Birmingham state herald., 1897-05-09
HOW THE LOVE
Of an Indian Maiden Caused John How ard Payne To Be Arrested in
 Georgia in 1S37

Edward H. West, Jr., in Rome Ga, Cou-
 rer.
 On the spot where ,he proud city of Rome now stands the Cherokee Indians once ruled and made their happy habita- tions. John Howard Payne, whose name is immorta1ized by it's connection, as au- thor, with ''Home Sweet Home was spending some time in this section at the time of their removal and becoming very much attached to them, he even went part of the way to the Indian ter raory in their company. Connected with his visit is a pretty romance that is in- teresting.
 In the harvest time of 1887, when the hearts of the Cherokees were filled with sadness there came pale face among them who seemed to enter into their sor- rows on account of their early removal to the land of the setting sun. His ten- der manner was in sharp contrast to that of the rude gruff soldiers, who were sent to escort the braves and their squaws to the reservation in the far west He was a valued addition to their councils, careful adviser, ard jus; the one who was so badly needed to calm the extreme agl- tation of some of the turbulent and re- belious spirits. By the gentleness Of his manner he won himself into the heart of 1Okobona, the prophet of the tribe, and the one to whom the same homage was paid as to :he chief. Our poet and dramatist couTted the favor of OkolOna for his daughter, Itla Bena, Fairest Daughter. who was the mos. beautiful maiden in all the country round. As the day for the removal drew near and the hours 10 romp on her native heath waned, the heart of the Fairest Daughter was sad and heavy, but now The pale stranger had come. into her life to cheer the sadness of her dark ened dr-ea ms, and as their acquaintance ripened from fancy fascination to the pure love, the desolate gloom gradually faded A sympathetic strain fathered fheir devotion and their exchange of feel ing of harmony was the outward sign of the placid surface of their lake of love. Who would not love this beauty, garbed in the fringed dress of a chiefs daughter and her graceful tresses forming the bounds of her graceful flea lures? As agile as deer and just as tender and as gen le as a dove and aus loving. Sitrolling under the trees of her native woodland, their songs of love were accompanied by thou ands of the forest orchestra in sweet accord. and as she scftly painted her song of the glories and conquess of her tribe. he murmured his own immortal lines:
 'sMid pleasures and palaces though we may 1s soroam,
 Be, ityever so humble, there's no place like o- r home.
 A charm from the skies seems to i.aliow us s'1'S there,
 Which seek through the world, Is ne'er met -"e2 with elsewhere.
 Homer home sweet, sweet home,
 There's no place like home! There's no place
 like home."
 , As thy walked she led him in turn to the fond scenes of her girlh ood-.old him that here under this spreading cak, Lal- 1ynano, a handsome warrior from the Warlike Chalula's s wooed her, but her father's objectioas sent him away dis mayed. Also on these s1opingS rocks by thes hank of the peflucid waters of the Costa naula, Ogeche,. a lfe- long friend of her fathers, had Dafd his wampurt at her feet and prS yed that she would brighten hasl bepeer,,.i but for fairer tsutter she re- served her hand And now f0s him she gave the name Towahma, Dreamy Stranger, and she swore to him tha; of all her suitors none seemed half as fair
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