IV
A VISIT
OUR walk through the countryside was another revelation to Roger, not alone for its beauty and enchantments, but from the many friendly greetings that we received upon all sides. These latter, in the main, came from folk who were complete ‘strangers’ to us, and whom the boy thought were part of a wide circle of friends, but we explained that had he been alone, he would have had a similar experience.
‘We don’t wait for formal introductions here, Roger,’ Ruth told him. ‘In fact, we don’t need them at all.’
We passed much on our way that excited the interest and curiosity of our friend in his new life, a great deal of which I have already recounted to you, until, at length, we reached our destination.
This was a somewhat large dwelling placed amid the most beautiful gardens, with many flower-beds, glistening pools of water, and innumerable trees. The house itself was a square-built edifice with broad windows and a central doorway, but without any marked architectural ornament upon its exterior surface. It seemed to combine, from outward appearance, the dual purposes of a home and a place of work.
The material of which the building was constructed was, I hardly need add, of that pure spirit-world order that veritably lives in its superb tones of coloring, as compared with the heavy dullness of earthly ‘bricks and mortar’.
This was the first view at close quarters that Roger had had of anything like a large building, and he could not resist the impulse to pass his hand over the surface of the ‘stone’.
‘It’s real enough, Roger,’ said Ruth.
‘Yes, but it’s warm,’ he replied; ‘at least, it’s not cold!’
We smiled in concert, for every new friend’s enthusiasm has something fresh about it, in spite of the fact that we have experienced this same thing over and over again.
By this time our arrival had been perceived, and our host was awaiting us at his front-door. He was an American Indian of handsome and imposing appearance, tall and dignified. He gave us a warm-hearted welcome as we presented Roger to him. We explained that he was but newly arrived, and that we had brought him to these realms, and were now disporting ourselves by acting as his ciceroni.
‘And so,’ said our host, with a merry laugh, ‘you are including me among the sights.’
We hastened to disclaim any such uncomplimentary intention, which only made our friend laugh the more as our explanations seemed to become more involved! At last Ruth said that we had better desist as the patch was rapidly becoming worse than the hole.
It should be mentioned that our host had learned sufficient of our mother-tongue for all practical purposes in connection with his work, and in here setting down his words I have therefore omitted all such slight linguistic ‘irregularities’ that cause his friends—and admirers—on earth such immense joy, and which, incidentally, equally amuse the speaker of them! Most of our conversation has taken place by the thought process—we are old friends—so that he reveals himself to us as the learned, cultured expert that he is.
In common with the great majority of his race, he has retained his picturesque name, with some slight adaptation to spirit world conditions and circumstances, so that he is known widely in these and other realms of light as Radiant Wing, the first part of that appellation being the adaptation to which I have just referred. It is self-explanatory in that it should—and does here, of course—convey to the onlooker its meaning through the flow of light that leaves the tips of his head-dress.
My friends of earth may wonder why feathered head-dresses should be worn in such a place as the spirit world. The answer is simple: all that is beautiful is preserved, and because some feature, in itself beautiful, appertains to the earth, that is no reason why we should be denied it in these lands. The fact is that we are not denied it, nor shall we deny ourselves anything because, or for fear that, folk on earth may disapprove.
If the truth be told, we care not a fig for what the earth people may think of what we do or do not, and we are certainly not going to take orders from such inferior minds, or, indeed, from any kind of mind on earth! No person is forced in these lands to submit to anything of which he disapproves. He is at liberty to seek elsewhere in the avoidance of offence to his fastidious susceptibilities. Equally, he is always at liberty to emerge from his obscurity or seclusion if he eventually feels that he was mistaken. The latter is what always happens!
The head-dress, then, of our host is very fine, displaying a series of rainbow-tints in the most delicate shades. The feathers of which it is constructed have not been taken from a bird. They would have to be taken from a living bird, if taken at all—an impossible and revolting supposition—as there are no dead birds in the spirit world. The feathers, therefore, are wholly fabricated from spirit-world substance, and fashioned by skilful hands and minds into an absolute verisimilitude of the real article. It should be added that such a head-dress is not worn constantly, but upon the more formal occasions.
We had already explained to Roger that Radiant Wing’s principal work was that of a healer to incarnate folk, which he carries on through the agency of an earthly instrument. He is, in addition, a great experimenter, ever searching for new methods in the application of the various resources at his command in many different combinations.
Our host invited us within, and knowing something of my proclivities for gathering information concerning the activities of our life here, he assumed, he said, that we wished see something of what was going on in his particular department.
We found ourselves in a very pleasant apartment which was by all appearances, his own particular ‘den’, and there explained that apart from his actual healing work, he also trained others in the art, mostly young people, many of them, he informed us, just about Roger’s age.
He then led us into his ‘laboratory’, and we were introduced to a number of young men—his students and probationers he described them.
It was a spacious chamber, upon one side of which were reposing many varieties of flasks, vials, and small jars, each of them containing some substance in a wide range of colours. There were many large diagrams depicting the different parts of the human body, while a number of anatomical models in full color were displayed in other parts of the room.
‘You will understand,’ our host explained, ‘that it is essential for us to know all about human anatomy and the functions of the body, together with the many ailments that earth people suffer from, before we can even begin to heal them. We are no different in this respect from the doctors on earth. Our methods of treatment, of course, are entirely different. We use materials and forces which the earth doctors do not possess. They belong purely to the spirit world.
‘Our methods are very much simpler. For example, look at the glass vessels on those shelves. They contain various ointments for healing an enormous number of complaints. The colours you see have little significance of themselves in the matter of actual healing. They are used to distinguish each unguent, and the especial value of the colour is revealed when we mix one component with another, for as soon as we start blending the color naturally changes, just as the artist’s colours change as he blends his pigments. So you see we are able to know at once the precise amount of any one substance that is mixed with another by the tone of blend. In this way we can modify by increasing or diminishing one substance or another according to the particular requirements of the case we are treating.
‘For those with an eye for colour these mixtures are a very great pleasure and joy, for our blendings produce an almost unlimited range of beautiful tones.
‘Apart from learning the A B C of the healing art, my student friends here also help me to find new blends, and from this we may find a new healing balm for our earth friends in their bodily ailments. What you see on the shelves are merely samples of the spiritual substance. As we attend each case, wherever it may be, our materials are always freshly compounded. By our previous experiments and knowledge, we shall know what colour or blend to use, and so our medicaments are in their right proportions.
‘That is but one part of our method of treatment. Another is by light ray, and that we cannot put in flasks and bottles upon our shelves. We can show you what happens, though.’ He turned to Roger. ‘Did you, my son, see from Monsignor’s house a large building with a bright blue ray streaming down upon it? You did. That blue ray has a soothing effect upon earth people as well as upon us here. Let me show you. Draw closely round me, my friends.’
We gathered about our host in a small circle. In a moment we perceived a bright blue beam of light descend upon us, and we instantly felt its most soothing effect—not, of course, that we were in need of it!
Radiant Wing then had the beam reduced to a small pencil of light, bringing it to focus upon each of our hands in turn.
‘You see,’ he said, ‘we can direct the light on to any area, and in any width we wish, from a broad beam to this small ray. It depends upon the nature of the trouble we are working on.’
It was fascinating to watch him maneuver and manipulate the light wherever he wished it to fall.
‘Now here is another kind of ray. Watch.’
The blue beam ceased, and in its place a bright red one descended.
‘This,’ he explained, ‘is a stimulating light; it provides energy: it builds up not only an affected part after treatment, but the whole body, and that is greatly needed on earth at this moment. Our friends of earth need not fear that we shall run short!’
There was a distinct feeling of warmth with the red ray, and Roger remarked upon it.
‘That is so, my son. Usually some warmth is needed with the application of the red ray, but we have special heat-rays, where we work with heat alone. The colours of these rays are more for distinguishing purposes, though the colour does help. But the force is really in the ray itself rather than in the color.
‘Well, now, I think you’ve seen everything, except a demonstration of our work, and that, I’m afraid, we can’t show you here. But I must introduce you to my family. Come along into the garden.’
Our host opened a door that led directly into the garden, and we stepped out of doors. Turning to our left, we found ourselves in a most exquisite garden. It was very broad and with two long walls upon either side. Our friend explained that these were not to establish his ‘territorial rights’, but merely to hide from first sight the grounds that were upon the other sides. In addition they formed a perfect background to the tall plants and flowering shrubs that were growing immediately in front of them.
Equally spaced throughout the length of the walls were fairly wide openings beneath rounded arches, the whole of which produced a most pleasing antique effect. There were many grand trees flourishing in the full vigour of their heavenly growth, free from the winds that deform so many trees on earth, and here displaying their true form in unblemished nature.
In the centre of this haven, there was a lily-pond sunk below the level of the ground, with wide steps leading down to a paved surround.
We could see no evidence of the family, but in response to a call from our friend, there came bounding across the large tract of grass upon which we were standing, two beautiful creatures, one a large dog, and the other a puma.
I have omitted to mention that as we emerged from the laboratory, the small bird that Roger had retained in his hand, then flew away in a direct line to a huge tree. He now emerged bringing with him, as it were, a raven and a macaw. Radiant Wing held out his arms, and the two birds at once perched upon them. The small bird flew back to Roger.
‘What do you think of my family?’ Radiant Wing asked. ‘The dog, the raven, and the macaw are my own. The small bird you have there, my son, belongs to friends who are still on earth, and this lovely puma, as well, belongs to one of them, who is also my instrument on earth.’
The colours of the macaw contrasted vividly with the blackness of the raven and the soft grey of the sparrow. Roger was obviously a trifle timid of the puma, no doubt from his recollection of the same kind of animal on earth, but our host at once reassured him.
‘You need have no fear, my son,’ said he. ‘See, she is without her wildness, and wishes harm to no one.’ Ruth had stooped down and was stroking and playing with the lovely creature, which was as gentle as a lamb.
‘She is not the only one of her kind here, by any means,’ continued our host, ‘but their dispositions are all the same— harmless and gentle. You see, the two chief earthly factors are gone from all the animals in these lands—the need for food, which makes them prey upon others, and fear of both their own and of human kind. Remove these two, and there you have the result. They are a great joy to us—and to themselves. Try for yourself, my son.’
Roger bent down beside Ruth, and in a moment had lost his misgivings in stroking the puma’s thick fur.
‘She is the mad one,’ said Radiant Wing, ‘and continually keeps all the others “on the stretch”. Watch her now with the little bird.’
Roger held up his hand and the sparrow flew into the air only a short distance above the ground, but high enough to be provokingly out of reach of the puma. At this height he flew in a somewhat erratic manner, hither and thither, without appearing to be upon any direct course. The puma immediately gave chase, and as the bird followed a zig-zag way so his companion on the ground tried to emulate him. The acrobatics she was obliged to perform sent us all into roars of laughter, while we could but admire the nimbleness of the agile creature on the ground. The latter made the most astonishing leaps into the air, evidently sure of catching her small friend on the wing, but she was foiled upon every occasion by the bird moving an inch or two higher, or to right or left.
‘What would happen,’ asked Roger, ‘if the puma actually caught up with the bird?’
‘Why, nothing,’ answered Radiant Wing with a laugh; ‘it would be impossible, even if they were not the very best of friends, which, of course, they are. There are no enemies here.’
The game was quickly ended, however, by the bird swooping down upon the puma, and alighting upon the latter’s head, who trotted back to us, and rolled herself over on the grass in evident satisfaction with her performance.
Radiant Wing again turned to Roger: ‘Now you know where I live, my son, I hope you will visit us whenever you wish. My boys and myself will always be delighted to see you. Or, if you wish, just walk into the garden and enjoy yourself with my family. You may not always find all of them here; sometimes these two’, he slightly raised his arms with the two large birds upon them, ‘and the dog go with me when I’m on my earth missions. But you know the small bird, and friend puma is most times hereabouts, and ready to play.’
Roger was delighted with this invitation, and thanked our friend warmly, as did Ruth and I, for spending so much time upon us and our new charge.