The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1889-07-17
HOME, SWEET HOME.
The True Story of tho Immortal Song
Told for the First Time.

The True Story of tho Immortal Song
Told for the First Time.
Some things there arc which by a
common instinct mankind holds sacred.
Among these are the scenes of heroic
deeds, the precincts of patriot graves,
and the birthplace of sublime thought,
in proof of which need only be men
toned such names as Lexington, Mount
Vernon and Independence Hall. And
within the District of Columbia there
is a spot which the American people,
If familiar with its associations, would
not deem unworthy of mention in con-
nection with those named.
Half century ago George w. Tai
burtt, then a young man and unmar-
ried, was the owner by inheritance
OF a plantation of two hundred and
thirty-one acres, lying just across
the east branch of the Potomac from
Washington, his fee simple domain
touching the river at a point op-
posite the navy-yard. Here he lived
in elegant leisure, having about hum
dred slaves, and, to digress for a mo-
ment, the visitor may still see near his
home row of graves, from which are
pointed out the particular resting
places OF some more distinguished than
their companions for humble virtues.
One is remembered as the "colored
nanny of a person since raised to
eminence. while another is revered for
an intimacy with several family gener-
ations. This young man, possessed
OF ease and afiiuence, was a boon COM
panion of John Howard Payne, whose
dust has since become so sacred. The
old home still stands, as it then stood,
in an Eden bower on the bank of the
river, and here, under a venerable chest
nut tree, sitting on rustic seat that en-
circled its trunk, Payne and Talburtt
used to drink their mint julep, sing
their merry songs, and talk of the
lives they were to lead. Talburtt had
promised Payne that whenever he
wanted a home it should. be built on
the plantation, and they would spend
their bachelor lives together. Much
OF the old plantation is now within the
modern suburban village of Anacosta,
and on an elevation that commands a
view of the National Capitol and its
surroundings. which quite ravishes the
eye with its beauty, stands tho house,
now owned and occupied by Mr.. II. A.
Griswold, built in fulfllment of this
promise. The sight was selected by
Payne himself before departing on
his foreign mission, but he never
returned to enjoy the home of which
he sang; and thus absolved from his
vow of celibacy Mr. Talburtt after.
ward married and himself occupied
the new house, in which children were
born to him, one of whom, still res
ident of the village. is the mother OF
j. Harry Shannon, widely known as
the juvenile orator. But the chief
point of interest is yet to be told, for,
notwithstanding the claim that Home,
Sweet Home" was written in Tunis or
in London garnet, the original man.
uscript. in the handwriting of the
illustrious author himself, and bearing
his own interlineation. is still in the
possession of the family-Mr. Talbartt
having died in 1S65-and it W as on
the rustic seat under the chestnut
tree, on the bank of the east
branch of the Potomac, so near
the mouth as to be practically on the
main river, and little more than
mile east of south from the Capitol
building, that John Howard Payne,
with his own inspired genius and an
aide-de-camp of mint julep. drafted
this immortal composition. The rustic
seat. held as a precious heirloom, is
preserved in the attic of the old home;
and the chestnut tree, now partly
dead, with its top cut away and much
OF it's bark clipped off as mementos.
still marks the birthplace of this song,
that will live while the English tongue
is spoken or a matched roof covers the
head of a humble inhabitant of the
-arth. Washington Star.