The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1891-12-05
Some Autographs Collections that
Recall Some
The Storm Rayages the Cemetery and Damage.
the Tomb Of Payne.
A Mistake Of a Merchant that was Diff
cult to COrrect-A Matrimonial Mis-
take that Corrected Itself.

Ing DOMAIN calleu ne OakS. w lbn
its tower, its portlcoes, piazzas, bow
windows, porte-coehere and conser-
vatory, it looks fit home for either
prince or prelate The house erected
in 1906 is Of brick painted gray with
trimmings Of brown. 1t stands in
the midst of beautiful park like
grounds containing 25 acres. The
trees from which the place takes its
name are the largest and finest that
ever sprang from earth toward
Heaven, and stand in protecting
majesty round the mansion, by the
hundred, straight and massive as
the mighty Egyptian obelisks OF
Luxor or Karnac. Here, in 1924,
was the home of John c. Calhoun,
then a member of Monroe's cabinet,
and here in that year came the Mar
quis De Lafayette, then making his
historic tour of the United States.
This house was the scene of one
of the most brilliant gatherings that
ever met to do him honor. The great
Southerner gave him reception to
which all the magnatcs and notables
of the nation were invited.
"There bright eyes looked love to eyes
which spake again,
And all went merry as marriage bell
A lady who was present at that re-
ception is living just one block away
from the scene of its splendor, still
occupying the house in which she
was born early in this century. l
have been promised visit to her
and expect to find her quite bonan-
"a of "reminiscences as she is great
grand daughter of Martha Washing
ton and her colonial looking home
stead is full of curios and heirlooms,
dating back to the days of the I'm
mortal George.
In book of engravings belonging
to me appears in heavy semi -artis-
tic quite individualistic hand
yours, sincerely, Julian Haw-
thorne."
He and his family are here for the
present, he being engaged upon
some literary work. They have sew
en- children. The eldest, Gertrude,
has recently had a short story in
Harper's Monthly which gives con
siderable promise that she will follow
manifest destiny and hereditary
instinct.
Mrs. Lippincott ("Grace Green
wood has purchased a home in
Washington and settled down as a
permanency of the place. As | know
her sister very well l hope soon to
have the pleasure of meeting her.
Not long since l met man, who
during, and succeeding the war was
page in the senate He has fine
autographs collection of all the
names prominent at that time, in
politics or war. Lincoln, Seward,
Chase, Staunton, Hamlin. Sher-
man, Sheridan, Halleck, Foot, Nc
Clellan, Hancock, Fessenden, Hale,
Morrill,, Sprague, Garlic, Wiley, &c,
&c. AS l came to the last mention
ed name held it up and said, "What
can you recall of him?" "Who!
Waitman T. Wiley? Well, he was
tall, spare, solemn, earnest, sort of
man, more like Methodist preach
er than a politician. When he spoke
in the Senate he'd get so earnest he'd
almost shed tears, yet everybody lis
tened to him and considered him
honest. He wasn'ta bit like his col
league Garlic who was a fat jolly
sort of chap, always ready for
joke. The other one was always
very dignified; a nice sort of a man,
you know, and one nobody ever
thinks of taking any liberties with" y
The tornado which swept over
WashingtonM Monday uprooted great
many of the handsome trees for which
this place is noted. One of those
torn up in lovely Oak Hill cemetery
fell upon the beautiful marble bust
of John Howard Payne, erected on a
fine pedestal over his grave by the
late banker Corcoran, to the author
of "Heme Sweet Home"
He was born in 1892. He died in
Tunis in 1852 after lingering i'll
ness. He had after considerable eff
fort been appointed Consul to that
place by President Taylor He used
to say it required more finesse to
conceal his poverty than all the di-
plomacy he had to use to get the ap-
pointment. His mother was jew
ess, the daughter of rich Hamburg
merchant, who had been ruined by
the American revolution The wife of
the Hamburg exile who was Payne's
grand mother was the sister of the
Earl of Dysart.
His father was the village school
master at Easthampton, Mass. He
apprenticed the future poet, diplo.
mat, and dramatist to carpenter,
but the vocation was distasteful to
him and he studied for the stage.
While the public was applauding
the first appearance of the young
dramatist before the curtain the
old schoolmaster stood weeping be.
hind it. Payne never married and
never had home. On the sides of
the pedestal are carved those words:
"Sure when thy gentle spirit fled
To realms beyond the azure dome
With,arms outstretched God S angel said,
"Welcome to Heaven, Home Sweet
Home"
The Southern ladies here have just
finished a successful function for
the purpose of raising money for the
relief of confederate veterans. A
well known merchant was solicited
for contribution. No; won't give
a cent; they ought all to starve," was
the rude response
1t fired the blood of Mrs. BreckeD
ridge and getting into her carriage
she drove to the homes of couple of
Southern members who have recent
ly taken houses here and had Just
given the aforesaid merchant carte
blanche in the matter of furnishing
and upholstering for them. The or
ders were Immediately withdrawn
and then that merchant was in quite
a state OF mind. He wrote numerous