Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1886-07-22
THE POET HAYNE.
A sketch Of His Career written W .
Neighbor aud Friend An ln'
sight Of His Character.
A Nan Loved Not only by His Friends OF
by the south, but by all Mankind
national Poet.

South, which appeared In this morning
Daily News, were as graceful tribute 70
a loyable man and poet OF rarest gus
and gentlest grAces as VIII be laiu upon
the coffin ~ the dead bard.
lived near Mr. Hayne for Two years
after his removal TO Richmond county,
Ca and. though but Il youth, such were
the necuiiar personal traits OF the poet
that they made lasting and most pleas
ant Impression upon my mind. MT.
HAYNES simple biography Is that ne was
horn January /, s3l, In Charleston, y.
G. He was the son OF Lieut.. PAU IL.
Hayne. OF the United States navy, ana
nenhew OF that eminent governor ana
senator of South Carolina, Robert I
Uayne. Thus II will be seen thathe came
from distinguished and historic family.
In person MIR. Hayne was OF light, almost
ethereal. build. His hair was as black
as a ravens wing, his complexion
pale, his eyes black az his mar,
and his mouth denoted gentle
meas and sweetness. / well remember
how bis sad smile would fit forth Ike
benedictIon when the slightest courtesy
was shown him by strangers, or even the
dusky servants OF the household. HIS
voice was as gentle as the warm south
wind which soughed through inc long
pines that stood like sentinels around his
little cottage. His manner was that OF
one who communed constantly with ma
ture in her sweetest moods. In TACT
often have seen him, sitting apart like
some hermit OF thought, holding converse
with the flowers, the humble shrubbery,
the birds, the wind, utterly oblivlous OF
the great practical things of life. And in
this withdrawal was TO be discovered the
peculiar traits TO which have referred.
Mr.. Hayne, TO 90 back and give bit
more OF his history, abandoned his liter
airy pursuits when the war broke out and
entered the army on the staff OF Gov.
Pickens of South Carolina. But his dell
cate constitution could not Withstand the
terrible realities Of army life, and with
health broken down, he sought once
more the peaceful society OF the
muses.. out in rythmic verse he
poured his love OF his native
land and OF the "cause" which is now
happily lost forever. His "War Poems"
were an inspiration to the soldiers Of the
Southland, and by many campfire
were read with swelling emotions. The
war over and peace again regnant over
that torn and bleeding land, Mr.. Hayne
found himself, for the first time,
facing the grim wolf OF poverty. That
war had swept away his princely income
and left him us poor as the yeriest tramp
He had nothing save his Respondent
genius and his store OF learning. South
had been worse despoiled by
Sherman than any state In the South, and
so this gifted man crossed the river and
settled on little barren, sterile sandhill, |
a few miles from Augusta ON the line of
the Georgia railroad more forbidding,
uninyiting, desolate spot he could not
have found. His little cottage, II so sweet
name can be applied 10 miserable
little shell Of house containing three
small rooms, was situated some 200 yards
from platform at the railroad track, too
insignificant TO even be christened.
Around his house there was wide waste
OF sand, capable only Of giving life 10 the
scrubey blackjack and the yellow-pltch-
pine. Had the poet been compelled TO
support himself and wife and babies from
the fruits OF the soil, he would have
lRbored in vain, for vegetation could
never be made to spring up and come TO
fruitage in that sandy bed. Mrs. IIayne
was NJ helpmeet for her poet husband.
She was gracious, tender woman, and
0raycly bore her share OF the pitiful
struggle against actual want. Turning his
attention at once to literary pursuits, this
brave yet timid man sent from out his
sparsely furnished study the children Of
his brain His poems found nesting
places within the covers of Scribner's
Magazine and other Northern periodicals.
But be II said for the sake of truth Of
history, the price paid for these poems
was so small as TO cause the cry OF shame
upon the publishers, who took advantage
OF his necessities and misery robbed him
of his Just dues. just think of one OF
Haynes best poems bringing back to him
only So No wonder that there was a
sad tenderness running through all his
songs. Indeed, misfortune had chastened
him, and suffering waited upon him. But
there he lived and toiled and murmured
not. And now, II may be, his sufferlngs
VIII cause such contritlon as will lead
those who wronged him to remember In
a generous way his widow and fatheress
children.
But must tell somewhat OF the per-
sonal characteristics of the man. In the
irst place, MIR. uayne was the most
improyident OF mortals He knew actu.
ally nothing OF the value of money. Born
and raised in atlluence, he had never
known what II was TO want for anything.
AS illustrative OF this Improvidence, he
would 90 to Augusta when he hadn't a
dollar In the world, except 10 pay his
fare, and order the luxuries OF life more
lavlshly than he did the necessities. I'M
der his little house he had small hole
dug, which he designated as q cellar, and
in that would store the choicest of wines
aud brandies, though, be- II said
TO his credit, he was very alb
stemlous In the use OF these spir-
It's. But he had been accustomed to
these Injuries on the table from his
youth up,n and who would deny him now
IN his day OF suffering these sweets
among the btteFY But where was the
money TO come from to pay for these
thingsG Mr. llayne did not know, nor
was 1t possible for him to think OF so
practical question. lie loved good
living, and made pltiful efforts to crafty
his love. He had no neighbors save here
and there veritable Georgia cracker,
illiterate but kind of heart, and a few
hands at saw-mill which my brother
operated down at the foot OF the hill.
lie wanted no nelghbors, though
when one OF the uncouth resi-