Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1862-02-14
Songs and Song -Writers.---3.


john HOWARD PAYNE was the author
Of the words of '' Home, .S,ceet Home :" and
most beautiful are they, embracing the pur-
est sentiments ever peuned by an American
song-writer.
Mid pleasures and palaces though may roam
Be it ever so humble, there's place like home
charm from the skies to hallow it there
Which, go through the world you not meet wi else
where.
Home. home sweet sw eet home
There's no place ike home!
There's place like home!
An exile from home, spendor dazzles In vain
Oh give my owiy thatched cottage again;
The birds singing sweety, that came at my call,
Give these and that peace of mind dearer than all
Home. Home &C.
Many homes, many exiles have been
cheered by this song, and many individuals
have turned to home, with lis fond remem-
hrances, as they have heard it sung when
absent. One knowing the author. or his
history, can rarely hear the song without
manifesting more or less of deep sympathy
for the writer of 1t, acho had no home -
Sweet Home has been sung and played up
on instruments all over the world, while the
author, himself, was wanderer in life.
In letter to friend, Mr.. Payne
mentions his wanderings, his trials,
and the cares incident to his sensitive ma
ture and to poverty. How often,' said
he, l have been in the heart of Paris,
Berlin, London, or some other city, and
beard persons singing, or hand-organs play
ing my Sweet Home, without having shil-
ling TO buy myself the next meal, or place
to lay my head. The world has literally
sung my song till every heart is familiar
with its melody. Yet I have been a wan
derer from my boyhood. My country has
turned me ruthlessly from office, and in
my o'd age have to submit to humiliation
for my bread How many eyes have been
dimmed with tears, how many hearts have
been stirred with sorrow. over the exquisite
pathos Of Home, Sweet Home p Yet,
how few of the thousands who have, in ev-
cry country, murmered its sweet words and
drank its divine melody, how few of these
have ever known that the poet was a sad
and weary exile, to whom the joys of home
and kindred were unknown, and the tender
influence of love denied How few, even,
have ever known that the last years of Mr..
Payne's life were years of poverty, that his
last hours passed unsoothed by the voice of
friendship, and that not one Of his kindred
followed him TO the gravel
"where the chilling no rth- wind bowls,
Where the weeds so wildly ware
Mourned by the weeping willow
Washed BY the beating biow,
Lies the youthful poets grave.n
"By the cold earth mantled-aIl alone
Pale and Iiicless lies his form
Batters on his grave the storm
Silent his tunefal numbers
There the Of genius sumbers;
Stranger. mark his burial stonei'
John Ho,card Payne was born in New
York, June 8, 1892. This is recorded
fact; and yet it was truth unknown TO the
United States government, when monu-
ment TO his memory was completed and
erected over his grave, as will hereafter ap-
pear. " "Duyckieck's Cyclopaedid." from
which valuable work we shall have frequent
occasion to quote, says: Payne's father
was a resident of East Hampton, Long ISL
and, and the principal of the Clinton Acad-
emy, there. He afterwards removed to
New York. where John Howard Payne
was born, June 9, 1892. Soon after John
was born, the father accepted the charge Of
a new educational establishment in Boston.
Mass, and the family removed to that city,
We have been particularly anxious 20 prove
the facts stated by the = Cyclopaedia,' be-
cause Payne's monument declares TO the
world that he was born in Boston. We
have failed 10 find any record of the kind
in that city, but We do find that Master
Payns came 10 Boston from New York, and
opened school in Berry street." which
street was afterwards cal.cl Chaanin. stree;