THE ANGEL OF THE TENEMENT

1897. MARTIN, George Madden. [Pseudonym of Georgia May MADDEN]. THE ANGEL OF THE TENEMENT. NY: Bonnell, Silver & Co., 1897. Small 8vo., two-toned cloth with gilt-worked title & border on front cover. First Edition. Author's rare first book. Martin was a member of the "Author's Club," based in Louisville, Kentucky in the 1890s. The literary club met for mutual encouragement and criticism about their writing. Other members included authors Alice Hegan Rice and Annie Fellows Johnston; geographer Ellen Churchill Semple; and journalist Eva Madden (the author's sister). Ladies in the club eventually had a total of 50 published books to their credit. Martin had her greatest success with her second book "Emmy Lou: Her Book And Heart," published in 1902. This copy bears a signed ink presentation on the front endpaper: "Happy Christmas- To little Jeannette. With love from Mrs. Rice. December twenty-fifth, 1897." The inscription is not in the handwriting of Alice Hegan Rice but may be by a relative- perhaps her mother-in-law? I have been unable to locate any auction or Internet price records for this title and the Huntington Library in San Marino, California lists no copy in Wright's bibliography of the library's holdings. Very Good (small sections of cloth eroded very upped edges, bit of darkening to the white cloth spine). $750.00.