WILKINS [FREEMAN], Mary E. (1852-1930). The Wind in the Rose-Bush. New York: Doubleday, Page & Co., 1903. 8vo. [viii], [1]-237, [3, blank]. 8 illustrations by Peter Newell. Publisher's decorative green cloth stamped green, red, and gold. FIRST EDITION, FIRST PRINTING OF THIS SCARCE COLLECTION, WITH FREEMAN'S SIGNATURE LAID-IN.

Better-known for her feminist stories of domestic realism, this volume—Freeman's sole collection of supernatural fiction—gathers 6 well-regarded ghost stories, including "The Wind in the Rose-bush," "The Shadows on the Wall," "Luella Miller," "The Southwest Chamber," "The Vacant Lot," and "The Lost Ghost." In 1974, Arkham House republished the stories with an 5 additional pieces in her posthumous Collected Ghost Stories. The 3 x 1/2"  laid-in signature is inscribed "Sincerely Yours, / Mary E. Wilkins."

Boards rubbed and minorly soiled, corners bumped, color loss to high points, spine skewed, spine block pushed. Front pastedown torn, spotting and toning to endpapers, occasional spotting to text block, some hinges starting, discoloration to gutters. Very good. Signature note soiled.