Why do you think the family members try avoid talking of the ghost ?

The family members did not try to avoid talking about the ghost, rather the ghost was giving them a wide berth and avoiding any encounters. For a long time he was not seen on any nocturnal expedition although the twins lay in wait for him on several occasion.s They would also strew the passages with nutshells every night to the great annoyance of their parents and servants but to no avail. It was quite evident that his feelings had been wounded and he would not appear. Mr Otis got absorbed in his great work on the history of the Democratic Party, Mrs Otis organised a wonderful clam-bake and the boys took to indoor and outdoor American national games. Virginia got busy riding about the lanes on her pony, accompanied by the young Duke of Cheshire who had come to spend the last week of his holidays at Canterville Chase. It was generally assumed that the ghost had gone away and in fact, Mr Otis also wrote a letter to that effect to Lord Canterville, who in turn expressed great pleasure a the news.