Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1853-06-15
]. Howard Payne.

| A correspondent of that excellent South
ern Weekly paper, the Cotton Plant, (pub
lisbed in Baltimore, y in one of his late let
ters from Washington. gives the following
brief sketch of one whose nane is as lSttl'
known to the world, as a single emana
tion of his genius is widely appreciated :
"As I sit in my garret here Gn Wash
instony watching the course Of great mer
and the destiny Of party,f meet often Nth
strange contradictions in this eventful life
The most remarkable was that of ]. How.
ard Payne-author of Sweet Home r
knew him personally. He occupied the
rooms under me for some time, and bis
conversation was so captivating that | have
often spent whole days in his apartment.
He was an applicant for office at the time
Consul at Tunis-irom which he had
been removed. What sad thing it was
to see the poor man subjected to the humIl-
iation of Office seeking. Of evenings we
would walk along the streets, looking into
the lighted pariors as we passed. Once
and while we would see some family cir
Gle SO happy, and forming so beautiful a
group, that we would both stcp-and then
pass silently on. On such occasions he
would give me history Of his wahderings
his trials and all the cares incident to his
sensitive nature and poverty. How often,'
said he once, i have been in the heart OF
Paris, Berlin, London, or some other city
and heard persons singing, or the hand Or
gan play Sweet Home, without shilling
to buy the next meal or place to put my
head. The world has literally sung my
song until every heart is familiar with its
melody. Yet,I have been wanderer from
my boyhood. My country has turned me
ruthlessly from ofice-and IN my old age
have to submit to humiliation for bread
Thus he would complain of his hap'ess lot.
His only wish was to die in foreign land
TO be buried by strangers and sleep in
II MET him one day looking unusually
sad-'have you got your Consulate p SAID
. "Yes-and / leave in a week for Tunis
Il shall never return
s'The last expression was not political
faith, Far from it. Poor Payne-his wish
was realized. He died at Tunls. Wheth-
er his remains have been brought to his
native country, l know not. They should
be, and if none others will do it, let the
homeless throughout the world give pen
nv for monument to Payne. knew him,
and will give my penny ,and for an inscrip'
ton the following:
HERE LIES J. Howard PAYNE,
Tile Author of "Sweet Home"
A wanderer in life-he whose song was sung in every
tongue
And found an echo in every heart
NEVER HAD A HOME!
He Died in Foreign Land
1T is singular fact that very few per.
sons in America know that the author OF
Home was an American. If you ask
nine persons out of ten, even among those
who have any knowledge of musical histo-
ry, they will tell you Sir Henry Bishop, or
some such person must have the Credit
The truth is, this song was almost the on.
ly thing that Payne ever did which is en-
titled to remembrance. The author was a
maker Of melodramas, and musical plays.
Home, Sweet Home : was song IN one
Of them. Payne did not remain in the
country to see the piece performed, and
the first time he ever heard his own song
sung was in the streets of great Europe
an city. It's pathetic appeal to sentiment
which exists in every human bosom, gives
It an immediate echo over the whole world,
which has not nor ever will die away"