The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1891-10-10
VOLUME XIV.
"HOME SWEET HoME.o
An Occasion When John Howard Payne
Sang the Song Under Compalsion.

| | was once acquainted with a
Swede who had been adopted by the
Usage Indians. He was friend OF
John Ross, the celebrated chief of the
Cherokees, and gave his name in the
Cherokee language-it was written j.
q. d j. G., pronounced Koh weh-s-
koh-weh, and means swamp sparrow.
His brother, Lewis Ross, was named
Te-tah-te, which means spoon. My
informant was himself called by the
Cherokees TIE kaw wha-lees- ky which
signifies "The man who writes orders
for -four"
John Howard Payne, the author of
"Home Sweet Home was warm
personal friend of John Ross. AT the
time the Cherokees were removed
from their homes in Georgia to their
present home west of the Mississippi
River, Payne was spending a few
weeks in Georgia with Ross. who was
occupying miserable cabin, having
been forcibly elected from his former
one.
A number of prominent Cherokees
were in prison, and that portion of
Georgia in which the tribe was To-
Gated was secured by armed squads
of the Georgia militia, who had or
ders to arrest all who refused to leave
the country.
While Ross and Payne were seated
before the fire in the hut, the door
was suddenly burst open and six or
eight militia men sprang into the
room. Ross's wife was seated on a
trunk containing many valuable pa
pers and small amount of 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 Milledge-
vile, where they were to be impris-
oned The soldiers lost no time in
taking their prisoners away. Ross
was permitted to ride his own horse,
while Payne was mounted on one led
by soldier. AS the little party left
the howell, rain began falling and con
tinued until every man was drenched
thoroughly. Towards midnight,
Payne's escort, in order to keep him
self awake, began humming "Home,
home, sweet, sweet home," when
Payne remarked:
"Little did l expect to hear that
song under such circumstances and
at such time. Do you know the
author?'
"No,n said the soldier "do your
Yes" answered Payne II com
posed it.
"The devil you did You can tell
that to some other fellow but not to
me. Look here, you made that song,
you say if you did-and l know you
didn't-you can say it all without
stopping. 1t has something aboht
pleasures and palaces. Now pitch
in, and reel it off, and if you can't
I'll bounce you from our horse and
lead you instead of it,
The threat was answered by Payne;
who repeated the song in a slow, sub
dued tone, and then sang it, making
the old woods ring with the tender
melody and pathos of the words. 1t
touched the heart of the rough sol
dier, who was not only captivated
but convinced, and who said the com
poser of such song should never go
to prison if he could help it. And
when the party reached Milledgeville
they were, after preliminary exam
nation, discharged, much to their
surprise. Payne insisted that it was
because the leader of the squad had
been under the magnetic influence of
Ross's conversation, and Ross insis-
ted that they had been saved from
insult and Imprisonment by the power
of "Home, Sweet Home" sung as on
ly those who can feel can sing it.
The friendship existed between
Ross and Payne until the grave
closed over the mortal remains of the
latter.