Our Homes

Their Cares and Duties, Joys and Sorrows

Edited by T.S. Arthur

Published by Keen and Lee, Chicago, Ill.

__________1856__________

Deep blue covers, my photo lightened, covers are almost a black-blue, embossed with fancy graphics on both covers. Covers show surface rubbing, edges and tips quite worn. There are age and shelf spots but nothing too distracting. Spine covering entirely loose at front cover and barely holding at back edge. There are pieces missing from this covering, mainly at spine heel and above; title on spine is very dulled, worn gilt, still readable. Spine has dulled gilt graphics, and spine is now darker faded color.

Pencil inscription on second blank page is a bit hard to read but is dated 1857. Frontispiece is illustration of 8 people in nice dress around and near a table, entitled "Our Home" with J.D. Gross in tiny letters under the illustration. This page has much age spotting, illustration is still quite good. Tissue over frontispiece has 2 short surface tears, bottom edges with some creasing, tissue has age spotting.

Contents with 62 entries of mainly stories, some poems. Few selections from Contents include: Praise Among the Married; A Thimble-Full of Romance; The Cradle Away Up in the Garret; Cousin Hettie and Her Mother-In-Law; The First Baby, along with other short stories that are rather sad sounding although there are glad stories also.

Book is totally split at page 112 with pages 113 and 114, 1 sheet, missing, so 2 pages of "Mrs. Winterford and Her Servants" are gone, this story is 15 pages long not counting missing pages, one could probably get some enjoyment from this particular story even with a bit of it missing. I think all other pages are still in book although there are several pages in this very split area that are completely loose at binding, this broken section somewhat extends from top and front leaf edges. Book measures 4.75x7.25.

Book consists of 300 pages plus 4 pages of advertising of further books to order. Paper is mid-ivory, some pages at front are lighter in color, with every page showing much age spotting. You will see some page tip creases, some are not opened; leaf edges browned. Pages are good weight paper.

Book certainly worn from its 153-year existance but some of the stories could make a unique addition to a newsletter or bulletin, or to place in a scrapbook.