PREFACE.
As it had long been the purpose of our dear mother to collect thee poems in a volume for the sake of those who loved her, and a since her death many requests have come to us that this should still be done, we offer this volume to her friends and to the public. We have made no attempt to arrange the poems in order of writing, or to classify them. We have omitted some of a local and periodical interest, because of their length, but it has been our intention to publish all of her shortest poems, and we have tried faithfully to collect them all. It is a matter of real sorrow to us that the work could not be done by her own loving hands and under her careful supervision, but as this could not be, we have tried, as well as was in our power, to do it in her dear stead. We feel very sure of the indulgence of our friends in their judgment of our work, and trust that this memorial of her may find its way into the homes of all who loved her, and are glad to remember "her work and labor of love" while yet among us.
Martha Brotherson Reynolds.
Peoria, Dec. 7, 1880.
