Texan Ranch Life ; with three months in Mexico in a "Prairie Schooner". Inscribed by the author. Together with her Prayer Book and small collection of photographs.

Horace Cox, 1894 1894. 1st Edition. Hardcover. VG. 1st impression. Publisher's original brown cloth with gilt stamped vignette to the front and titles to the front and spine. Inscribed by the author to 'Miss Barnett / With love from the author. / Xmas 1894.' Together with Mary Jaques family Church Services Book, 20 black and white photographs and Miss Barnett's autograph book c. 1905 which includes vers and illustrations from both Mary Jaques and Emma Hartley (a.k.a. "Didymusa", in Texan Ranch Life). The notes from a recent Texas A&M reprint say: J. Frank Dobie once claimed that 'the English write our best Western books:' and Jaques' account bears him out. Out of print for some ninety years, this collector's classic will delight and inform, entertain and amuse - a valuable resource on early Texas life, long sought by collectors and historians alike.' A very rare signed copy. Chipping to head and foot of spine, light rubbing to corners, two splits in the cloth at lower joint and a few white spots on the front cover. The binding is firm and square. Internally, it is very clean with no marks, stains or damage. A very good condition copy of this acclaimed work, likely a unique survivor with the author's inscription. The accompanying photographs are in very good condition and relate to her return to the USA where she settled in San Diego, California. The photographs mainly date from 1916 - 1919. Most of them have a post card verso, on which she has written about the picture (including to the three nieces of Emma Hartley, Jessie, Gertie & Florrie). There are no stamps or post marks, they are wrapped in note-paper (one with a short note) and presumably were sent as enclosures in letter/parcels. There are two additional photographs: one showing the gravestone of her parents in the UK and one of her own gravestone in California, constructed in the same style as that of her parents. The accompanying autograph book is in very good condition and, as well as the Jaques and Hartley entries, contains various hand drawn cartoons and illustrations. The accompanying prayer book was published in 1858 and bears a family name dated 1859 showing the name of the family property in Yorkshire - Easby Abbey - that was left to her father's elder brother, and then an inscription gifting it her from Mary Jaques' uncle to her mother: 'R M Jaques to Eliza Jaques. A keepsake in remembrance of the dear departed owner. Easby Abbey. April 1878'. The person to whom the book is inscribed is Mrs Jessie Barnett (nee Hartley), the niece of Emma Hartley who travelled as companion to Mary Jaques on her Texan adventure and is referred to throughout the book as "Didymusa", thence by descent in the family. Texan Ranch Life was reviewed in The Spectator (August, 1894): "The author of Texan Ranch Life�.. relates the story of her Texan and Mexican experience in the most natural manner possible�for all that one can gather from her pages, it might be the most ordinary thing in the world for a woman to travel and to live as she did. And herein she shows wisdom; for the reader, recognising her at once as a person of much good sense, is disposed to find her of good counsel also. We rather doubt, however, the likelihood of her example and precept bearing much fruit, for she is a very honest witness, and her description of ranch life is by no means too alluring. She speaks of it herself as a 'delightful life of freedom, untrammelled by the conventionalities of modern society, both men and women speaking and acting as their hearts dictate, without regard for appearance or effect;' and she strongly recommends it as a fine field for English ladies." We have been unable to find any information about Mary Jaques/Marchant relating to her marriage and her return to the United States, to Chula Vista (San Diego, California) with her husband and with "Didymusa", where she would remain until her death in 1926, other than the UK & US census records we have found, and shipping manifests. These unique photographs provide an interesting insight into the later life of this pioneering adventurer. Rainford & Parris Books welcomes enquiries, so please do not hesitate to ask if you require further images or have any questions. All books are packaged with great care.