THE CAVALIER
(New York: Charles Scribner s Sons, 1901).
FIRST EDITION. Composing Cable's best-seller was a long and much interrupted task. His Civil War romance was begun in 1893, and not finished until 1900. But patience is a virtue, and when finally published, the book met with tremendous success. It is the story of Richard Thorndyke Smith, a young soldier in the Southern army, who provides the reader with his personal reminiscences. Item #26704
First edition, first issue with "city-bird". Frontispiece and 7 full-page illustrations by Howard Chandler Christy. 8vo, in the original bright red, ribbed cloth, featuring a Margaret Armstrong design on the upper cover of art nouveau flowers, a sword, and two wings in black and gold and with an elaborate gilt design and gilt lettering on the spine. vi, [2], 311 pp. A very bright and beautiful copy, the red cloth extremely attractive and well preserved, tight corners and unworn, the spine with just the lightest uniform mellowing, the text fresh and clean.