The Widow Bedott Papers by Francis Whicher (Frances) M. (Mariam Berry); Introduction by Alice B. Neal and illustrations by N. Orr - 1856

New York, New York: J. C. Derby, 1856. First Edition. Hardcover. Fair. The first major American woman humorist. This is likely the first edition from Derby in that the author's name is given as 'Francis' with an 'i', instead of 'Frances' with an 'e' as with all later editions. Born Miriam Berry at Whitesboro, New York in 1811, Frances Whicher was also the author of stories about the Widow Spriggins, Aunt Magwire, and others, all of which appeared in newspapers papers and journals . She died in the town where she was born in 1852, and her worked collected poshumously. This title purportedly sold 100,000 copies at a time when that was an enormous number. Duodecimo, 7 1/2" tall, 403 pages, decorative blue cloth. This is a fair copy only, but rare in this printing with the author's name misspelled. There is general shelf wear, with the cloth worn through at the corners, the surface rubbed, the back strip glued to text and thus cracking as well as chipped top and bottom; the front cover, endpaper and fly leaf are loose and the internal binding is broken in two places. Still a reading copy as such which might be rebound and restored.