Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1891-09-19

An Org-,;nu when John Hor- .rt! rosme
sang the song us.d'r ;.... ....i- a,.
was once acquainted WITH " .i l.
who had been adopted hy tl' O,t.e"
Indians He was friend of john - s.
the celebrated chief of the Chro%r'-.
and gave his name in the Chc"ol"' Hli-
"uagr-it was written J. .. K }. q.
,rouurnced h-weh-s-koh-weh and
.tl'ans swamp sparrow. His brother.
lewis Ross. was named Te-tah-te.
which means spoon. My informant was
himself called by the Cherokces Te-kaw-
whu-lcps-l,y. which signifies The man
who writes orders for flour"
John Uoward Payne, the author OF
"Home Sweet Home. was warm per-
soual friend of John Ross. At the time
the Cherollees were removed from tn"i
homes in Georgia to their present home
west of the Mississippi River. Payne WAS
spending few weeks i'll Georgia with
Ross, who was occupying miserable
cabin. having been forcibly elected from
his former home. \ number of promi
nent Chcrokces were in prison. and thai
portion of Georgia in which the tribe
was located was secured by armed
squads of the Georgia militia, who haG
orders TO arrest all who refused to leave
the country.
While Ross and Payne were seated be-
fore the fire in the hut, the door was sud-
denly burst open and six or eight militia
men sprang into the room. Ross wife
was seated on trunk containing man.
valuable papers and a small amount o.
money, and at the unexpected intrusion
she sprang up and screamed wildly. Ross
spoke to her in the Cherokee language,
telling her to be seated. as she would save
the contents of the trunk. She sat down
again and the intruders told Ross that he
and Payne were under arrest and must
prepare to accompany the squad to Mil
ledgevile, where they were to be im-
prisoned. The soldiers lost no time in
taking their prisoners away. Ross waa
permitted to ride his own horse, while
PAYNE was mounted on one led by
soldier AS the little party left the hoves
rain began falling and continued until
every man was drenched thoroughly
Towards midnight, Payne's escort, in
order to keep himself awake, began hum
ming Home, home sweet, sweet home,
wien Payne remarked:
Little did | expect to hear that sOnG
under such circumstances and at such u
time Do you know the author:"
NO. said the soldier, "do you?"
Yes, answered Payne. 81 composed
it,"
The devil you did! You can tell tha,
to some other fellow but not to me. Look
Il re, you made that song, you say; if vol.
land know you didn' n't-you can say
all without stopping. 1t has something
'out pleasures and palaces. Now pitch
j. and reel it off, and if yUu can't II.
..Imce Won from your horse and lead yor.
naiead of it. y
The threat was answered by Payne
Tho repeated the song in a slow, sub
ID tone and then sang it. making tho
woods ring with the tender melod,
IL; pathos of the words. 1t touched tn
art of the rough soldier. who was no.
.lv captivated but convinced. and VIII"
ii that the composer of such a son"
,ruld never go to prison If he could h"lF
And when the party reached MIL
lgevile they were, after preliminary
animation, discharged. mu h to th'..
prise. Payne insisted that it was he
use the leader of the squad had beer
nd"r the magnetic influence of Ross
,nversation. and Ross insisted that the,
,d been saved from insult and inipriSon
mt by the power of "Home, Swee'
one, sung as only those who, can fee.
n sing it.
I'he Friendship existed between Ross
Il Payne until the grave closed over tho
rtal remains of the latter.