THE WIDOW BEDOTT PAPERS. by Neal, Alice B., Introduction. [Frances Miriam Whitcher, nee Berry.] - 1856

Cincinnati : Derby & Jackson, 1856. 403 pp + [4] pp publisher's advertising, 7 1/2" H. Green cloth (faded to a brownish hue) with blindstamped decoration on front and rear boards, gilt lettering and decoration on spine. Eight b&w plates (including frontispiece) - the paper of these illustrations has tanned in comparison with the text pages. The author is not credited on the title page, but noted in the introduction as Miriam Berry, married to Rev. B.W. Whicher, and identified elsewhere as Frances Miriam Whitcher nee Berry. Mrs. Whitcher is possibly the first published female American humorist and this collection contains some acerbic observations of the social conventions of the early 19th century. The chapter headings include: The Widow Discourses of Pumpkins; The Widow Loses Her Beau; Mr. Crane About to Propose; Mr. Crane Walks Out; The Widow "Sets Her Cap"; The Widow Having Heard That Elder Sniffles is Sick, Writes to Him; The Widow Prepares to Receive Elder Sniffles on Thanksgiving-Day; Aunt Maguire Treats of the Contemplated Sewing Society at Scrabble Hill; Mrs. Mudlaw's Recipe for Potato Pudding; Morning Calls or, Every Body's Particular Friend; etc. Previous owner's (early) name stamp on front free endpaper nad on page117, previous owner's name in pencil at top of title page, pencill notation from 1877 on one rear blank page, light to moderate browning on illustration pages, slight separation between some page gatherings but still holding firmly in binding, scattered foxing/staining on some pages throughout book and on endpapers, browning and scattered faint foxing on edges of text block, moderate edge wear at board corners and at top/bottom of spine, corners are slightly bumped; moderate browning and some disolouration/staining on boards and spine; spine decoration colour is faded.. Hard Cover. Good. Illus. by N. Orr..