Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1894-08-05
SADNESS
TINGgD THEIR POOR LIVES, THOUGH THEIR
NOBLE EFFORTS DlSPBLLED GLOON.
Their Very Hearts Could Not Shut 1t Out - No
Home lad Hs The Author Of "Hons, Sweet
Home"

WASIlN6lONt
in OAK Hill Cemetery, near the Corcoran
MAusoleum, lies buried John Howard
Payne. What other epitaph does he
need upon the monument save the words
AUTHOR OF "HoME, SWEET HOME"
Near the grave are the graves OF James
G. Blayne, of Edwin NJ Stanton and
others OF great political fame.
Yet the stranger Will linRer longer at
the monument OF the minstrel than
before the majestic shafts which tell
of the soldier and statesmen.
Every human heart has felt
the thrill of Payne's poetic melody,
and further inscription upon the stone
which tells that ne died In far away
Tunis-far from home, sweet home
awakens pathetic sadness. Standing
by MS grave the thought occurs that
most of the sweetest songs ever sung
came from men whose lives haVs been
sad. Indeed, the sorrows OF song writ
ers seemed 10 me subject fuli OF Illus
trations from the lives OF our American
singers. Who else could have put en-
during pathos into "Home, Sweet
Home" like John Howard Payne, who
never had a home, and whose career
was a struggle against starvation.
II was lO2 years Ia Juno since be was
born in the city Of New York. Al Is
be was practically al orphan, and went
out into the world FOR himself. As early
as 1909 ha was an actor, taking the part
OF Norval From America be went TO
London, aud was there In high favor
don, he decided 10 remain abroad, and
counted his friends among such men as
Charles Lamb and Coleridge, though
ever faithful TO America. Even then,
ia the midst OF success. he was sad.
To others CAV, to himself be was q sor-
rowful man, with an aching heart For,
in America, he had loved child-woman
OF his own years. Like all poets he had
a wealth of love and sentiment, which
controlled his life by day and night.
HIS HEART, TOO. WAS BURIED.
But the rhapsodas Of his earliest and
only love were changed TO dirges when
the chlld-woman withered and died.
The grave closed upon her and buried
forever the heart Of John Howard
Payne. q.
He vowed never TO marry, but TO keep
that one great affection OF his life, his
first. his last, forever sacred to the mem
ory OF "a woman who knew not sin.
This, then, was his great sorrow, but in
after life the struggle for existence add
ed 10 his distress. He was not provident
even when his career on the stage and
the products OF his pen brought him
rich remuneration, so that, as he wrote
10 a friend when he grew too heavy for
the stage, be "fattened on trouble and
starvation.
"Home, Sweet Home" was written
in Europe, as part Of the play The
Maid OF Milan" and the author never
dreamed that it would become the
most permanent song OF English verse.
The air was not original, but was
picked up in Italy from some strolling
singers. 10 1885 Payne returned to the
United States, and his friends secured
for him tho post of Consul at Tunis, in
Algiers. There he died In April, 1852,
far from home and among strangers.
He was buried in the cemetery OF ST.
George, and monument was erected to
his memory. w. w. Corcoran, the
Washington millionaire, saw this mon
ment 10 one Of his Journeys In upper
Africa, aud arranged 10 have the body
brought to America in 1888. This was
done, and his body was placed where
OF his ashes may be made
The yiolets of his native land.
Payne wrote many other verses
many plays. and yet his fame rests sim
ply on Home, Sweet Home, ""Brutus"
and Charles XII," are the only plays
which vet have a place on the stage and
ana even they are seldom presented.
Talking OF the corrows which have at
tended other writers OF popular songs,
the American heart has always been
sad for the fate OF p. p. Bliss.
BLISS HORRIBLE FATE.
Though his songs were religious, yet
thew were not sad or doleful hymns,
and had warm, hopeful tone and
melody which made them popular on
the street, and as much In the theatre
as in church. THE Sweet BY and By"
had a remarkable run, and is not for
gotten, though many years ago the
composer met his terrible death In the
Ashtabula disaster. He was on the
train which went through the bridge
that awful winter night, and his body
was never recovered. Either it was
burned or floated out in the lake.
Hold the Fort, for l Am Coming"
was another popular song by Bliss, aud
IL was founded on the remarkable dis
patch which was signaled TO Gen. Corse
by sherman az Atlanta. Daring the
war song came into popular favor. 1t
was called "LOrens, every one sang 1t,
i, took the place OF Annie Laurie"
and In fact became a craze" The
name itself was popular. 1t was given
10 steam boats, to articles OF apparel by
advertisers, and many are the matrons
of to-day who were given the name
of Lorena by their fond parents. No
sentimental song had ever the
pheuomenal run and popularity
OF Iorens" up 10 the time OF its
appearance. 1t had history, too,
and a history which, when written, re-
veaIed the heart-sorrow OF the author,
who is stu living. Nearly 40 years ago
he was poor preacher in GAINESVILLE,
q. named n. d. l.. Webster. lie fell
in love with OeautIu VI gOuhs WOnau
Of excellent and aristocratic family,
but she declined his offer of marriage,
much 10 his disappointment. He went
Westward 10 another charge. and when
she married who aiterward rose to dis
tincuon, the preacher poured out the
sorrows OF his unrequited affection in
the song OF "Lorena." The name
was. of course, fictitious, and used for
rhvthmic purposes; but it was a pretty
name, and caught the public. Through
outthe years the woman whose rejection
of Z lover inspired the song has been
haunted by it as II by ghost When
the song became popular the pleasant
aud sentimental story was circulated
that the preacher had been unjustly
by the interference Of proud relatives,
who had chosen q more brilliant partner