believe or not, according to your character or disposition. You know, it depended on your own nature, whether you think the Lady came out of the door, or the Tiger. And so with spooks, if you want to believe in them, you do.

Dont say spooks, please, begged Eve; say phantasms, or even ghosts.

Is that the usage in the best mediumistic circles? and Braye smiled. Well, I think I could more easily believe in a spook than a phantasm. The latter sounds so unreal, but a good honest Injun spook seems sort of plausible.

Theyre all unreal, began Landon, but Eve interrupted. Theyre not unreal, Wynne; theyre immaterial, of course, but that isnt being unreal. You have a real soul, havent you, although it is immaterial? and I suppose you dont call your mind material, even if your brain is.

Now youre quibbling, Eve, and Landon grew a bit more serious. When I say unreal, I mean imperceptible to the senses. I hold that a departed spirit cannot return to earth and be seen, heard, or felt by mortal human beings. All the stories of such things to the contrary notwithstanding. If you or any one else has power to show me a visible spook,  I beg pardon, phantasm,  Ill be glad to see it, but Im from Missouri. I wouldnt be a bit afraid of it, but Id have to be jolly well convinced of its integrity. No faked-up spectres would go down with me!

But how can you know? asked Milly. Id be scared to death of one, Im sure, but if Wynne wants to see one, I do. Lets all go to a séance, or whatever they call the things. Shall us?

No, indeed! cried Eve. Professional séances are always fakes. And I dont aspire to see one. If we could get some messages from the beyond, that would satisfy me.

Get messages how? asked Braye.

Oh, by a Ouija board, or some such way.

Ouija! derided Landon; thats the biggest fraud of all!

Only in the hands of frauds. If we tried it here by ourselves and if we all trusted each other not to stoop to deception of any sort that would be a fair test.

Id like that, and Milly giggled in pleased anticipation. That wouldnt frighten me, and Id promise to play fair.

Thered be no reason for not playing fair, said Eve, seriously. Were not a pack of silly children who want to trick one another. If we could get together some evening and have an earnest, serious test, Id agree. But not if theres to be the least suspicion of anybody trying trickery.

At this point two more callers arrived, and Milly jumped up to greet them.

Mr. Bruce! she exclaimed, how nice to see you! And Vernie,  my goodness, how youve grown!

Indeed, yes, and Vernie Reid, a most lively and energetic sub-deb of sixteen, darted from one to another, greeting all with interest.

Hello, Cousin Rudolph, what are you doing here? Mooning after Miss Carnforth, I spose. Dear Mrs. Landon, let me sit here by you. I want to show you my graduating gifts.

Oh, yes, youve just had commencement, havent you?

Yes, and Uncle Gifford gave me this heavenly wrist-watch, and my respected Cousin Rudolph, over there, sent me this pendant. Isnt it stunning? Oh, I had beautiful presents. Id like to graduate every year!

Arent you going to school any more at all?

Dunno yet. Uncle Gifford says I am, I say Im not. It remains to be seen. Though I dont mind confiding to you that I usually get my own way. And, too, out in Chicago, you know, were not such terrible highbrows. Something tells me my schooldays are over. I think Uncle Gif needs the pleasure of my society at home. And, too, I want to get acquainted with Cousin Rudolph. Until this week I havent seen him for years.

He isnt your cousin, Vernie.

Same as. Hes a son of Uncle Gifs half-brother, and Im a daughter of Uncles own sister, so it sort of evens up. Anyway, I like Cousin Rudolph, because hes such a good-looking young man, and hes promised to take me round New York some. Thats why Im so jealous of Miss Carnforth or any other girl.

Vernie was so pretty that her chatter amused the whole crowd. She was brown-haired and brown-eyed, and somewhat of a browned complexion, by reason of much tennis and outdoor life at the school from which she had just been graduated. And after a summer spent among the Eastern resorts, she and her Uncle were to return to their Chicago home, where they had lived all of Vernies orphaned life. Gifford Bruce idolized the girl and though often short and crabbed in his manner to others, he was never cross or stern to his dead sisters child.