Elizabeth daily monitor. [volume] (Elizabeth, N.J.) 1868-1880, 1869-06-18
8lisabets Daily a5onitor,
PUBLISHED AT 1856 BROAD STREET, BY
j. MADISON DRAKE.
HOME SWEET HOME.
All About the Famous Song.

| lana, ana DeranSer 1Of france NOb
even the popular enthusiasm which
shook the nation to its centre during
the late civil war could give birth at the
North to any finer inspiration than
John Browns SOUP and Rally
Round the Flag, Boys" In " Mary
land, my Maryland" we recognize a
spark of the same divine fire which
flashes forth in the " Marseillaise" and
'Scots wha haze wi Wallace bled. :"
The country, therefore. owes 20 ordi-
nary debt of gratitude to John Howard
Payne, who, if he did not write enough
to entitle him to recognized place
among the authors of this class, has at
least given us one song which is already
the reach of chance or chage-a house
hold word sacred and secure.
If fame is to be estimated by a wide
spread popularity, we had rather be
the author of g Home, Sweet Home"
than all the verses of all the poets our
land has known from the earliest age
to the present hour. There is little in
the ballad when we subject it to critic
al analysis, and yet in this very simple
ity is the precious gem which has
snatched it from forgetfu1ness, and
blended the familiar lines with the holy
associations OF the fireside. How Curl
Gus that this humble daisy, this "wee,
modest, crimson-tipped flower" should
grow and blossom into fair renown,
when so many monarchs of the forest
lie prone in the dust, unnoticed and
unknown.
The more important facts of Paynes
life require but brief mention. He was
born in New York June 8, 1892, and at
early age manifested decided literary
and dramatic talent. When only thir-
teen years of age he conducted o small
periodical, called the Thespian Mirror,
which attracted the attention of gen
tleman named Seaman, who generous
ly offered to defray the expenses of his
education at Union College.
Pecuniary difficulties which involved
his father forced him to leave this in
stitution before the completion Of his
studies, and in order to support his i'm
poverished family, Payne went upon
the stage, making his debut at the Park
Theatre, New York, February "a, 1909,
in the character Of Young Norvel. His
success was so unmistakable that he
continued his new profession, perform
ing in the principal Eastern cities, and
in 1913 went to England. where he re-
ceived cordial welcome, and became
a great popular favorite. He remained
abroad for nearly twenty years leading
a Bohemian life, and figuring alternate
ly as an actor, playwright, and manag
er, gaining some reputation, but little
money"
Home, Sweet Home" was penned
in garnet Of the Palais Royal, Paris,
when poor Payne was SO utterly desti
tute and friendless that he knew not
where the next days dinner was com
ing from.
1t appeared originally in diminu-
tive opera called Clair, the Maid of
Milan" The opera is seldom seen or
heard Of now, but the song grows near
er and dearer to us as the years roll
away, for it is not OF an age, but for
all time" More than once the unfor-
tunate author, walking the lonely
streets of London or Paris amid the
storm and darkness, hungry, houseless,
and penniless, saw the cheerful light
cleaning through the windows of hap
Ply homes, and heard the music of his
own song drifting out upon the gloomy
night to mock the wanderers heart
with visions of comfort and of Joy,
whose blessed reality was forever de-
MED to him. " Home, Sweet Home"
was written by homeless man.
In 1882 Payne returned to this coun-
try, and after pursuing literary avoca-
tons with Indifferent success for few
years, was finally appointed consul at
Tunis, where he died June 5. 1852.
One passage in his ill-starred career
tinges it with hue of melancholy ro-
nance, and perhaps explains the secret
of his restless, cratic career.
Maria Mayo, afterward Mrs. General
Scott, was a queenly beauty in her
youthful days, whose charms Of person
and of mind made her the acknowledge
ed belle of that venerable State, whose
soil has been no less prolific of fascinat-
ing women than of gallant men. The
legend prevails in Richmond that
Payne met Miss Mayo, and fell madly
in love with her. The homage of a
poet could hardly be other than fatter-
ing even to one whose shrine was wor-
shipped by scores of rich devotees, and
possibly he mistook the smiles she gave
him for the evidence of reciprocated
passion but, be this rs it may, the