CROMMELIN, May.

THE LITTLE BLACK GHOST [in] LONDON SOCIETY, Christmas Number, 1892.

London: F. V. White, 1892. First Edition (& 1st printing). Octavo, bound in contemporary pebbled green cloth, spine panel lettered and ruled in gilt "London / Society/ 1892 / 2", all edges speckled red. Bound together with the August, September and November 1892 issues, continuously paginated [113] - 592, the Christmas number separately paginated [1] - [112], with two full-page black & white plates, one of which illustrates the story "Stéphanie" by 'the Author of "Miss Molly"; the other illustrating 'The Little Black Ghost' with a scene of the discovery of the child's skeleton within an ancient crypt. Book label of Ardmore School on front paste-down. Very good overall, clean and sound. Item #312864

¶ The first and only appearance in print of this short supernatural tale, the ghost of a small negro child ("I could distinctly see the wooly curls, the squat nose and blubber lips of an unmistakable son of Ham") haunts an ancient manor. The black child is of course a page boy to a noble white child. Typical Victorian fare which while not necessarily intending to be racist just is anyway as they couldn't even see the systemic racism inherent within their culture.

Price (USD): $250.00