Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-06-09
THE EXAMINATION.

THE EXAMINATION.
81. George I'm Tunts last Jan-
mOny.
The remains or John Howard Payne LEFT the
| shores OF Tunis, on board a French steamer, en-
The 9th OF January last. TO be carried 10 Marsclss
whence they We're 10 be forwarded Go America
The remains were eXhumed on the 5th OF January
from their resting place in the Protestant cem,.
terry OF st. George, where they had lain, undis.
turbed, for thirty -one years The cemetery az
st George is situated on high ground within the
of the New York Tribune. then in Tunis, Who WIS
one OF the few persons who witnessed
the the e KIN wrote the Following un:
was agree2b!y disappointed In the appea rance
OF this Gods acre,as had read In American news
neglected burial ground. on the contrary. the
grounds were planted with fourlshing and ma
grant rose-bushos. splendid clumps OF heliotropes
anu hedges OF brilliant carnation pinks ana gera-
niulhS, while the walks were clean and smooth
ana the stones andmonuments snowy white In tie
morning sun l should think the Enclosure con-
lilhed ahout an acre, and almost ia the center II
IL was the grave OF Payne. AZ the head OF the
grave was standing large and beautiful pepper-
ly and droopingy over the tomb This. the
nnest and noblest tree In the place, was
planted 10y one OF Paync's truest and bes1
friends In Tunis-M. Chappclllc-who Was presert
~ The death and interment OF the poet. From NJ
under whose directions the dsinterment took
place, learned much OF Payne's last days and
Sickness The narrative or them Is q painful one,
LEI ~ suffice II ! write what heard touchingly
and heartily said by the two or three gentIeme1
present at the exhumation who had Familiarity
known Payne, that his character through dis
appointments, rancied loneliness and long brood.
ing had become OF sad, SOFT and delicate
melancholy that was, while gentle and pitirul "a
the same time most winning and beautiful. His
Illness was long and painful one, but he had
, mos faithful and loving friends in NJ. Chap
Nj Nina
American-born lady with an American hearu ana
certain-now od-Arab dragoman-whose a..
tachment TO the poet was deep and sincere saw
ms honest man at the exhuInaton, wearing his
Arao costume, believing I'm the Mahometan rei-
glon but lull Of Chrst-lke humanity. The Euro
Peals present at the grave on this sunny Friday
morning were about dozen I'm number, several
Arab gentlemen being also on the ground ia their
rlcn ana picturesque dress and turbans
The coffin was reached by the workmen az about
IL O'Clock, and was carefully lifted and placed on
the broad marble slab which for thirty years had
covered II, and which bears the following inscrp-
ton:
"E PLURIBUS UNUM
(Sheld and eagle).
I'm memory OF Col. John Howard PAYNE. twice
Consul OF the United States OF America for the
city and Kingdom or Tunis, this stone IS hers
placed by grateful country. lie died at the Ameri.
can consulate In this city after tedious Illness
April 1st, 1852 He was born at the city or BOSTON,
State OF Massachusetts, June sth, 179a His fame
as Poet and Dramatst Is Wen known wherever
the English language is spoken, through his cello.
brated Ballad OF Home, Sweet Home and his
popular tragedy OF 'Brutus.' and other similar
On the four edges OF the slab is also carved:
''sure, when thy gentle spirit fed
To realms beyond the azure dome
With arms outstretched, Gods angel said,
welcome to Heavens Home Sweet Home'p
The comm was badly rotted In spite OF the caro-
taken by United States Consul Fish, who several
months ago encased It in cement for its better
per tree had made its way into the grave AMI
comm. and was just about TO pass across the fore
head. Some OF eur mother earth had got In the
comm and mingled with the bones The whole
skeleton was obtained and laid reverently in a
new comm, which was covered with lead, soidered
and sealed This was then placed In a neat, ma
tive, hardwood CONN, which was secured NV IocIs
and keys, all then being put In the strong, IRON
bound bound outside box, which bore the address: $40
United states Consul Taylor. Marseilles, Francar
At O'Clock In the afternoon the body was taken
20 sns small and simple Protestant church and
which are inscribed these words:
"To the Memory OF
JOHN HOWARD PAYNE
Author OF Home, Sweet Home'p
This window was made in England ana nlacea
here by few English speaking residents OF Tunis.
whose admiration and respect for Payne were de.
cided and sincere. Indeed, I found among the
poets friends an affectionate regard that was
akin to enthusiasm. They gr1eved TO lose the
sacred bones that had lain here for thirty long
yearS-the object or their loving and cesselesS
care When the body was carried into the church
an English gentleman at the little American-made
organ played the air and a sweet-voiced Amercao
lady sang the immortal song OF the dead poet,
through and filled the holy place, hearts swelIed.
eyes were suIused and "a charm from the skies
seemed 10 hallOw us there"
Tongue cannot tell nor pen describe the effect ~
that song, sung under the circumstances have
stated The cleaning OF the coming evening had
that Payne's poetic temperament could have nm
derstood and absorbed, bathed ALL both living ana
dead, In its mellow radiance. The twilight came
on apace and we left the poor remains 10 lie thers
until the morrow, guarded by the faithful drago-
man, who IN life: as In death, was staunch ana
To-day the body was taken to the Marina ana
put aboard boat and rowed down the bay and out
steamer, which soon after was en- route to MAJ.
seillea Thus John Howard Payne left Tunis 70
ne re6u buried ~ the land he loved TO sleep hence
II IS to be hoped. to be disturbed, but to lie
1 do%a and nd tranquil IN the soil Of his own
I found the marble slab replaced over the now
empty tomb. the debris removed. and all about
whose admirable management OF the exhumafion
and compliance with every wish and instruction
Cannot be- too hshy II sas natter
ave shall put back the slab with its Inscription.
adding thereto tho fact AMI date OF the removal OF
rellgiously preserve and keep pure and clear the
marble that We marked his grave with more than
d1a csereS o. century o ago. but clearer
OF poor Payne In our heart OF heartA"
CONSUL woRTHINGToNs ACCOUNT.
Mr.. Worthington. q. g. consul at Malta, wrotD
the IOuOwlng account OF the eXhumation In a let.
ter to Mr.. SevellOn A. Brown, chief clerk OF tho
State department., dated Tunis, January 8:
Learning that the body OF John Howard Payne,
author OF Home, Sweet Home was to be ex.
humed from its grave In Tunis and sent TO Amer.
lea at the expense OF w. w. Corcoran, esq, OF
washington, and learning, too. that probably not
any American would be present, resolved TO take
q run over to Tunis and, II possible get there IN
lime TO witness the disinterment
"This morning &C - N. the exhumation took
place In the presence OF about twenty persona q
lew being Tunisans attracted to the spot through
curiosity, the others being laborers employed ando
lew others acting a. witnesses at the request q
N Reade also signed the paper As witness that
The exhumation took place as stated There were
Two persons present who were also at the funeral
and interment Of Payne, e., N. Pissani and q
1ragoman The comm was badly decayed, ana
vas kept from falling apart, when raised, WITH
1tmculty; but everything relating % the re1nainS
vas scsuPTiously and reverentiy preserved ana
handled There was little elsethan the blackcnOd
skeleton LETT Traces OF the colonelN uniform In
Wh1ch Payne was buried were dist1nguishable-
3one gold lace and a few butt0nA asked for o
button, which was given me. and which enciose
10 You. Nj Reade also retains button. I'm.
wise inclose twig from the large pepper tzee
that Is growing at the head OF the now empty
yrave, this twig having fallen on the comm. nom
which took IT. AT 8 O'Clock, after the body had.
h0en In ffS lead nj