 Resolution 1841. My name is Laura Cabot. It is January 2nd, 1942, the second day of a new year. As I speak these words, even I myself can't believe that what has happened is true. It began only a few short hours ago, less than 48 to be exact. And yet, it has changed everything for me, even life itself. I must tell someone. And so, I'm telling you, it all began night before last, New Year's Eve. A number of us had braved the deep snow and cold north wind to go out to the old Cabot Place, north of Quincy, to see the new year in. There were four of us, Ed and Helen Richards, who had just been married a year, and a business friend of Ed's named Duke Toback. We had to leave Ed's car down at the road and walk up the narrow, unused lane, leading to the big... 1841, leaving with a vengeance. It's cold, isn't it? The nose drifting deeper. Oh, Helen, to the right, dear. The house is over there. All right, Laura. I didn't know we'd have to walk. It'll be good for us. I wonder what your friend must think of us, like this, on New Year's Eve. Oh, Duke? Oh, Duke's a good sport. Besides, dear, haven't we made a practice of spending New Year's Eve in the old Cabot Place for the last three years? Yes, Ed, we have. Besides, Duke wouldn't want to spoil the fun. Anyway, I think that he makes a fine partner for Laura, don't you? Yes. He's very handsome. And wealthy. Helen, you think she likes him? Well, the way she's hanging on to him and laughing, I wouldn't exactly say she likes him. Oh, Mr. Toback, you certainly must think that we're idiots. I wish you'd called me Duke. I've been calling you Laura all evening. Well, I guess it's because I'm so fascinated by your last name that I use it. Tell me, how do you spell it? Just like it sounds. T-O-B-A-C. Duke. Yes, Laura? Spell your last name. Backwards. Hmm? Toback. Spelled backwards is Cabot. My name. I say you're right. Well, that's the most unusual thing I've ever heard of. Well, I'm an unusual person. Are you? Don't you think so, Laura? I really haven't had time to decide yet. But I'm awfully glad you came along with Helen and Ed tonight. We do this every year, you know. Yes, so Richard's told me. Oh, this old house has been in my family for more than a century. It was just three years ago that I discovered it belonged to me. That's all? Mm-hmm. Oh, there were back taxes galore on the place. But I paid them up. And every new year since then, the Richards and I have spent New Year's Eve here. A charming custom. You know, I rather think I'm going to enjoy being let in on it. I hope so, Duke. Really, I do. I want this to be the best New Year's Eve we've ever enjoyed. Helen? Helen, you and Ed wait up. Or you'll have to stand at the door till we catch up with you. All right. Duke. What's wrong? Laura, wait. What is it? Is that the house? Why, yes. Why? I don't know. It seems so familiar looking. I've seen it before. Some place. Well, if you've seen it, it's been right here. Come on, Laura. I've locked the door. All right. Here's the key. Here, I'll open it. There. Here you go, Laura. Oh, for heaven's sakes, they'd come in and close that door. Hurry, dear. No one's blowing into the place. Here, old man, let me give you a handle of that door. Thanks. There. Quite a wintry blast. Here, stomp off the rug on this rag, the snow on this rag rug. That's what it's for. Good to know, boy. Oh, it's nice and warm in here. Yes, I'm surprised. You been out here earlier today? No. Oh, Mr. Johnson owns the farm across the way. He always comes over on the last day of December and builds a fire for it. You see, he expects it. The place seems so strange tonight. Strange? What do you mean, Laura? I don't know. Does it really feel warm to you folks? Well, it certainly does. Of course it does, dear. Yeah, it's fine. Well, it sure makes it handy to come here and have the place all heated for us. Yes, but it doesn't seem the same in here as it always has before. Well, personally, I think it's very homie. Well, that's why. Kitty, no one lives here. It's such a nice place. I've tried to convince Laura she should stay here instead of running in town. I've had this feeling before. It's so strange. Almost weird. Weird? Why, this place is far from being weird. Oh, I'm just being silly. Come on, Helen, let's take our coats into the other room and see what condition the kitchen's in. All right, Ed, you'd better throw a log on the fire. How about some refreshments all around, huh? Well, you just leave that to us, gentlemen. There are plenty of refreshments in the kitchen. Yes, indeed, Laura, and I had them set out yesterday. Smoke, too? Oh, thanks. How do you like her? Laura? Mm-hmm. Charming. Oh, now, Duke, is that all you've got to say for her? Well, I haven't known her in a few hours. And yet? Yes, too. Yet? It seems that I have known her before. Somewhere. Sometime. What makes you think that? I can't say. Something about her, the way she acts, and when she talks possibly, I don't know. Well, have you asked Laura if she'd met you before? Oh, I thought that rather a silly thing to say besides that that's what men always say to women when they're trying to make conversation. Well, Laura's very easy to talk to. She talks so, so comfortably with me. Well, it's as though she'd known me some place before, too. Well, I know how you feel, Duke. I felt the same way about folks I'd just been introduced to. Sensations like that are hard to explain. Yeah, they're generally not explained. Look here, Duke, this is your first trip to Quincy, isn't it? Not only my first trip to Quincy, it's my first trip to Massachusetts. Well, now Laura's lived here all her life. She's been away a summer or two on vacation, though. Possibly you met her then. Yes, that could be the answer. But it does seem we've been acquainted before. And the strangest part of it all is it seems that we were once very close to each other. Very close. Helen, will you juice these oranges for me, please? How many? Oh, half a dozen to begin with, I guess. Oh, come on over here on the small table. Oh, all right. Laura? Yes. What do you think of Duke? Oh, I don't know. He gives me a little more time. He seems to be attracted to you, does he? Does he indeed. I caught him three times staring at you like, well, with a sort of fascination, like he couldn't get used to you. Well, perhaps you're right. Maybe he can get used to me. Oh, no, I didn't mean that way. I mean, well, he stared at you like he was trying to remember something. Yes, I noticed that. And I caught you staring the same way at him. Yes. What is it, Laura? You like him all right, don't you? That's just it. I feel that suddenly I like him too much. Oh, now you needn't fall in love with him right off the handle. Oh, no, it isn't that. It's a different kind of a feeling, an affection, but not the kind a woman has for a man. It's different from that. I don't understand what you mean, Laura. I wonder if I understand what I mean myself. It's something that seems to draw me very close to him. Oh, love at first sight. I've always believed in it. No, not that. Something else. Something different. Something greater. He hasn't made love to you already, has he? Helen, will you please stop talking about love? Love has nothing to do with it. Laura, you need a lift. Come on, let me fix you one. No, not now. You know, Helen, I'm positive I've never met Duke Tobacco before, and yet it seems that I did know him once a long, long time ago. Well, it couldn't be very long ago. You're only 23. No, I mean farther back than that even. Hey, wait a minute. His name? It's so strange. Tobacco. It's so very strange. 11.30. No, it's just 30 more minutes than it's... Goodbye, 1941. I can't wait. I've had enough of the past 365 days. I want a grand new year to start out everything with a clean slate. Now you're talking, Laura. Here's to 1942. Yes, here's to the new year. Well, hey, I'm in on that. May all our troubles disappear like bubbles of champagne. Especially as quickly as the bubbles in any champagne that might be left around our place. Would you pardon me now? I want to go upstairs for a moment. I'll go with you. Oh, no, dear. It's cold up there, and besides, I won't be but a moment. Helen, you've got work to do in the kitchen. I'll be right back. Yes, I'll only be a moment. Make yourselves at home. She seems strange tonight, doesn't she, Ed? Yeah. You know, she was right enough when we left town. You know, the minute she stepped into this house tonight, something came over, and I think she's quite attractive. Duke, had you ever met her before tonight? No, at least I don't think I have. Well, I thought she said about you. She did? Yes. She acted so strangely, too. She said she, well, that you attracted her in a strange sort of way. Now, that's a pretty compliment. Oh, Ed, what I mean, Duke, is Laura told me she seems to have known you before somewhere. You know, that's odd. Duke just said the same thing about Laura. Not more than 30 minutes ago. Do you? You mean it? Yes. It's so strange. I'm trying hard to remember. Now, I wouldn't worry about it. You know, I've had the same thing happen to me. Just some trick in nature. You meet a person for a moment you'd swear you'd met him before. But isn't it strange that Laura should have the same feeling about Duke? Yes, I was about to forget the whole affair, but now... Well, I wonder. Well, now, my advice is that you two get together a little more. Talk over the places you've visited, the places you've been. Now, I'll wager one of my Christmas ties you met at the seashore. Or at Santa Anita or maybe on some dude ranch. Possibly, Ed. But it doesn't seem that way. You know, I haven't said this before, but even this old house seems familiar to me. It does. Yes. And I first saw it outside. I stopped dead in my tracks. Something seemed to stop me, and... Well, I'd have sworn I'd walked up that same lane out there dozens and dozens of times. Well, that's incredible. This room with its high ceiling and huge fireplace, these pine walls, the heavy oak floors, the decorations, they all seem so vaguely familiar. But why should they? You've never been here before. No, I haven't. Don't you two think it's getting chilly in here? Yes, little. Oh, there are no more logs. I guess I'd better go fetch a cup. No, Ed, I'll do it. Now, there's no reason for both of you to go out in the cold, Ed, you go. Isn't that just like a wife? No, Ed, you stay here. I know exactly where the logs are. I saw them when I came in. I'll be right back with a couple. Uh, better put a coat on, old man. No, it won't be out long enough. The wood's just around the corner of the house. Laura, I didn't see you come back. Oh, he's gone to get some logs for the fire. He's insisted on going alone. Laura, what a beautiful dress. Hey, those aren't the clothes you wore out here. Whatever did you find? Such a quaint outfit, darling. It's a dress my mother used to treasure. It's been in my family for almost a century. Oh, it's beautiful. I thought it would be fun to put it on tonight. I found it upstairs in an old trunk. Just wait until Duke sees you in that dress. Maybe that'll help him remember where he knew you before. He thinks he's known me before. And Helen says you feel that you've met him before, too. Well, yes. I do feel that way, but... Oh, I don't know what to think. I'm so upset tonight. Laura, what is wrong tonight? Ed and I both noticed it. Yeah, what's wrong, Laura? Oh, I didn't want to mention it, but... There. Something is wrong. Well, can we help you? No, I... I couldn't ask you to. Well, you two know how very fond I've grown of this old house and the property. Yeah. He's certainly spent a lot of money putting it into shape. I still don't see why you don't live here. Oh, it's a memory more than anything. And the fact that my grandmother and her grandmother and hers lived here for so many years. Oh, Laura, you don't mean you're going to lose the place. I'm afraid so. Oh. You see, it's heavily mortgaged. I'm in debt more than $3,000. I can't meet that debt. Hmm. Well, that's a little more money than we've got right now. Yes, quite a bit more. Oh! Duke! Oh, Ed, see what's wrong for heaven's sakes. Don't just stand there hurray. Lord man, your head. What happened? Speak to me, Duke. Are you all right? Well, here now. I'll take it easy. And I'll carry you to the house. Come on. I'll arm you on my neck. That's it. Is he all right, do you think? Yeah. There's quite a pile of wood out there. Picked up a piece near the bottom and a lot slid down on him. Let's knock him out, that's all. Oh, he looks so pale. Here, here, loosen his collar. There. You better take your time, that's it. Oh. Duke? Oh. Duke? Are you all right? Yeah. Feeling better now, old man? Wrong. You had an accident, Duke. Do you feel all right now? Lord. Yes, Duke? Call me that, Lord. Who... Who are these people? Duke, what? You, you'll be all right. Who are these people? What? Why am I lying here? Where's your mother, Lord? You'll be all right now. Still. Why do you speak like that? Why do you look at me like that, daughter? Daughter? But... What's the trouble here? Suddenly, you're so strange. It's you who are strange. What? You call your father strange? You call me Jeremiah Cabot Strange? Jeremiah Cabot? Of course, Jeremiah Cabot. Don't tell me I have to remind you who I am. But Jeremiah Cabot... was my mother's great-great-grandfather. Duke. For heaven's sakes. What's the matter with you? This... This is so strange. I'm afraid I don't know your friends, Lauren, and you, young lady, or you, sir. Oh, now, Duke, cut the kidding. Just a moment, Ed. I think I'm beginning to understand. Oh, for a moment, child. I thought you were my daughter. Now I... Now I know the truth. You... That must be it. What, Laura? What on earth? Just a moment, Helen. Jeremiah Cabot. He built this house. His daughter was named Laurelain. The name has been in the family for a century. Laurelain. She looked so much like you. I still don't get this. Ed, wait. I think I can explain at least partially. There's an old legend in our family that one New Year's Eve, Jeremiah Cabot, was asked by his family to join them in making New Year's resolutions. In the spirit of Jess, Jeremiah resolved one thing. To return to this earth 100 years from the night he made the resolution. That's it. Yes, of course. The resolution. The brick. In the fireplace. The brick. What does he mean? I remember now. Here. I'll show you. This brick. This one behind the others. See? It's loose. You can remove it. But what are you trying to tell us? Here. You see? A hiding place behind the brick. This is where the papers are hidden. And the money. Will somebody please tell me what's going on around here? Ed. That's real money. $10,000. You see? It has been hidden here for years. And here. Pictures. In the original deed to the Cabot property. This is most amazing. And this. This is what I was looking for. Here, Lauren. Read this. Go ahead, child. Read it. What does it say, Laura? Do you want me to read it? No. Just a moment. I've seen it. The ink is almost gone. It says Jeremiah Cabot Being in my right and sane mind Do solemnly resolve this night To return to Earth Again, exactly 100 years from now If it be within the realm Of power Jeremiah Cabot December 31st 1841 My head. Duke. Why are you looking at me like that? Oh, I remember. Now the logs. They're cold in here. Duke, where are you going? No, no, Ed, you stay here. I know exactly where the logs are. Saw them when we came in. I'll be right back. Resolution 1841. Tonight's Tale of Dark Fantasy Written by Scott Bishop. Charles Carshon played Duke Tobacco. Many Joe Curtis was Laura Cabot. Eleanor Naylor Corrin was Helen Richards. And Ben Morris played Ed Richards. This Friday night at the same time, the national broadcasting company will bring you the eighth in this series of stories of the supernatural and the unusual created for you by Scott Bishop. Listen for the weird and haunting, the curse of the Neanderthal, the story of a grave 40,000 years old and the awesome secret that it contained. Dark Fantasy originates each Friday night in the studios of WKY, Oklahoma City. Tom Paxton speaking. This is the national broadcasting company.