National Republican., 1879-08-01
MISCELLANEOUS,
A SelE-Made Woman.
From Tho Ohio Deinpcrat1

From tho Ohio Democrat
The country is full of so.called sclf.made
men, aud their laudablo ambition and ulti-
mate success Is hcralded as a triumph which
can only be attaiuable to man, aud which
women have no right to expect But with the
thousands of obstacles which have been placed
In tho way OF women, the gigantic efforts
which have been made to retard their develop
mcnt in the onward march Of progress, there
arc many women who have pressed onward
aud upward from the ranks aud to-day they
stand crowned with the glory they have toiled
to win, and are calling to other women to
press onward. There arc Others of this noblo
army who have not yet been recognized as
they deserve to be, although they have toiled
in the heat of the day, aud borne burdens,
that to the majority Of men would seem inn
possible to bear. OF this number | desire TO
refer to Mrs. Mary Il. Kali, of Loesvile, who
is an Ohio lady by adoption, but who was
born in Washington, ID. C. Mrs. X was mar
| ried very early in life, and settled on o fnrm
| In an out of the way portion OF Carroll county,
Ohio. Being thus deprived of the advantages
of society, and unfortunately, possessed of but
a few books one would naturally suppose that
the thought of attaining any degree of
literary success would have been aban-
dOned ut once, and forever but this woman's
unqualing courage, aud iudomitablo per-
severance, was not TO be crushed out
by adverse circumstances, for the dis
advantages with which she had continually TO
contend only seemed to stimulate her mind to
nOblor efforts, aud TO enable her TO advance
more rCsolutcly to the region of self help.
| This lady's manners are refined and engaging
aud her words How with ease aud grace as
well as with strong magnetic force, while her
I Il Ill.
| Justly ontile her to the esteem in which she is
held wherever she is personally known. AL
| though it has been said that literary woman
cannot become good housckecper, 10 may DO
said of Mrs. Kali that she has managed her
household with the utmost order and neatness
through all the years. aud the many persons
| who have partakon Of the hospitaites of her
| home can testify to the unseiilshness OF her
| acts aud tho generosity OF her nature.
Having been for several years u successful
newspaper correspondent, ;s well as "A writer Of
poetry for the Saturday EUeHing Post, Rural Ne,0
| Yorker, LHeaiy Companion, aud other in1u-
| ential papers, at the request of Robert Cum
mings, of Steubenvlle, she sent, in the fall OF
| 1865, a poem to $. Brainard & Sons for publica-
ton, with the modest request that it be set TO
music and published in sheet form, providing
they should find it to be available. The poem
was accepted, and set to music by Karl Merz,
who then was already known as one of the
| leading composers OF music in America. From
| tho firm request was sent TO the new song
writer for campaign song, which was writ
ten, iavoring General Grant for the Presidency,
and which did great service in that memorable
campaign; for soul inspired with patriotic
| fro controlled the pen OF this gifted woman
and the burning words she wrote found re-
spunse IN the hearts of thousands of loyal men
throughout the land. Other beautiful songs
and Sabbath school hymns were subsequently
written and appeared, set to music by the most
| eminent composers, in shee form, aud also in
the leading Sabbath school publications. Mrs.
X. being firm believer in orthodox religion,
she is prepared to express her views of tho
Bible aud to write words Of comfort aud en-
couragcment for every sorrOwing and inquir-
ing soul.
In 1872 she was again called upon to write q
! Grant song, and tho Hero of the Wilderness"
came as if by magic from her pen, and was
sung with oven greater effect than her first
| campaign production. Soon orders came from
all parts of the country, and the pages of the
Folio Musical Visitor and Musical World, were
embelished by her beautiful word painting.
In 1875 she visited the home OF her childhood,
and with her own hand presented President
Grant with copies of her campaign songs, at
the same time, telling him in her frank digni.
fled way, that she had no iavois to ask. On
the following morning notice of her visit at
the Executive Mansion appeared in The
NATIONAL REPUBLICAN,, and the value of her
songs acknowledged in very complimentary
style. In 1876 she was again solicited by the
Brainards to write songs for the Hayes cam
paign, to which she readily responded, aud the
songs which she wrote four in number, did
active and efficient service in that difficult
campaign.
In 1878 the COnuOtOn Valley Times the
local paper of the town in which she re-
sides, was left without an editor, when
the company controlling its interests in-
vited MIS- Kali TO occupy the editorial
chair. Tho invitation was accepted hesi-
tatingly, but the influence of the paper
was soon widely extended, and letters of news
poured in from all parts of the country for its
columns, and the paper was soon recognized
as one OF the best local papers of Ohio. All
the while this energetic lady seems TO be un-
conscious of the greatness of the tasks she
has accomplished, and is ever willing to take
uD the cross OF duty, whether it be covered
with tho thorns OF pain, OF crowned with roses
As yet she has asked or received no favor at
the hands OF the political party which she has
SO nobly vindcated, but she has worked from
principle and not from policy, which is no
doubt the secret oi the good she has accom-
pished. In whatever direction her mental.
moral, or physical energies have been directed,
she has worked with the most painstaklng de-
votion, looking only TO the reward that is
promised to the faithful toilcr.
| write the above sketch, Mcssrs. Editors, in
the hope that some more competent pen than
mine will complete the task which | have so
mperfeCtly begun, aud that justice will DO
done one who Is in every way deserving,