Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1886-02-25
A NEW POET.
The Sweet Singer of Honesdale, Pm, Who
Would Control Our National Muse.

vacancy In the llSt OF American poets.
Many have struggled earnestly for the
laurel, but none has gained it.
A new aspirant is in the field, how
ever, and bids fair to rival Michigan's
most original of songsters in some re-
spects, although it win be useless for her
friends to hope for equal fame with one
whose flights of fancy and graces of
rhythm she may closely initiate but
never surpass. The Michigan poetess
was the founder of school, and the
later claimant for public recognition
can reasonably expect to achieve only
that reputation which comes from being
an exponent of an established style Of
poetic composition.
The lady who is destined to become
famous is Mrs. Sarah A. Ulrich Kelley,
whose biography is told by her own pen
in a manner that requires no explana-
ton.
BIOGRAPHY OF THE BARD.
In Rhyme.
In peaceful cottage by the sea
couple dweit IN harmony
Ere breath of scandal reached the ear
OF him about his wife held dear.
He was a dreadful man in War,
And falsehood had been written afar
BY Old Maid, who tried to marry in vain;
The letter bore the signature of an honest
man. name.
Though the letter was forgery he went out
of his head
Soon as honest mans names TO the stories he
read,
And declared he would kill his wife either
sooner or late;
Crazed fourteen years and then died; q very
sad, sad fate.
The cottage was not quite as near to the sea,
As the Susquehanna River was flowing peace
fully
Through town of the same name, way down
Dwelt happy couple once, and one of that
couple was me.
Then bereft of my children for many long
years,
Crazed husband had stolen them because he
had fears
That was not fit to bring them up quite
Because of the falsehood the old maid did
write.
Twas my happiness in childhood neighbor to
OF b. c. Kidder, of Starucca, an Odd Fellow
is he;
On account of unpaid pension, I've now made
my will
With respects to the publisher, The Bard Of
Shanty Hill.
The modesty with which Mrs. Kelley
employs the sobriquet ''The Bard of
Shanty Hill'' must not be misinterpret-
ed. She is not deficient in pride Of
birth, as can be seen by the following
poetical narration entitled ''The Bard 5
Pedigree:
No Poet lived since world began,
Who had less Black Sheep 'mong the clan;
Z en- Noah had one Dark Sun, the other two
were white,
We find that our Bard's Pedigree is very, very
white
King David, the Sweet Singer of Israel, had q
foe,
His own Brother Saul did seek His Life, pity,
say not no:
Later David sang The Praises of His Brother
Saul who died
In Battle upon High Places; Israels Beauty,
David, cried.
The Prophet Joseph had Black Fellows, His
Brethren had Him sold
For twenty pieces of Silver to be Slave SO
we've been told;
As He'd been Born to be q Ruler, though long
time first enslaved
While fulfilling Glorious Destiny, Brethren's
life from famine saved.
Fen the Very First Family had at least one
Black sheep.
Cain did kill his brother Abel, for which deed
poor Eve did weep:
But God did Comfort her, and sent another
Son named Seth,
The Bard's Relatives all were Heroes and She
is Loyal unto Death
The easy style of this rare gem will
be appreciated. There is nothing la
bored about any of her verse. She al.
ludes to the facility of her accomplish
ment in this confessional tone:
l thank the Lord that can write,
Without Sev'ral Days seclusion quite;
Ten to Thirty Minutes is all ask,
To write from Three to Seven Verse Task
A European Poet in his time,
Did suffer much composing rhyme:
So hard for him twas to compose,
For Seyarals Days with Blinds aclose,
And then wrote but line or two,
Ere TO secuson babe Adieu!
But perhaps the chief charm of Mrs
Kelley's poetry may be termed its conf
| Dental air She takes her readers into
close relations without preliminary flour
| ish:
Friends of my youth held very Dear
had not seen for many year.
Friends may meet on journey soon
I'm hoping to start Westward this presen
Month of June.
1t is a source of regret that June il
the very month chosen by SO many west
ern lovers of poetry for their vacation
If she has really made up her mind t
come here at that time most of the lit n
airy people will try hard to be absent
Were they to meet her they would M
doubt enjoy that delightful humor which
| glimmcrs in the appended "Refinet
Comic Song:
Are You going to the Worlds Exposition
To be held at New Orleans, O?
would really like TO see the Exposition,
fhss oh rlL fnr tn
| I've Poem I'd take the Exposition,
Written about The Century Plant;
| expect to take the Prize at Exposition,
For my poem all the World would enchant
| wish to go to the Worlds Exposition,
To exhibit poem that's fine;
VINO furnishes the means for Exhibition
I'll write Song that's well worth Mine.
Possibly the reader would relish NOR,
selections from this lady's gifted pen,
| but sufficient number and variety
| have been given to show the character
| of her work. The ambition which
| moves her is commensurate with hel
| genius. She aspires to become the poe
| laureate of America, and has filed a pc
tition of that purport with the president
of the United States senate. Clothing
that aspiration in the garb of inspired
verse, she says:
Another Cloudy Morning hath brought
Cloudy Day,
Another Bard's rcposing ut the close of Life,
Short Stay,
| Ere ascend unto The Heavens, l hope thi.
Congress surely will
Declare the National Poet is, The Bard O,
Shanty Hill.
But OF her own garb she frankly adj
mits:
I'll cothe myself with Aspiration
For my wardrobe's mostly rags,
Shreds and Patches" are my Station,
OF no Bard this Nation brags.
Still, with right estimate of worldly
trappings, this child of song remarks:
am thinking. / am thinking
OF the days when was young
was the very best of teachers,
At least my praises so were sung
BY A. N. Billiard, Superintendent
OF Susquehanna County at that time;
was educated most Respondent
Mrs. Kelley is neither remarkably
handsome nor extremely young. She
has reached the full maturity of woman
hood, is educated most Respondent y
humorous, of good pedigree, and has
unquestlonably a very extraordinary
poetic taste. The nation needs la,i.
reate. The hour and the woman are
| both at hand. Congress alone can de.
termine the vital question of her accept
ance
The Model Boarder.