National Republican., 1888-03-26
THE COMMITTEE ON LYRICS
GIVES \ HEARING TO THE BARD or
SllANTY MILL
The Would.be Poet Laureate Inter
views the Chairman and Reads u
sample of Her Poetic Skiil-Mr.
Vance suffers hut Is Saved.

"You are Amos Cummings? know you
are aud you needn't deny It, for you are the
only real sweet looking man in the House.
The speaker was small, nervous little
woman, and she had cullared the honorable
member as he came out Of the House one
day last week to chat with constituent
who wanted an appointment on the street
sweeping force.
"Iou have me at a disadvantage,
madam" said the embarrassed statesman,
''your features are familiar, but then have
80 many lady friends that to remember all
their names would I've almost as impossible
II feat rs Il would be to recount their vir-
tues"
'l'm afraid you are n very naughty man.
responded the lady, and she tipped him I'M
der the chin with her lily-white fOrclinger.
And YOU don't know mcgf she exclaimed,
"Mhy, I'm Sarah ulrich Kelly, better
known To fame as The Bard Of Shanty
HIM. or The Sweet Singer of Pcmsyl-
vnna.' Don't you know me now =" and She
smiled archly and extensively at the blush.
ing representative. 4 look of dismay over
spread his features for an instant, but the
sunny smile broke through the momentary
cloud, and second later he was warmly
Copgratulating himself on having become
personally acquainted with a versilicr whose
productions had caused more editorial grief
Than the combined attacks of legion Of
spring poets.
"Now. we're going to he real good friends,
amt ~ qucried the little woman, "aid
] want you TO help me to get my bill
through, ! supposCyou know all about my
ill ~
The honorable gentleman hcstatcd. To
say that he knew nothing Of the bill would
expose him to an interview that might be of
mtCrminable length, while to claim an init
macy with the mcasurc'wOuld probably re-
suit in disastrous overthrow of the rcputa-
tiOn for veraCity which he had for many
long years, been engaged In constructing.
His better nature. however, asserted itself,
and with that easy grace which is exclusively
his he listened To the tale Of woe that
Sarah had to tell
When she had unhurdened herself of her
sorrow She appealed for justice, and NJ the
poet laureate, land Of course you'll help
me, won't You, Amos? You don't mind me
calling you Amos do youy'
"Certainly not" he replied. 'but why in
thunder teNcuse my profanity did You
select me rs your counsel ~
"Oh, Mr.. Allen, that nicc-looking gentle
man from Mississippi, said you were the one
w ~ W. isuON Ut lulS, huc duucu' 'llt
wrote that
This was card on which was inscribed,
in Mr.. Aliens well-known photographic
hieroglyphics 'Your bill should be intro
duccd by Mr.. Amos Cummings, of New York;
he is chairman of the Committee on Lyrics -
He sent that out to me yesterday" she
said, as the New Yorker read the card a
second time.
That's all right, madam" said he, ''Ill
attend to it, His voice was calm, but
away down in his interior department he
was swearing terriically at the Mississip,
plans Jest.
81 won't bother you any more to-day
said Mrs. Kelly: "l'll come tomorrow.
Where's your committee room?n
"l-l-l haven't--that Is, the Speaker
hasn't had mine built yet, was the response
II transact all public business either In one
of these window inches OF down stairs IN
the restaurant
He turned to 60, and for an instant II
looked Us though he would make good his
escape. but IL was not 30 TO be.
Amos said the sweet voice, ''just q
moineut,n and she led him into the window
niche Just vacated by them. "Duyuu rcall,
think am poet2n
"Certainly,n he responded.
Listen to this; it's very short.n
The pleading tones We're not without ihei
effect and the sympathetic heart of tn,
editor warmed as IL never had before to an,
poet. He settled back quietly and listened
~ one cntranccd to the following verses
which the gifted autllOress read: