Early Day Stories: The Overland Trail, Animals and Birds that Lived Here, Hunting Stories, Looking Backward

Norfolk, NE: Huse Publishing Co.. Very Good+ with no dust jacket. 1916. First Edition. Hardcover. Adoniram Judson Leach (1834-1919) was a Michigander from St. Joseph who went west to Oregon in 1852 at the age of 18 looking for adventure. He recounts his life in this book: "These stories are drawn from a trip by the Author across Nebraska, and westward over the mountains to the Pacific coast during the year 1852, and from a residence in Nebraska from May 16, 1867." From the title page: "The Overland Trail, Animals and Birds, Hunting Stories, Looking Backward." There are a few full page illustrations of western animals and birds. This is copy is in the publisher's original brown cloth binding with gilt spine and cover lettering; the binding is tight and there is no wear to the edges; the the back cover has a couple of areas of light-colored discoloration at the bottom and the top. There is also a light dampstain to the top edge of the front end paper and the front pastedown--this does not extend to the interior pages. There are no internal or external ownership or other markings. The leading edge has a few pages with two short light crimps. In all, this is a nice copy of an uncommon first edition. Ref: Howes 162a, Graff 2427 ; Frontis Portrait, B&W illustrations; 8vo, 8"- 9" tall; 244 pages .