The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1871-01-07
Ole Alhanl, Reoister.
aMome, sweet mome.v

90
John Howard Payne. the author of
that touching and immortal song, Home,
Sweet Home was most unfortunate
man. An incident in his career furn-
ishes us with remarkable dream. He
was DOT only poor in pocket, but home
less wanderer. In conversation with a
friend he once gave expression to the
following sad recital
"How often," said he, shave l been in
the heart of Paris, Berlin, and London,
or some other city, and heard persons
playing Sweet Home,' without shilling
to buy the next meal or place to lay my
head. The world has literally learned
my song until every heart is familiar
with its melody. Yet I have been
wanderer from my boyhood. My coun-
try has turned me ruthlessly from office,
and in my old age l have to submit to
humiliation tor bread"
He had given the most exact and beau
tiful expression of the hearts emotions
regarding home, and yet personally he
was stranger to all its tender and low
ing influences. \ wanderer and some
times n vagabond, he had moved the
human heart TO its very depths by his
exquisite lines.
Disguised with his treatment In his
own country, and still impelled by his
disposition to roam, his only wish was to
die IN q foreign land, to be buried by
strangers, and to sleep in obscurity. He
obtained an appointment as United States
Consul at Tunis, where he died.
We now return to the period antece-
dent to the composition of his song. AT
times he was greatly depressed, and
seemed to feel most acutely his utter
loneliness. One day frieud called to
see him, and on entering said:
t'How are you to day, Payne?"
''Downheartcd enough" he replied;
but last night had one of the most
glorious visions in dream that ever met
mortal eye"
.fAh, indeed what was it =
''Well, l will tell you. / suppose you
think it was scene Of vast wealth, of Il
palace, or something else of that kind
that mans hearts are most set upon. 1t
was nothing of the sort. don't often
have dreams but when l do they i'm
press me greatly. In this dream L saw
d scene of the most transcendeut rural
peacefulness and beauty. 1t was all that
poet and painter can imagine. The land
seape was composed of gently rolling
hills, aud sweet, still valleys, with mean
dering streams. There were flowers and
birds, crops, fiocks and herds. In the
midst of all this stood various habitations
of man, where saw happy men, women
and children, and heard pleasant voices,
laughter, music and song"
Truly, beautiful picture of domes-
a. Io
oThe lifelong imaginary of my brain,
cried the poet, ''of home, sweet home"
Ah how my soul reveled in the pic
ture But gradually it faded from my
sight. / was transfixed. | strained my
vision to catch it's outlines as they grew
fainter and fainter, but at last it had
faded entirely way. | then looked up,
and saw a great cloud gathering, which
grew dark and terrible.
aAh = said L, that cloud is significant
of my own lot As | said these words.
saw traced upon it in burning letters
those words of the Almighty to another
miserable man:
"a fngitiUe and q ragaJond shalt thou
be IN the earth r
'sIn terror recognized my doom, aud
awoke to find it both dream and real
ity."
The unhappy man buried his face in
his hands, and seemed in the deepest
misery.
IA very wonderful dream," said his
companion.
'sWeH, do you know what l intend to
do2" said Payne, looking up !; III tell
you. I've been thinking great deal
over the matter, aud | intend to write
song called about, Home, Sweet Home
The picture of my dream shall be my in
spiIation for the task, and my lonely
heart can well give touching pathos to
my. words"
Not long after, the song of "Home,
Sweet Home" was given to the world by
John Howard Payne