The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1897-12-29
TIE 8ARD OF SHANTY HILL.
Poor Sarah E!ricl. Kelly and Her Quest
Eor thc g.aG-e.s: .sIl:p.

: or the 4-s-ss-tt.ks|SLl.C. ..
IN o pouring rain ard with the impress
i've ritual;scic ceremonies OF the Grand
Army Of the RepCJ,c Circle, the body of
the woman who was known for years as
the Bard Of Shaa:y Hill was laid away
few days ago in the old Methodist came
tery near Hcnesdale.
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 for long
time after that She based her claims to
the position Of poet la-reate upon tbs facts
that she was endowed with the requisite
poetic -knowIedg &c and inspiration, and that
she was the widow Of soldier who lost
not only his life, but q fortune, in the de-
feDse of his country. Besides her husband,
she had lost her father, brothers, brother
in-Iaw. cousins and uncles, and in her Pc
tition she said that she regretted that she
had not been born a man, so that she
might have taken active part in the cause
Of the Union.
One Hundred and Seve1ty-seYenth Penn
sylvania volunteers, but his enlistment
was not voluntary act, as ne 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 food 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
persstent and had an unbounded conf
dence 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 CO.
casions when he had been candidate for
congress. For a 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, wh,ra she spent most Of her time
selling her photographs and verses. For
the last year She had u ade scanty living
by travelling over the country OF foot sell
ing medicines which she compounded.
nF -hn-n
was allowed to ride on farm wagon, The
horses became frightened and ran away,
throwing her to the ground and inficting
injuries from which she died.
Mrs Kelly was comely in appearance
and always dressed neatly. Her character
was above reproach. Her memory was re-
narkably 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-poli5ical Office and literary recog-
nition-neither Of which she ever had the :
slightest chance Of gaining.
Her original plea foE 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.
s European Poet IN lis time
Did suffer much imposing rhyme.
So hard for him twas to compose
For several days with Binds acloSe
And then wrote but . line CT two
Ere TO seclusion bad aGieu-
Els neighbor seeing blinds open wide,
Inquired what sickness did betide
The Master Of the House, while 1t was dark
Els servant answered like . Lark,
The Master did Delivered be
OF 9 CoupleJ he has read to ne.
7 thank the Lord that can write
Without ser'ral Days seclusion quite,
Ten to Thirty Minutes is al I ask
To write from Three TO Seven Verse Task
Another Cloudy Morning hath brought
Cloudy Day,
Another BarGs re2osiag at tde close Of Lies
Short Stay.
Ere I ascend INTO the Heavens
! hope this Congress sUrely viii
Declare tbs National Poet IS
The Bard Of Sh2aty Hi.
n another OF her cGusions she says:
am thinking, an thinking,
OF the days VIXEN was young.
Twas tie very best oe teachers,
At least MY praises were SO sung.
VA. n. BuIlard, superintendent
OF SusQuehanna county at that tiue,
was educated most resplendent.
She indicated her preference as to her
burial place in the following lines:
Bury ne in Jackson cemetery, very beauti-
ful place.
Let the officiating minister be the rector OF
Grace
Catholic Protestant Episcopal church Of Zones
dale. Pa,
The Bard o. Saanty Hill whose Fa2ae shall
never fade away.
Il Inn