Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1862-02-14

'"'o sN"Voi ocN"hic Que oi Tue prominent
ones of the then to'cn, where many Of the
public men of the city were educated by
Master Payne. John, in his youth, was
called the young Rocius of America ;
and the old Boston Theatre was often
filed with his friends, to witness the his,ri-
onic powers Of young Payne. AS a boy,
he developed propensity for newspaper
writing, and attracted the notice of Mr..
Coleman, then the editor of tie g Ne,p York
Ere'atng Post" who interested himself so
effectually in Payne's behalf, that means
were provided to send him TO Union Col
lege, at Schenectady. Soon after he had
entered college he lost his mother, and his
father became at the same time bankrupt.
Consequently John-left college and took to
the stage, making his debut at the Park
Theatre, in New York, Feb, "a, 1909 when
he was only about seventeen years old, and
creating quite sensation as young Norval /;
and he afterwards played as often as he
could find engagements, with equal success,
in many of the principal cities of the At
lantic States.
In 1913, Mr.. Payne went to England,
and appeared at the Drury Lane Theatre,
in London and soon after visited Paris,
which was the occasion of his translating a
French melo-drama, entitled Z" Tie Maid
and the Magpie." This was accepted at
Drury Lane, and he was engaged by Mr..
Kinnard, one of the committee of the thea
tire. to remain in Paris, and busy himself
with adapting French pieces for represen-
taiion in England. In this capacity he
translated play called " Accusatton." Mr..
Kinnaird's engagement was, however, repu-
dated by the management of the theatre ;
and Payne was thus unexpectedly thrown
out of employment, but was soon after en-
gagged at Covent Garden.
On the termination Of this engagement
he devoted himself to the production of a
tragedy on the subject of +" BrmuS" 1t
was designed for and accepted by Kean,
and was brought out by him at Drury Lane,
Dec. A, 1918. His next dramatic produc-
tions were play called :" Nryinius," and
an adoption from the French, /" Theresa, or
the Orphan of Genera After the compile
ton of these he returned to Paris, on busi-
ness similar to that on which he had been
employe by Mr.. Kinnaird. Here, in 1925,
he shared the lodgings of Washington r.
wing, who was his friend from early youth
10 death.
Charles Kemble, at that time manager of
Covent Garden, purchased of Mr.. Payne,
while in Paris, number of pieces for the
sum of S1100. Among them was one call
ed " Cari," which was rendered as an ope-
ra, and contained the song which has made
the author immortal Home, Sweet Home.'
Mr.. Payne, now in funds, returned 10 Lon
don to superintend the production of his
version of Boidieu's opera, /" La Dame
Blanche" and there started periodical call
Gu H6 OpCf0 S'tuSc Jul It's DuDIlCd-
ton was interrupted by a long illness. He
returned TO America in 1882, and was well
coined by his admirers and friends with
superb complimentary dinner at the City
Hotel, New York. He now issued The pro.
spectns Of periodical with the fanciful
title of Jam Nehan Nina" THE Goblet
wherein you may behold the Universe the
existence of which, however, was quite
brief. From this time his career seems to
have been most singular one--a series of
ups and downs; one day prisoner, and at
another the universal favorite at a Partisan
soiree. He was once arrested by the "Geor-
gia Guard" as an incendiary among The
Cherokees and afterwards gave an ac-
count of his captivity in the " United States
4Hagazi,ie," then edited by S. Nj. Fairfield.
MOORE.