Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1893-06-22
THE PAYNE MONUMENT.

elocutionist. He developed a talent
for journalism at an early age, and
conducted a paper called the Thespian
Mirror. The ability displayed in this
venture attracted the attention of
wealthy gentleman in New York, who,
at his own expense, sent him to Union
college. But the boy entertained a
love for the stage, and after two terms
at college, when only eighteen years of
age, he appeared at the old Park thea
ter in the tragedy of Douglass in
the character of Young Norval. Hev-
ing been trained in defamation and
clocution from his babyhood it is not
surprising that his first efforts were
successful and evoked remarkable en-
comiums from the critics of that time.
His services were Immediately in de-
mand, and he travelled with various
companies in this country for four
years and then went to London, where
he was greeted as the American Ros-
ciuS. But the war of 1912 occurred,
and Americans were not then popular
in England; SO young Payne closed his
histrionic career in the part of Young
Norval, in which he made his first ap-
pearance upon the stage.
Whether or not he could have at
tanned like eminence as an actor can
not be said; but his subsequent career
as an author needs neither commenda-
ton nor criticism. He devoted his time
and talents to dramatic writing, and at
least two of his productions will live
forever as masterpieces, namely,
''Brutus'' and Charles H." one of them
u tragedy, the other comedy. That
he was a Woodworking man is evi
denced by the fact that he produced
sixty-three plays, seven of them being
operas. He resided for several years
in Paris and adapted many French
plays to the English stage. He crossed
and recrossed the ocean several times.
He travelled extensively in America as
well as in Europe, and seemed restless
in any one place for any length of
time. But there was always bust
ness object in his travels, and wherever
he went he continued his literary Ia
bors. He contributed literally to the
newspapers and magazines, and raid
that boolzmakers and playwr1ghts
''can only be successful through some
connection with the periodical press -
He pointed to the fact that all success
full poets of that era were they who
kept in close touch with the people
through regular publications.
Probably the happiest occasion of his
life was upon his return to New York
in July, 1882, when his friends and ad-
mirers gave him a grand entertainment
and benefit in the old Park theater.
The programme of the evening in
cluded his own tragedy of ''Brutus,"
his comedy of Charles IL" and
Shakespeare's comedy of the Tanning
Of the Shrew'; Payne having made
great reputation as Petruchio when he
was an actor. 1t is related that when
young lady came upon the stage and
pathetica1ly sang his song Home,
Sweet Home" Payne cried and sobbed
SO that his emotion was known to the
entire audience; and they arose and
chcered until he dried his eyes and
came forward bowling and smiling be-
fore them. The transition from tears
to happiness and laughter indicated his
extreme constituencies, and he delivered
a speech brimful of humor and witt
cisms. The management had an.
nounced to him that the receipts of the
evening were 1000, and he stated this
fact, saying: This is why we laugh"
From that expression emanated the
vernacular saying: This is where the
laugh comes in
This. briefly told, is the story of the
life of John Howard Payne, his wan
derings, his work, his ambitions, his
homelessness and his death in a for
eign land. It is fitting that near the
national capitol such an American
should find at last his ''home, sweet
home SMITH d. Fly.