Semi-weekly interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1881-1905, 1893-06-02
JOHN HOWARD PAYNE.
Resting Place Of the Author OF
Home, Sweet Home"
Brief History of the Eventful Career of
Unique Characteristic Services at
Home and Abroad-The Cor
coran Monument.
Especial Washington letter.


Especial Washington letter.
The most beautiful and picturesque
scenery in the District of Columbia, on
the western slope of the valley of
Rock creek, where the ancient Rock of
Dumbarton rises in gentle undulations
from the quiet waters of the Potomac
on one side, and of its tributary on
the other, is dedicated to the repose of
the bodies of our most distinguished
dead, and is called Oak Hill cemetery.
Viewed from the eastern heights of
the valley, the verdure-clad city of the
dead is indescribably beautiful. The
trees are very old, and many of them
very large, overshadowing and some
what obscuring the marble columns
erected by the hands of love ana beau
titled with the work of the most skill.
full workers in marble and granite.
The carefully gardened grounds are
covered with a carpet of natures deep
est green and beds of flowers upon
every hillock and in the miniature val
leys attract the eyes of beholders, so
that anyone aweary of the tolls and
turmoils, the disappointmentsa and un-
certainties of life may easily be led to
envy those who, after life's fitful fever,
sleep well in such a favored spot.
To the right of the main entrance of
Oak Hill cemetery a monument stands.
just in front of the little vine-clad
chapel; and it is to this tomb l would
invite the attention of my readers at
this time. The following inscription
will explain why this narrow home of
q great and good man deserves especial
mention:
I'm memory Of John Howard Payne, author
Of Home, Sweet Home: born June Q, 1891, died
April Q, 1859. Erected A. ID. 1883"
The above is on the south front, and
upon the opposite side the following
words are inscribed:
Sure when thy gentle spirit fed
To realms above the azure dome,
With outstretched arms Gods angels said:
welcome TO Heavens Home Sweet Home"
The birthplace of the author of the
immortal poem was long a matter of
doubt, and even the authorship of the
beautiful lines was at one time claimed
by others. But in a speech delivered
in New York, in 1882, at a public recep-
ton given to him upon his return from
Europe, he stated that he was born in
New York in small house on Pearl
street. At that time he caused daguer-
reotypes to be taken of the house. and
several of these are yet in the posses
sion of his relatives and friends.
The late w. w. Corcoran, a million
aire philanthropist who lived here to
an advanced age, brought the body of
the deceased poet to America and
erected to his memory the monument
which occupies such a conspicuous po-
sition in the cemetery. He had known
young Payne, when he commenced his
career as an actor; knew the history of
his life, and crowned his own honor
able career by creating for the poets
remains Sweet Home in this beauti-
full place. Mr.. Corcoran said that the
first draft of the celebrated poem was
written in Paris and was sung by Miss
Free in the opera "Celari,'' in London,
In 1918, The original lines were as fol-
flows:
"Mid pleasures and palaces though we may
Be it ever so humble, there's no place like
home
charm from the skies seems TO hallow us
there,
Like the love OF a mother
Surprising all other
Which, seek through the world, is not met
with elsewhere.
There's a spell in the shade
Where our infancy played,
Even stronger than time and more deep than
despair
An exile from home, spendor dszzles in
vainl
Oh, give me my lowly matched cottage again.
The birds and the lambkns that come at my
call
Those who named me with pride,
Those who played by my side,
Give me them with the innocence deSrer than
The joys Of the palaces through
which / roam
Only swell my hearts snguish-there's no
place like home"
The final revision of the song, the
words and music familiar to the whole
world to-day, was arranged by the
author in Anacostia, suburb of Wash