The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-10-03
nv ALAN ROGERS.

Almost as beautiful as the song it
self is the history of the composition
OF 'TIome Sweet Home" and one that
IS certain to be of special interest TO
all Georgians and former Georgians.
For all of which reasons, the singing
OF ..Home. Sweet Home" by a chorus
of more than 500 voices at the great
Georgia Home Coming, Octber II and
10, will be an epoch marking event.
This beautiful ballad will be the sre-
cha feature of the old-fashioned All
Day singing which has been arranged
for these two days and is sure to es-
pecially appeal to those thousands OF
Georeians, who, like the immortal
PAYNE. have wandered far from the
s.red old hills of Georgia" And while
there Is no doubt but that these latter
day Georgians who have returned for
the great State Fair, october !" to 90,
have been far more successful than the
strrggling young author. it is quite
probable that some of the difficulties
which he encountered and some of
the lonCings which he felt for the Gcor-
gia sweetheart left behind. have also
stirred the hearts OF many of those
who began life in the great Empire
States of the South.
1t was his Georgia sweetheart, Miss
Mary Hardin, OF Athens, that these
beautiful words were first dedicated
and It was with a home in which she
shared that was the inspiration of this,
the most popular ballad and recognized
classic of modern times.
u Practically all Of the worlds great
est artists have included this won
derfuI hymn of home life in their rep
ertory and its rendering has been re-
sponsible for the greatest ovations ever
accorded to these. the worlds most
gifted singers 1t was Jenny Lind's
singing of Home. Sweet Home" that
in
have never been repeated since that
time and which had never been known
before. ..-. .+....'.
Favorfte of All Divns.
AS an encore song. it was the favor
lite of the great diva. Patti, and its
singing was always demanded at her
every appearance, even during those
many last farewells when more of
pathos and expression remained in her
Interpretation than the clear. perfect
tones which characterized the prime
of her life.
John Howard Payne. the author of
the beautiful words. was a newspaper
man and a worker in tho fields Of lit
erature during the first half of the past
century. While still young and ambi-
tious, Payne became interested in the
Cherokee Indians and decided to come
down to the northern section of Geor-
gia where these Indians lived on
reservation for the purpose Of writing
of their lives for a New York period
ical.
Never strong, and of remarkably
sensitive nature, his coming upon the
reservation was entirely misunderstood
and he was finally arrested and thrown
into the guard house a prisoner. 1t
was then that a New York man, learn
ing Of his predicament. wrote to Cap
tain Hardin. OF Athens. one of the
leading men of Georgia. In the let
ter Captain Harden was made ac-
quainted with the facts in the case of
young Payne. Immediately he left
Athens to look after the young liter
airy man. Going to the reservation he
Investigated the case. procured the nee
essary papers for his pardon from Gov
erDor Troup, and escorted the prisoner
back to his Athens home
Meets Georgia Sweetheart.
Payne begged that he be permitted
10 remain at the Athens hosiery, adj
uniting that he felt 100 ashamed OF
Ms recent arrest to meet the friends