Life Among the Savages (25 page)

“It's pretty small,” Laurie said doubtfully. “Is that the best you could get?”

“I tried to get another, a bigger one,” I said with irritation, “but the doctor said this was the only one left.”

“My goodness,” said Jannie, “what are we going to do with
that?
Anyway,” she said, “
you
're back.”

Suddenly she and Sally were both climbing onto my lap at once, and Laurie came closer and allowed me to kiss him swiftly on the cheek; I discovered that I could reach around all three of them, something I had not been able to do for some time.

“Well,” Laurie said, anxious to terminate this sentimental scene, “so now we've got this baby. Do you think it will grow?” he asked his father.

“It's got very small feet,” Jannie said. “I really believe they're
too
small.”

“Well, if you don't like it we can
always
take it back,” said their father.

“Oh, we like it all right, I guess,” Laurie said comfortingly. “It's only that I guess we figured on something a little bigger.”

“What
is
it?” asked Sally, unconvinced. She put out a tentative finger and touched one toe. “Is this its foot?”

“Please start calling it ‘him,' ” I said.

“Him?” said Sally. “Him?”

“Hi, Barry,” said Laurie, leaning down to look directly into one open blue eye, “hi, Barry, hi, Barry, hi, Barry.”

“Hi, Barry,” said Jannie.

“Hi, Barry,” said Sally. “Is this your foot?”

“I suppose it'll cry a lot?” Laurie asked his father, man to man.

His father shrugged. “Not much else it
can
do,” he pointed out.

“I remember Jannie cried all the time,” Laurie went on.

“I did not,” Jannie said. “
You
were the one cried all the time.”

“Did you get it at the hospital?” Sally asked. She moved Barry's foot up and down and he curled his toes.

“Yes,” I said.

“Why didn't you take me?” Sally asked.

“I took you the last time,” I said.

“What did you say its name was?” Sally asked.

“Barry,” I said.

“Barry?”

“Barry.”

“Where did you get it?”

“Well,” Laurie said. He sighed and stretched. “Better take a look at those Greek tetradrachms,” he said.

“Right,” said his father, rising.

“Jannie, you go find that hairbrush,” I said.

Laurie, on his way out of the room, stopped next to me and hesitated, obviously trying to think of something congratulatory to say. “I guess it
will
be nice for you, though,” he said at last. “Something to keep you busy now
we
're all grown up.”

With a Moft Interefting Discussion of the Probable Refults of fuch Difturbances in the Dwelling of a Gentleman.

Mr. H. depofing, That, Having lived upon this houfe for more than feven years together, he has until recent months feen no evidence of fupernatural possession, Until, within the months just paft, when his houfe has become feemingly a meeting-place, or nest, for demonic fpirits;

That, for the space of more than three nights together, his family has been difturbed by the founds of a great running, or ftamping, which, going on above half an Hour at a time, has caused the greateft Apprehension among them;

That his Wife, a Female of nervous disposition and easily excited, almost into Frenzies by Supernatural Manifeftations, has at feveral feparate times been troubled by the Night Mares, as of a Personage whispering into her Ear fecrets of Horror;

That, having as was her cuftom the daily fpoons in her hand and fetting them one by one into the Beaufet, the has had at different times one fpoon or another taken forcibly from her hand and on one ocafion this fpoon was afterward hurled, or thrown, violently at her Head;

That, fince these manifestations, a cabinet door belonging to a Television fet, will neither ftay clofed nor fuffer itfelf to be latched, although four feparate Carpenters endeavored to perfuade it fhut with their Hammars and a Mr. Feeley, a gentleman, being newly come into the houfe, did ftrike it moft violently with his foot;

That Mifter H.'s fon, a child of fome eight or ten years, doth fo conftruct nightly with his leffon-books a Barrier, or Wall, againft the doorway of his nurfery, in order, as he fays, to
keep out the goblins
, and he doth, besides this, fay that he hath feen feveral times a Wolf, or other large black animal, upon the Roof outside his Window;

That at night recently, this Manifeftation did take up a Knife, or Dirque, which Mifter H. doth always keep by him left footpads come upon him fuddenly and unawares, and dafh'd it fo wildly againft the wall that it like to have broke into a thoufand pieces;

That for the space of fome feven nights running, there hath been in this houfe the found of drums, of laughing, of ftomping, and crafhing of objects, not to be accounted for even by the feveral children of Mifter H., and more, perhaps faith Mr. H., than could even be performed by his children without guefts or other children in company;

Thefe things, attefted to by Mr. H. and his family, have been feen and witnessed by many other perfons who have visited Mr. H.'s houfe to obferve them, and by the aforefaid Feeley, gentleman, and all fuch perfons agree that the houfe is poffeffed by a Poltergeift, or Evil Spirit, which has in its Intent the moft Malicious Amufement at the expenfe of thofe dwellers in the Houfe;

That Mister H.'s Landlord, a man of fome means, resuses either to have the houfe Exorcifed or to allow Mifter H. to Loofe his Leafe, and that therefore Mifter H.'s only Recourfe, as he fays, is to open his Houfe to Visitors at a Penny a View, since, as he fays, it is already become fo full of Company at beft that he may as well Charge.

 

▢
LIFE AMONG THE SAVAGES

Jackson's autobiography is crowded with the raucous voices of an extraordinary family living a wonderfully ordinary life.

“Never before has the state of domestic chaos been so perfectly illuminated.”

—
The New York Times Book Review

 

▢
COME ALONG WITH ME

Along with Jackson's unfinished novel of the same title, this volume also contains sixteen short stories, including “The Lottery,” and three of Jackson's lectures.

 

▢
THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE

Four seekers visit the abandoned Hill House mansion. At first their stay seems to be merely a spooky encounter with inexplicable noises and self-opening doors, but Hill House is gathering its powers and will soon choose one of them to make its own.

 

▢
WE HAVE ALWAYS LIVED IN THE CASTLE

Merricat Blackwood, her sister Constance, and Uncle Julian live sequestered on the family estate after a fatal dose of arsenic kills most of their family. Their days pass in happy isolation until dangerous Cousin Charles appears.

“A marvelous elucidation of life.”

—
The New York Times Book Review

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