The Friendly Things

There is a forgotten bookmark in today's post, but I think the book it was found in is just as interesting.

The book is "The Elf-Errant" by Moira O'Neill and features exquisite black and white illustrations by W.E.F. Britten.

Here is the cover:

 The front endpaper has an cute inscription:

To Kay (An Irish Girl)

From Edna (An English Girl)

Title page:

Here are some of the illustrations:

 

Finally, the poem:

THE FRIENDLY THINGS

Oh,  it's just the homely little things,
The unobtrusive friendly things,
The "Won't-you-let-me-help-you" things
That make our pathway light.

The "Laugh-with-me-it's-funny" things
And it;s the jolly, joking things,
The "Never-mind-the-trouble" things
That make the world seem bright.

Are not the human little things,
The "Everyday-encountered" things,
The "just-because-I-love-you" things
That make us happy quite?

So here's to all the little things,
The "Done-and-then-forgotten" things,
Those "oh-it's-simply-nothing" things
That make life worth the fight.

"The Elf-Errant" by Moira O'Neill. Published by Lawrence and Bullen, London, 1895.



-Click to enlarge photos-