The daily democrat. [volume] (Anadarko, Oklahoma) 190?-1908, 1907-02-09


More and more is the spirit to cher.
fish and preserve historic spots and
buildings manifcstug Itself among
the American people, and as one after
another some building or place con
nocted with some noted Individual or
historic event is threatened with de-
struction and oblucrat.on there Is
aroused sentiment which crystallizes
into movement for the preservation
of the same
Recently II was reported that the
old cottage at East Hampton. l.. l.. inn
mortalizod by John Howard Payne in
his worldfamous song, Home, Sweet
Home was to be torn down to make
room for an addition TO the Episcopal
church which adioins It. But the
thought of demolishing so precious
an old landmark Is arousing much DIS
cussion, both in and out Of East Hamp-
ton, and II is probable that the agita.
tion will eliminate in plan for the
permanent preservation of the historic
spot
Home, Sweet Home" the most pop.
ular song ever written at any time or
I'm any language, needs no word Of
comment here. But the life of It's
gifted author is far too little known
Who can tell the circumstances under
which it was written? And how many
persons are familiar with the strange,
brilliant and varied career Of John
Howard Payne?
Poet. author. playwright. critic, ac.
tor. diplomatist, scholar; a man with
"A gift for things military and things
dramatic; a wit, a student n friend
of alien races as well as Of all the dis
tinguIshod men of his day; a partisan
Of Indians cOmrade of neutral
princes. companion OF great actors
and writer's OF all lands, traveller a
worker n dreamer and the tenderest.
life or mourned in death; there are
few men cut on his pattorn-the pat.
tern of gay, gentle. handsome, gifted
Howard Payne.
On February 2i 1909. when he was
is. he went on the stage. making his
first appearance as young Norval at
the Park theater. He played for some
time in America, being known by a
title he had gained during his early
critical work, The American Juvenile
Wonder" and then went to London,
where he acted with Miss O'Nem and
other wellknown players and did some
brilliant work
.IF L.. a.
direction, but he had in his youth ex-
traordinary beauty Of vivid mobile
character, and he possessed as well
tho personality and fire that so with
the genuine poetic temperament Al
though he did brilliant work upon the
stage, It was in his play-wrlung that
his chief distinction was gained during
his 20 years In London. Some of his
plays reached fine dramatic heights,
and few of them remain celebrated
10 this day. Notable among them all
is his "Brutus, or the Fan of TarQuin, -
In which Edmund Kcan, Edwin For
rest and many other eminent actors
made great successes Charles H., or
the Merry Monarch was great "a.
NOrite with Charles kemble, "Ther-
.ese, or the Orphan of Geneva" had a
long popularity. and Clair the Maid
of Milan" Originally known as An
giolettaD was renowned for two sea
sons, both because Nine. Tree Ellen
Trees sister made a great hit in it
and because Payne Incorporated in 2.
his great song, Hone, Sweet Home.
The words sprang into Payne's head
spontaneously. but the melody was
first suggested TO him by Sicihan air
which Sir Henry Bishop, the composer
of all the music of Clair" made use
Of Payne's own story of finding this
melody is as follows
u first heard the air in
Italy One beautiful morning as
was stroliug alone mid
some delightful scenery my at
tention was arrested by the sweet
voice Of a peasant girl who was car
rying q basket laden with flowers and
vegetables This rlaintive air she
triled out with so much sweetness
and simplicity that the melody al
once caught my fancy. ] accosted her
and after a few moments conversation
/ asked the name Of the song, which
she could not give me- But having a
slight knowledge OF music myself | re
que0ted her TO repeat the air, which
she did, while ! jotted down the notes
as best ! could II was this air that
suggested the chords OF Home, Sweet
Home. both of which l sent to BishoI