Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-03-24
"Home. Sweet Home"

Frank LeStie'S illustrated AeNSpdpefi
for the week ending March "a, the Easter
number, is a splendid specimen OF
that interesting journal, copy OF
which is before US. Its artistic lllustra-
tions are very fine indeed. The Irontls-
piece is a beautiful PORTRAY OF D. Ho"aru
Payne, in his youth, the immortal author
of ssHome. Sweet Home" whose remains
have lust reached the land of his birth,
after a life of exile in foreign country.
In connection with this thought re e1-
tract from the issue OF the journal;
Tine expected arrival at this port dur
inc the present week of the remains OF
John Howard Payne, the author oil home,
Sweet Home will be an event OF more
than ordinary interest. AS Is geheFaIIy
known. the expense OF their transfer from
their resting place in Tunis to this coun-
try is borne by the distinguished phllan-
thrOpist WV. COrcOran, OF asnlngton,
who has also arranged for their interment,
under suitable monument, in the beau
tiful and romantic Oak Hill Cemetery,
which was presented by him TO the
capital city a number OF years
ago. 1t is certainly a little remark
able that if should have been lett 10
citizen of Washington 10 interest hlln-
self in removing the remains OF the poet
and dramatist to a final sepulture IN MS
native country, for Payne was essentially
a New Yorker. identified in all his Garner
life with the metropolis. 1t was mere IhaI
his first successes were gained, anu II Is
here that his monument should be reared.
Rut tbe generation that knew Payne is
we'll nigh dead and gone, and there are
| few who see John Mccullough in the play
| of sBrutus. or The Fall of Tarquin,' who
| know that the author of the play was the
author of Home, Sweet Home MI.
| COrcOran, however, can remember now,
| as a mere boy, in the year 1909, he was de-
| lighted with Payne's acting. He says:
Whenever l could get twenty-five cents
| to pay for seat, went to see ana near
/ the tragedian, and my memory of his APP
| pearance and action Is now fresh ana
clear. after a lapse of seventy-three years
| And so the venerable gentleman is snow
ing his regard for the memory OF Payne III
most appropriate way.
cat the time when Mr.. COrcOran saw
Payneon the stage, the latter was only
boy himself having just made his debut
| as young NOrvaP at the Park Theatre,
| New York on February oath, 1909, being
| then only sixteen years of age. But even
| some wears earlier than this he had court
| ed public favor as editor of the IheSpldn
Mirror, a weekly paper. At TINS time ne
| was only thirteen years old, and clerk IN
! while a student in Union College, he pub
| lished twenty-five numbers of a periodi-
| cal. the PdStine. In fact, he was genu-
inc infant phenomenon and 1t is only
| question whether more moderate success
| in his youthful attempts would not nave
insured more permanent results In matu-
rer years.
| Theatre, he appeared in leading parts in
Boston, Philadelphia and Baltimore. 1t
| was within a few DAYS of his twenty first
birthday that he made his first appearance
| i'm London at the Drury Lane Theatre, and
he afterwards made tours to the provincial
theatres and Ireland. During the succeed
ing twenty years which Payne spent IN
| Europe he experienced all the ups and
| downs incident to the life Of a talented
actor, playwright and manager, who had
| ability for anything but taking care of his
| own interests. His tragedy OF "Brutus,"
| already mentioned, was first produced in
| 1918, with Edmund kean i'll the principal
| part. The chief character in his comedy,
| Charles the Second was favOrite part
of Charles Kemble. Either one of these
! PLAYS would have made the fortune OF an
| ordinary writer, but money would not
| stick to Payne. The song, Home, Sweet
Home,' is contained in 'Clari; or, The
Maid of Milan,' which was produced as
an opera, and it made the fortunes of all
| who were connected with IL, excepting
the author. But if his talents did not
gain him money, they brought him friends,
and he numbered among his correspond
ents Samuel Taylor COleridge and Charles
| Lamb.
''The original manuscript of Home,
! Sweet Home is nOW-in the possession OF
an old lady of Athens, Ga, to whom
| Payne was strongly attached. The
words, as first written, are all interlined,
| with here and there an expression of en-
dearment to the lady mentioned. 1t was
in 1871 that the poet was appointed United
States Consul at Tunis, and here he died
| in 1852. The marble slab which for over
thirty years marked his grave in the GEN.
etery of st. Georges contained this in
scriptiOn:
"'Sure, when thy gentle spirit fled,
To realms beyond the azure DOME,
With arms Outstretched, Gods angels said
welcome to heaven, Home, Sweet Home. p"
ssThe monument soon to be reared at the
nations capital will testify to coming
generations that the memory of the poet
is precious to his native land; but no
such memorial is needed TO perpetuate his
name wherever, the wide world over,
human hearts find life's supremest JOY In
! the influences and associations of Home