CHAPTER XVIAN OLD ACQUAINTANCE
Among the visitors at Lissa’s home was one whom she at first received with scant hospitality, if not actual discourtesy. This was Professor Russell.
How he had chanced to come to their neighborhood she never knew. He had accompanied her husband home from the post one evening, and the dismay she felt at the sight of him had not been easily disguised.
Why he should have sought them was a question that often returned to her as the months brought frequent visits from him, sometimes prolonged into weeks of sojourn in the neighborhood. Sometimes for months nothing would be seen of him, then suddenly he would appear like a dangerous comet, bringing a feeling of uneasiness to Lissa, wherefore she could not have told.
When inquired of as to his wanderings and uncertain appearances, he always said he had been in the East, but added no further account of himself.
Lissa at first distrusted and disliked him instinctively. His bland, insinuating manner was thrown away upon her, she told herself.
And yet she feared him too much to refuse him admittance to her home. Since that night when, at the house of Squire Bartram, he had so accurately described her brother-in-law’s encounter with theSioux she had not doubted his power of divination or clairvoyance, or whatever the faculty might be termed. But it was an uncanny, unpleasant power, and she felt a shudder of superstitious terror whenever he approached her.
She would have been glad of any justifiable pretext to keep him from visiting them, and was happy when the weeks would roll by without his appearing among them.
This feeling, however, gradually wore away in some measure as she became more accustomed to his presence, and as her sister, and later her mother, became interested in his theories, she began to tolerate with more patience his teaching of spiritism.
He held frequent seances in the neighborhood, and many of the families about her had become more or less interested in the doctrines, few of them openly opposing them and their teacher, except her handsome brother-in-law, Mark Cramer. He was outspoken in his condemnation of both the man and hisism.
One mild November afternoon, when the sisters and mother were together at Lissa’s home, the name of a sister who had died in infancy was mentioned.
“If,� said Alice, “there is any truth in Professor Russell’s communications, I would like to have him bring me word from Elsie. No one here, not even Mark, knows of her having existed, as we so rarely mention her.�
Lissa assented, and observed that it was the anniversary of her death, the thirteenth of November.
Before they had finished their conversation uponthe topic they were startled by a rap at the outer door and Lissa opened it to see the ubiquitous Professor himself, who, after shaking hands with the sisters and Mrs. Clyne, seated himself, and without asking for either Nathan or Mark, observed suavely:
“As both of your husbands are to be at home to-day, I called to see if we might not invite in some of the neighbors and hold a seance this evening.�
“But Nathan is absent,� said Lissa, “and will not be home until Saturday.�
“And Mark is out upon the plains, forty miles from here,� added Alice.
The Professor smiled indulgently.
“They are both coming home and will be here before evening,� he said with an air of assurance.
The three women exchanged glances. Was this but talk, or did he have the power of unveiling the future as well as the past? Or did he clairvoyantly see Nathan and Mark directing their course thither-ward?
“You speak with conviction, Professor,� Lissa at length replied. “Have you received intelligence from the absent ones which is not known to us?�
“That which I see, ye cannot now perceive,� the man said sententiously. “Yet the time is coming when you as well shall have the power to lift the veil which hides the dreaded unknown and learn the mysteries which are only revealed to those who are willing to seek in the right manner and submit themselves to the spirit influences which surround them. You can never know, Mrs. Clyne, the peace you will experience when you have ceased to resist and rebelagainst the gentle influences which seek only to promote your happiness and well-being. There is one angelic form now hovering about you and anxiously striving to win recognition from those so near and dear to her when on earth.�
“Can you tell her name,� questioned Lissa, as the man, with his eye fixed upon the opposite wall, paused and seemed wrapped in thought.
“It is a woman, young and beautiful. She must be a near relative. Her name is E-l-s-i-e—Elsie.�
Alice looked at her mother with awe-shaded eyes. Whence did this man’s knowledge come? It was certainly remarkable. He could not have known Elsie.
Further speculation or conversation was arrested by the sound of a horse’s feet outside the door, and in a moment the handsome, smiling face of Mark Cramer appeared. His curling, yellow hair hung in womanish profusion to his powerful shoulders, over which a large soft hat rested becomingly. His hunting costume of gray, with belt and pistols, spoke of his wild, free life; and his clear blue eyes, florid complexion, and Herculean frame made a magnificent picture of manly strength and perfection, as for a brief time he stood framed in the open doorway against the back-ground of the setting sun.
A moment later, and Alice, with a little cry of welcome, sprang to greet him. The Professor aroused himself from his semi-trance, and Mrs. Clyne and Lissa were extending their hands and expressing surprise at his coming.
“How did you chance to come home so much earlierthan you expected?� Alice asked radiantly, when the greetings were over and they were seated. “We did not look for you for a fortnight.�
“We lost one of our men, Wish-has-ta, and as he was to marry Enona, daughter of the chief, when he returned, we thought it our first duty to look him up, and so started back to see what had become of him.�
“And did you find him?�
“Well, yes, in town. He had become separated from us by buffalo. The mad little mustang he rode kept along with the herd, in spite of him, for several miles, or until at last he came to a ravine and managed to fall into it. He narrowly escaped being trampled to death as the herd went over him, but he got out with only a few injuries. He lost his pony, however, and instead of following us, made his way back to camp. He left word at C—— that he was safe, as he knew we’d be looking for him.�
“And did you see Nathan,� asked Lissa.
“Yes, he’ll be home to-night too. I came into C—— early and called at his place of business. That’s a fine place Nathan has, with the Major. Good pay and light duties. Much better than his position at the post.�
“Yes, only it keeps him away from home more. And so you will both be here to-night after all. Professor Russell, you have in this case proven a true prophet.�
“I trust I am in every case,� he replied, with an expressive gesture of the hand. “I do not rely upon lying spirits for my information.�
“Well,� said Lissa, not perceiving Mark’s frown of disapproval, “if we have a seance here to-night we must get word to our neighbors.�
“I will myself go and call Mrs. McCleary and good Auntie Dearborn,� said Russell, “and will get word to the Jenkinsons and Sol Garrett, if you wish.�
“Be sure and have Esther McCleary present,� said Mrs. Clyne. “I am greatly interested in that girl.�
“Certainly; no meeting would be complete without her,� responded Russell, bowing himself from the room.
“Esther will not come if she can avoid it,� said Alice after the Professor had gone. “She feels deeply mortified because of the exhibition she was forced to make of herself at Mr. Jenkinson’s. She herself has no faith in spiritism, even though her mother is so absorbed in it.�
“Poor girl, I pity her,� Lissa said. “It is a shame the way her mother misuses her. Letting her have all the care of that large family, while she sits in her easy chair and holds communion with spirits, as she claims.�
“Was she always like that,� asked Mrs. Clyne. “I confess she impresses me as being just a little out,� tapping her forehead significantly.
“She was quite an invalid when she first came here,� replied Lissa, “and of course the burden of household care fell upon Esther, and since Mrs. McCleary has been in better health she does not seem inclined to shoulder responsibility of any kind, and Esther is cook, housekeeper, and nurse to those children,as entirely as though she were the only woman about the house. She is a delicate girl, too, and must break down soon if she is not relieved of some of her burdens, I’m afraid.�
“Mrs. McCleary was all right until she became a convert to this accursed spiritism,� said Mark. “I have known her for years. She used to live near my old home in Iowa, and was a good, capable woman; but she seems now to have no interest in anything that does not come from the other world. If Esther should die and become a spirit she might become an object of her interest and solicitude. I am utterly disgusted with Russell and all of his nonsense about spirit manifestations, and revelations, and the like. In my opinion, all the spirit he communes with is the spirit of evil, his Satanic majesty. I can’t have a bit of faith in the fellow, and I believe Nathan feels as I do about it.�
“O, come now,� said Alice, “you are too bad, Mark. Professor Russell certainly believes in his creed himself, and is honest in his convictions, whether they be right or wrong.�
“I even doubt that,� replied Mark.
“He foretold your coming here to-day. What do you think of that?� asked Alice triumphantly.
“I think he probably saw Wish-has-ta, who told him we would certainly come back for him, or possibly he may have seen me in C—— after my arrival. I stopped there several hours. Depend upon it, he learned it from no disembodied spirit.�
“And more than that, Mark, he told us about oursister Elsie, and I am sure he could not have heard about her,� Alice continued.
“Unless he may have heard you talking about her, with mother or Lissa, lately.�
Lissa flushed.
“How suspicious you are, Mark. I am sure he might have learned these things through spirit agency, as well as many others which can be explained in no other way.�
“How do you know, Alice, that they can be explained in no other way?�
“But have not all tribes and races believed in spiritualism since the beginning of the world,� said Mrs. Clyne.
“In a kind of spiritualism, perhaps; so have they believed in many otherisms, but that does not prove them true,� replied Mark. “The heathen searchers after God have found Him in the water, in the fire, in the sun, and in the creatures of His making, and have worshiped the spirit of the universe as manifested in material things; but these so-called spiritists put aside the Creator and make a religion of a belief in spirits of mortals, like themselves.�
“But do you not think this should strengthen one’s faith in the soul’s immortality? Are we not spirits living in material bodies? And when the material body dies, if our spirits are immortal, why should not they seek to manifest themselves to their friends on earth? I am sure if you would read Davis’s works you would have less scepticism,� said Alice with some warmth.
“Alice, have you been reading them?� Mark spokequickly and almost harshly. The color deepened in Alice’s face.
“Certainly I have, and many others. What harm can come of learning all one can? I am sure we should not condemn any creed until we investigate it.�
Mark frowned. “Where did you get all these books?�
“Professor Russell has brought them to us, and mother, Lissa and I have read them at his request, and I assure you we have been much interested in them.�
“All of them, as well as Swedenborg, teach sound morality and oppose evil.�
“Your Bible teaches you that, Alice; and as I understand it, it doesnotteach you that the spirit of mortal man comes back on earth to perform the absurd feats of overturning tables, rapping and tapping upon furniture, making it dance around the room, and like antics. It seems to me, if I were a spirit, I would prefer to be engaged in some more dignified occupation.�
“I hope, Mark,� said Mrs. Clyne, “you won’t let prejudice make you unjust. There is certainly much about this matter which we cannot understand, and is it not our duty to learn all we can?�
“Mother, thereismuch about this that I don’t understand, neither do I understand how the juggler or the East Indian magician performs his marvelous feats, nor can I see that it is necessary for us to know.�
“But if the knowing would be valuable to us? If we should learn from it?�
“I have great faith in my mother’s Bible. I believe that teaches all the religion it is wisdom for us to understand. I prefer the teachings of Christ and his disciples to any disembodied spirit, good or bad,—the Professor admits that evil as well as good spirits commune with mortals,—and I never have seen any really good results from a belief in spiritism. ‘By their fruits ye shall know them.’ I find that in many instances its believers become its victims, and either end their days in a mad-house or permit themselves to drift into free-love doctrines or some other demoralizing fad, until they become unprincipled and lose the respect of their fellow-men. This much I have learned from observation, and I have yet to see one person whom this belief has made better, nobler, or more useful to society. Nor, in my opinion, improved in what pertains to good morality and good citizenship.�
Alice looked abashed, but Lissa said:
“I am afraid you will not relish spending your first evening here at a spirit-seance. I am sorry that the Professor happened to come at this time.�
“I prefer to be here if Alice is to be present at such a meeting; in fact, I strongly object to her attending one in my absence,� Mark said. “I will say in all sincerity, I wish she and you had never seen this Russell or heard of his abominableism. I am sorry that you have been fed on such literature as he has been sending you, and I regret more, that you have given enough credence to it to tolerate his societyor his absurd seances. He is, in my opinion, a gross humbug.�
“But that is only youropinion, Mark,� suggested Alice.
“I don’t believe there is any mystery about this that cannot be explained by one of three hypotheses: first, animal magnetism or hypnotism; second, jugglery or sleight of hand in the medium; third, thought transference, mind-reading and telepathy, or perhaps I should say the force, not yet well understood, that makes these things possible. These, aided by the excited and overwrought imagination of the witnesses, can produce any phenomena adduced. There are men with strong wills, sufficient to control entirely those with whom they come in contact, and make them do, think, feel or believe whatever they suggest. We have frequently seen these exhibitions from traveling mesmerists, who make no pretense to spiritism, nor attribute their power to spirit agency. I believe the Davenport brothers perform their feats in the same manner. It seems to me that our mind, like our body, is dual, and that one part of it can come entirely under the control of another person if we are sufficiently interested in anything to be off our guard. How differs this spiritism from the Babylonian necromancy? Undoubtedly there is a force which, if understood by man, would enable him to put himself in a hypnotic state at will, and when in that state to see clairvoyantly, hear clair-audiently, and communicate with other minds or intelligences in the same condition. Hence the remarkable clairvoyant dreams, visions,etc., which come under peculiar stresses of excitement. There is a queer thing about this force which may manifest itself in another way. I remember that when I was at college we boys used to try this experiment. We would place one of our number in a chair and two of us would lift him high from the floor—while he held tightly to the chair—by merely placing the little fingers of one hand under the bend of his knees and the forefingers of the other hand under his elbows. We would use no force, seemingly, in lifting him, and he would appear but a featherweight, but we would all hold our breath at the same instant andthinkof lifting him. We lifted men weighing two hundred pounds in this way. Ordinarily the muscles of those fingers would not sustain such a weight. What then was the force which aided us? Mind-reading is a proven fact, as is hypnotism. Subjects in the hands of a hypnotist will imagine themselves Napoleon, Washington, or any individual suggested, and assume the character and carriage of such individuals, talking, reasoning, and affirming in harmony with the character assumed.
“Why then should we attribute everything of this kind seen at a spirit seance to spirits?�
“Professor Russell is clairvoyant,� said Lissa.
“But clairvoyancy, or psychic force, is not spiritism, and those mediums are either self-deceived or deceive their audiences by their legerdemain. I can understand that in some instances they might be self-deceived, as a hypnotic subject, by suggestion. It seems this second intelligence of ours will reasonfrom a false starting point as well as from a correct one, and, given a false suggestion—�
“But, Mark,� again interrupted Alice, “you are only giving your opinion and we all have a right to our own individual opinions, and we think and reason for ourselves.�
Mark sighed. “Yes, only do not let that Professor think and reason for you. Read your Bible, and pray God that you may not be deceived.� Then, passing his hand caressingly over her fair hair he continued lightly, “Don’t you think we have had enough of this for the present?�
“Yes; only—Mark, I want to say one thing. The Bible contains many passages which confirm the truth of spiritism. Don’t you remember the fingers of a man’s hand that wrote upon the wall at Belshazzar’s feast?�
“Ah, some more of Russell’s thinking for you. That is the worst of it. Almost anything may be proven by the Bible in the hands of a skilful and unscrupulous manipulator, who quotes solitary texts without reference to the subject which precedes or follows them. Professor Russell has doubtless called your attention to many such ‘proofs.’ Beware of the blind leaders of the blind, Alice. I do not object to the spiritualism of the Bible, which comes from God; but I do make a distinction between that and the modern spiritism, which consists of buffoonery and worse. This demon worship, or worship of spirits who like to assume the form and speech of an Indian child, or ignorant buffoon, is ridiculous.Let me see, what was it Mrs. Jenkins said her mother appeared in?�
“In the form of a morning-glory,� said Lissa, laughing. “But I didn’t know before, Mark, that you were such a theologian.�
Mark smiled.
“I went to Sunday-school when I was a boy, and I had a praying mother and father. Besides, I used to hear the Bible read each day when I was at home, and one does not forget his early lessons.�
“Well, come to tea now. I think your ride and talk must have given you an appetite.�
“It does not require a canter over the prairies nor a dissertation on spiritism to give me that when you are the cook,� he replied gallantly, and the party gathered about the table.
Later, when Lissa and her mother were busy in the other room, Alice approached her husband.
“Did I understand you to say that you did not wish me to see Professor Russell when you are away?�
“I may not have said as much, but I should much prefer you do not.�
Alice’s cheeks reddened and she lifted her chin angrily.
“Yes,� repeated Mark, noticing her rising color, “I mean what I say. Russell must keep away from my house in my absence.�
“And I say—� began Alice, but paused as the door opened and Nathan entered, accompanied by the light-hearted, fun-loving Donald.
“O Don, we just needed you. Every one is sosepulchral here to-night,� cried Lissa. Then she continued in a half-whisper to Mark: “Even Professor Russell has no power over Donald. He did not foretellhiscoming.�
“Mne! I suspect he would have been willing to have excused his absence,� remarked Mrs. Clyne.
“You do look a little solemncholy, that’s a fact,� Donald said.
“Don’t we? And all because we are going to have a spirit seance to-night.�
Nathan started.
“How does this happen,� he asked. “I thought that Russell had left the neighborhood.�
“He has returned. It’s the old story of the bad penny,� replied Lissa.
“Isn’t it the still older story of the serpent in the garden?� suggested Donald.
“Yes, I think you’ve hit it, Don,� said Mark. “The cloven hoof is in evidence and he leaves a trail of brimstone behind him.�
“That must have been what made this room look so blue when we came in. His excellency must have been here, I take it. Are there not yet blue flames playing in the corners?�
“If not there will be, doubtless, before the evening is over. But I must make haste or you two hungry men will not get any supper. Come, sit down and eat before it is cold.�
“I, for one, need no second bidding,� said Donald.