Madame Wolliez [sic]. Edma and Marguerite; Translated from the French of Madame Wolliez, Author of "The Orphan of Moscow," etc. etc. New York: P. O'Shea, ca. 1855. [6297]
Worn blue cloth, 4 x 6 inches, pink premium bookplate of Saint Mary's Academy of the Sisters of Mercy on front paste-down. 290 generally clean pp. with some foxing. Lacks the rear free end papers. Fair. Hardcover.
A scarce title with only two locations at WorldCat.
No date, but the style indicates 1850-1860. The story is complete in itself, but it must have been envisioned as part of a series, for "Volume II" is on the title page, covered over with a thin strip of paper, likely added by the publisher. O'Shea published books of Catholic interest.
Some French editions have the title (translated), Edma and Marguerite, or The Ruins of Chatillon d'Azergues.
The tale begins in the year 1818 with a carriage ride near Milan. The subject appears to be the rescue of an orphan and the story involves nobility, a military officer, someone wrongly imprisoned and their redemption.
"From the time she was rescued from the sad profession of a mendicant, as well as from the brutality of the odious old woman who imposed it upon her, Edma had resumed the gayety natural to her age, and the remembrance of the sufferings she had endured were gradually effaced by the charm of her new impressions; but when the time came for her to take leave of the excellent Doctor and the accompany her protectress to France, she was so unhappy that, whatever efforts were made, she found it difficult, during the whole journey, to restrain her tears." - pp. 33-34.
Catherine-Thérèse Rieder Woillez (1781-1859), French Catholic author who from childhood engaged in charitable works for the poor and the imprisoned. She began writing stories for young people in 1819, and was an essential collaborator of the Repertoire de la Litterature ancienne et moderne, as well as writing a large number of articles for the Dictionnaire historique. "The volumes intended for young people undoubtedly constitute the most important part of her written production. The style is scholarly and imbued with Christian morality. Descuret evokes them by speaking of 'real little masterpieces.' These books are mostly published in the editions of the Library of Christian Youth." - wikipedia.