As great as he was, Tony might have been even better if he had a copy of this book: The American Horse Tamer, showing How to Cure the wildest and most vicious horse in the world of Kicking, Balking, and other Bad Habits, by Jeremiah Bentwright. Being able to train your horse was important when this book was published, as it goes back to 1858. Today this book isn't so necessary, but perhaps its advice will also work with children. Item 8. $250.

Item 197 is Maxine Newell's A Story of Life at Wolfe Ranch. Published by the Canyonlands Historical Society (undated), it recounts life on a ranch amid the spectacular vistas of southeastern Utah. But, if vintage photos of beautiful landscapes aren't your thing, the book has a bonus. As Baade explains, "you also get Mrs. Stanley's Recipe for Rabbit Pot Pie as part of this book." I hear it tastes a lot like chicken. $10.

Item 56 is a handwritten, signed letter from Charles D. Drake. Charles Drake was a Radical Republican Senator from Missouri, and a most influential person in emancipating the slaves of that state (Lincoln did not free the slaves of Missouri, the Emancipation Proclamation applying only to slaves in states at war with the Union). He was the force behind the Missouri Constitution of 1865, also known as "Drake's Constitution" or the "Draconian Constitution." This document replaced the gradual emancipation provided by the 1863 Constitution with immediate freedom. The new Constitution also disenfranchised many who had supported the Confederacy, applying a loyalty oath whose conditions many who opposed the Union could not meet. In 1866, Drake was elected to the senate, where he strongly pushed for full rights for recently freed slaves, and voted for removal of the impeached president, Andrew Johnson. Interestingly, in his less radical early days when he still supported slavery, 1846 specifically, he had legally represented an obscure Black man suing for his freedom by the name of Dred Scott. The Supreme Court case that evolved from this suit eleven years later (long after Drake's participation), was one of the key events leading to the Civil War, which brought about all slaves' freedom.

Drake resigned from the senate in 1870 to serve 15 years as Chief Justice of The Court of Claims, dying in 1892. The letter offered is from Drake to H. Crittenden of Massachusetts concerning a $100 advance he had received on the publication of a book of his speeches. The book was not successful, only 200 of 2,000 copies having sold at the time, and with little hope the advance would ever be repaid by sales of the book. Drake writes that while under no legal obligation to repay the advance, he does not feel comfortable with the situation and has decided to repay the money with his own funds. Not surprisingly, Drake's book of speeches is uncommon today, only one copy showing up for sale online (priced at $275), though many copies of a 1969 reprint (obviously more successful than the original) are available. Drake's letter is priced at $250.

You may reach Gene W. Baade of Renton, Washington, at 425-271-6481 or by email at bookwest@eskimo.com.