The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1915-10-21
Friends of Michigan
Poet In Pilgrimage
to Old Home
RHYMED LIVES
OF PLAIN FOLKS
Attained Eminence At
ter Severe Early
PrivatiOns

able memorial for the late William
Carleton. Mlch!gans poet. will be
started today when friends and ad
mirers OF the poet met n the old
Carleton homestead. near here, to
glan the details Formation oil an
association to urge annual o6serv-
anoe OF Cartoons anniversary, Oct
u. vas also planned
The old Carleton farm soon may
be put mp for sale TO settle the es-
tate. II has been proposed that
friends OF the dead poet buy II in.
and build a repository there.
Today IS the seventeen anniver-
sary OF the poets birth.
Will Carleton Was one OF the nrst
writer's 10 give In verse the humble
and homely life OF the American
people, as lived upon the farm. He
was born on farm near Hudson.
Mich. in ls45, his father having
been a pioneer from New Hamp-
shire and OF English stock. His
life, as boy. was the simple. hard
working existence OF a pioneer far
mer's son, ploughing the fields by
day and coming back at night 10
the big fireplace and steaming sup.
per which his mother had ready In
the log house. He trudged through
the snow five miles 70 school and
vas so eager for an education that
az Is he became a teacher Of the lit
tie country school. az a salary OF 81
a week. which he frugally saved IN
I'll be vas able to enter Hlllsdale
college His inhibition at this time
Z was TO become journals; ana
+ upon his graduation. he took 20
sitlon on an agricultural paper II
Chicago Later he became editor o,
the Detroit Weekly Tribune. Dur
ing this time. ne was writing poetry
which he distributed. Eratuitously
among the papers the Toledo
Blade being The arst 10 discover his
genius From that time Harper
and other well-known publishers
solicited his work and he gave NJ
Journalism in order 10 devote his
time 20 poetry. Later he accepted
offers for the lecture platform and
toured America and Europe. his hu
NOR and pathos bringing smiles and
tears from his audiences.
A number Of volumes were pub.
lished. the west-known OF which are
Farm Ballads" dedicated 10 his
mother With these words she has
/ gone where the noble have their
country and her grave is holy
ground Farm Legends" dedL
Gated to A noblsmaR my farmer
father, Farm Festivals" "GeraL
dine" long romance In poetic
form. and others The farm poems
are essentially his best work and
contain the weIl-known "Betsey and
( ! Are Out and over the Hills 70
/ the Poorhouse. which one clergy.
nan described "a Il 400 sermons I'm
81 lines. The poor. old mother
trudging away from her sons home
and her unsympsthetic daughter.in
law and telling her story as she
goes IL a theme which struck al
the roots OF tn American heart.
Mr.. Carletons popularity Is due
10 his human sympathy and tender.
ness toward the homely. daily living
OF the ordinary man and woman he
understood the wellsprings OF our
being and touched them with a gen.
tie, kindly hand. He saw our virtues
and our faults. but neither praised
nor condemned. They were put be
fore US In such a light that We could
: Judge for ourselves and DO aroused
( 70 higher. better things
/ A product OF Michigan. the people
OF this state have cause TO be PROUD