AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED BY THE CALIFORNIA NOVELIST

A four-page handwritten letter written in 1931 by novelist Gertrude Atherton while she was in the hospital in San Francisco recovering from a strained ligament in her knee. Atherton (1857-1948) was the author of numerous novels set in her home state of California that were popular in the early 20th century. Her bestselling book, Black Oxen (1923), was made into a silent movie.

In the letter Atherton writes to Alice Rising from Children's Hospital in San Francisco:

"Dear Miss Rising: I am the fortunate one for if you wouldn't have come Saturday night, I shouldn't have met you at all. Here I am laid up, indefinitely with a strained (truncated) ligament in my knee - I had a sudden violent attack of pain in my knee Monday night and have hardly been able to walk since. The doctors rushed me over here the same day. I am - or rather my knee is - swathed in hot bandages. The Doctors thought it a good chance to reduce me and put me on a diet. I am starving in addition to the off and on pain in my knee. It was a great pleasure for all of us to have you in L.R. for a whole evening. I still hope to see you in New York. Many thanks for your charming note. Sincerely, Gertrude Atherton. I am madder than all the hornets in the U.S."

The letter is written on two sheets of stationary from Children's Hospital and accompanied by the original mailing envelope, both in very good condition. (Inventory #: 76871)