The Judgment of Eve, by May Sinclair, illustrated by John Wolcott Adams.
This short novel has a message, but I’m not quite sure what it is. The main character marries a poor clerk because he recited poetry to her, and she was hoping for an “intellectual life.” However, she ends up bearing him 7 children (6 living) in 7 years, and then dies of exhaustion (no wonder!). Her sister, in contrast, married the rich farmer, had one child who died, and knew she was too frail to bear more, so didn’t even try.
Crappy story, but interesting illustrations by Adams. He shows very well the “clerkness” of the leading man and the exhaustion of the woman.