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What starts out as a much-anticipated wedding among members of the high-society set in 1870s San Francisco eventually devolves into a tragic story of a doomed love triangle in Gertrude Atherton's deeply moving historical romance novel Sleeping Fires.

Mrs. Pendleton, who has been a pronounced flit in her married life, becomes a widow at twenty-four, and receives simultaneous offers of marriage from four admirers--fadedpage.com.

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Inhibitions and a neurosis against sex fight a losing battle with endocrines and glands In a romance of atavism, which Gertrude Atherton calls "The Crystal Cup.” Taking her title from George Sterling's "Into a crystal cup the dusky wine I pour, and, musing at so rich a shrine, I watch the star that haunts its ruddy glow,” Miss Atherton uses her conception of Freudian theories to clear up the duskiness. As a result the book Is more or less a study of sex Inhibitions. Melodrama has Its place in the pages of “The Crystal Cup” as the wine of life pours Into the veins of the heroine, Gita Carteret.

It was a San Francisco of simple, stately homes and wooden sidewalks -- in a time when the ladies of Rincon Hill would take their carriages to Market Street, and then gather to discuss the fortunes being made and lost in this veritable Southern Arcadia of a city. Even after the Civil War, the North suffered defeat after defeat in California. The South had its last stronghold there -- defiantly aristocratic in the face of the common Northerners, whose arrivals were never quite welcome. In San Francisco numerous hopes centered upon young Dr. Talbot, who seemed well along the road to fortune. Although often surrounded by beautiful and vivacious girls, he always avowed he had seen too much of babies, and should die an old bachelor. Besides, he loved them all the girls -- when he did not damn them roundly, which he sometimes did . . . to their secret delight. But now he affronted them by marrying someone no one had set eyes upon; and he even lacked the grace to go to his native South, in marrying an outsider. He had gone to Boston, of all places, to find a wife Gertrude Atherton (1857-1948) wrote such novels rich in historical detail as The Californians, The White Morning and What Dreams May Come.

In 'Mrs. Pendleton's Four-in-hand,' Gertrude Franklin Horn Atherton presents a wry examination of love and courtship within the framework of high society's foibles. With a deft touch of wit and seamless prose, the story centers around the young and coquettish Mrs. Pendleton, whose flirtatious dalliances are cut short by early widowhood. Atherton crafts a narrative that weaves humor and irony as her protagonist grapples with the absurdity of receiving multiple marriage proposals simultaneously. Set against a backdrop of upper-class pretensions, the novella articulates a satire of social norms, contributing to the rich tapestry of American literary realism of the early 20th century. Gertrude Franklin Horn Atherton, an eminent figure in American literature, brings to this novella her keen observations of societal conduct and underlying motivations. Her own life, filled with unconventional choices and a bold, independent spirit, informed her portrayal of female protagonists who often challenged the status quo. Atherton's prolific career and experiences in affluent circles likely shaped 'Mrs. Pendleton's Four-in-hand,' an exploration of the intricacies of widowhood, the societal market of marriage, and the ensnaring expectations of womanhood during her time. Recommended for aficionados of classic literature and those interested in feminist literary history, 'Mrs. Pendleton's Four-in-hand' is an engaging tale that will charm and enlighten readers. Atherton's nuanced storytelling and acute social commentary deliver a timeless narrative that resonates with the absurdity of societal obligations and the individual quest for autonomy and respect. This novella earns its place not only as a delightful read but also as a study in societal satire and the empowerment of women.

Set on the Caribbean Island of Nevis, ‘The Gorgeous Isle’ by Gertrude Atherton follows the story of Byam Warner, a poet and an alcoholic who is slowly drinking himself to an early grave. Hurt by love once before, when he marries strong-willed and beautiful Anne Percy against her family’s wishes, he finds himself caught between her love, his talent, and his self-destructive habit. Will the pair find contentment and happiness, or was the tumultuous love affair doomed from the start? Gertrude Atherton (1857-1948) was an American novelist, short story writer and early feminist. Born in California, Gertrude attended schools in California and Kentucky and became widely read. She married George H.B. Atherton in 1876, and lived with him and his mother in San Francisco, where they had two children. Atherton struggled with married life, her husband did not support her writing ambitions and Gertrude found life as a wife and mother stifling. When her husband died at sea in 1887, Atherton felt free to pursue her burgeoning career as an author and went on to publish over 50 novels. She is best known for her California series of novels which explored the social history of California and included popular works such as ‘The Californians’ and the controversial ‘Black Oxen’ which was adapted into a silent movie in 1923. Feminist themes and strong female characters are common in her novels. She died in San Francisco in 1948.