The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1897-04-15
THE BARD OF SHANTY HILL.
Poor Sarah Ulrich Kelly and Her Quest
For the Laureateship.

Poor Sarah Ulrich Kelly and Her Quest
For the Laureateship.
In pouring rain and with the Impress
I've ritualistic ceremonies Of the Grand
Army of the Republic Circle, the body of
the woman who was known for years as
the Fard Of Shanty Hill was laid away
few lays ago in the old Methodist csme-
terry near Honesdale.
The woman's name was Sarah Ulrich
before she married Horace j. Kelly, and
her petition to congress for the place Of
poet laureate made her the subject Of dis
cussion in January, 1885, and fo' long
time after that. She based her claims to
the position of poet laureate upon the facts
that she was endowed with the requisite
poetic knowledge and inspiration, and that
she was the widow of soldier who lost
not only his life, but fortune, in the de-
Tense of his country. Besides her husband,
she had lost her father, brothers, brother
in-law, cousins and uncles, and In her Pc
tition she said that she regretted that she
had not been born man, so that she
might have taken active part in the cause
of tho Union.
Her husband had been member Of the
One Hundred and Seventy seventh Penn
sylyania volunteers, but his enlistment
was not voluntary act, as he had been
drafted into the service shortly after hav-
ing married Miss Ulrich, who was school
teacher at that time. He died in 1875.
after having been separated from his wife
for several years Then the widow began
to flood the newspapers with her poetic"
writings and to haunt their offices, where
she asked support and encouragement IN
her scheme which had the position OF
American laureate as Its object. She was
persistent and had an unbounded conh-
denoe in her ability some day to reach the
goal OF her ambition, and only recently she
promised rewards to people who befriended
her and said that she would do this or that
when President Mckinley had appointed
her to cabinet place or when she became
a member of congress
She was fond of telling to those who
would listen to her that newspaper men
always treated her we'll, and that only one
editor had ever acted coldly toward her,
and that he had been punished by being
defeated through her influence on two oc-
casions when he had been a candidate for
congress. For long time she remained
In Washington, where she wrote verses and
endeayored to advance her claims for the
laureateship. Then she returned to Penn
sylvania, where she spent most Of her time
selling her photographs and verses. For
the last year she had made scanty living
by travelling over the country on foot sell
ing medicines which she compounded.
While on one of these tours recently she
was allowed to ride on farm wagon. The
horses became frightened and ran away,
throwing her to the ground and inficting
injuries from which che died.
Mrs. Kelly was comely in appearance
and always dressed neatly. Her character
was above reproach. Her memory was re-
markably good and she had a good knowl-
edge of the Scriptures. She frequently
spoke at public meetings and was rational
on all subjects except the two toward
which she devoted the greatest efforts Of
her life-political Office and literary recog-
nition-neitber Of which she ever had the
slightest chance of gaining.
Her original plea for appointment Is en-
bodied in the following verses, which were
written some years before she succeeded In
persuading a member of congress to pre-
sent her case to that body:
EUROPEAN AND AMERICAN POETS COM
PANION.
A European Poet in his time
Did suffer much composing rhyme
SO hard for him twas to compose
For several days with Blinds aclose
A.. h,,< . txx-0
Ere to seclusion bad adieu- -.
His neighbor seeing blinds open wide,
Inquired what sickness did betide
The Master Of the House, while it was dark.
his servant answered like Lark,
The Master did Delivered be.
OF Couplet he has read to me.
thank the Lord that can write
without sey'ral Days seclusion quite
Ten to Thirty Minutes is all ask
To write from Three to Seven Verse Task.
Another Cloudy Morning hath S-ougnt
Cloudy Day,
Another Bard sFreposing at the close Of Life's
Short Stay.
Ere ascend into the Heavens
hope this Congress surely will
Declare the National Poet Is
The Bard of Shanty Hill.
In another of her effusions shessays:
/ am thinking, am thinking,
OF the days when was young.
Twas the very best Of teachers,
At least my praises were SO sung.
BY A. N. Bullard, superintendent
OF Susquehanna county at that tune,
Twas educated most resplendent.
She indicated her preference as to her
burial place in the following lines:
Bury me in Jadk kson cemetery. q very beauti'
full place.
Let the officiating minister be the rector OF
Grace
Catholic Protestant Episcopal church OF Homes
dale, Pa,
The Bard of Shanty Hill whose Fame shall