Nestlings A Collection of Poems   By: Ella Fraser Weller

NESTLINGS

A COLLECTION OF POEMS

BY

ELLA FRASER WELLER

ILLUSTRATED BY

K. A. FRASER

FROM PICTURES OF CHILDREN IN THE AUTHOR'S IMMEDIATE CIRCLE OF FRIENDS

SAN FRANCISCO CALIFORNIAN PUBLISHING CO. 1892

Copyright, 1892, by ELLA FRASER WELLER

LOVINGLY DEDICATED

TO THE CHILDREN WHOSE FACES

ARE

PICTURED WITHIN

INTRODUCTORY

These selections have come of occasions. They were not meant for the public eye. The thought of a possible book had given them greater unity, and the vision of a possible critic had probably modified their form. The mother love for children called for them and they came; there is a conspiracy of mother loves and the fugitive poems became a book.

The accompanying illustrations are shadows of real faces and may be readily duplicated in any limited circle.

"Nestlings" may serve as an album for some innocent faces, and perpetuate some possibly helpful sentiment.

S. H. WELLER

Los Angeles, California

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

CORNELIA Front Cover

1 ARTHUR }

2 EDITH }

3 HAROLD M. }

4 LESTER } Frontispiece

5 ALFRED }

6 KENNETH }

7 ELLIOTT }

Between Pages

1 AUTHOR AND CHILD 1

2 AUDREY 5 and 6

3 CARL 11 and 12

4 ETHELWIN 15 and 16

5 MOTHER AND BABE 20 and 21

6 HAROLD AND EARL 25 and 26

7 HELEN 30 and 31

8 HAROLD W. 34 and 35

9 EDITH 39 and 40

10 WARREN AND ALBERT 44 and 45

CONTENTS

PAGE

MY BABY'S FEET 1

TWO LITTLE SEEDS 3

EDITH 6

THE THEFT 8

WHO'S AFRAID 12

LULLABY 14

TWO OF THEM 15

IN THE MEADOW 16

BEATRICE 19

MY BOY 21

THE FAIRY'S MOTTO 23

A REVERIE 26

MY CHOICE 28

ELLIOTT 30

THREE LITTLE KITTENS 31

WHAT IS THE USE OF TRYING 33

ONLY FIVE 35

UNRECONCILED 37

THE NAUGHTY DOLLY 40

MABEL'S LESSON 41

BABY KATHLEEN 43

TWO BOYS 45