Lady of the Barge and Other Stories Horror Book Review

From “The Monkey’s Paw”:  “What was that you started telling me the other day about a monkey’s paw or something, Morris?”  “Nothing,” said the soldier, hastily. “Leastways nothing worth hearing.”  “Monkey’s paw?” said Mrs. White, curiously.  “Well, it’s just a bit of what you might call magic, perhaps,” said the sergeant-major, offhandedly.  His three listeners leaned forward eagerly. The visitor absent-mindedly put his empty glass to his lips and then set it down again. His host filled it for him.  “To look at,” said the sergeant-major, fumbling in his pocket, “it’s just an ordinary little paw, dried to a mummy.”  He took something out of his pocket and proffered it. Mrs. White drew back with a grimace, but her son, taking it, examined it curiously.  “And what is there special about it?” inquired Mr. White as he took it from his son, and having examined it, placed it upon the table.  “It had a spell put on it by an old fakir,” said the sergeant-major, “a very holy man. He wanted to show that fate ruled people’s lives, and that those who interfered with it did so to their sorrow. He put a spell on it so that three separate men could each have three wishes from it.”    This volume also includes “The Lady of the Barge,” “Bill’s Paper Chase,” “The Well,” “Cupboard Love,” “In the Library,” “Captain Rogers,” “A Tiger’s Skin,” “A Mixed Proposal,” “An Adulteration Act,” “A Golden Venture,” “Three at Table.”