Bryan morning eagle. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1898-1909, 1907-01-31
v, EaE NTH 1HE czlArow OF THE ciDRcH

at the time I was preparing the opera
OF Clair for Mr.. Kemble. Bishop hap
pened TO know the air perfectly well.
and adapted the music 10 the words
The success of this song Is known
in every nation. II has had n moro
universal circulation than any other In
the world. In less than a year after
Il appeared the London publishers
sold more than 100000 copies. Never
thelcss Il Il a curious fact that Payne
never was given credit for II nor a
royalty upon II. He never even re-
ceived n presentation copy OF the song.
In iSi2 he was appointed consul to
Tun.s, and the same year was made
colonel un the stan OF Mai. Gen. Aaron
Ward. OF the Fourth division OF In
fantry OF the militia OF the state OF
New York. In February OF the fol-
lowing year he left for Africa.
His career In Tunis was as unique
as he rest OF his life. He became the
intimate and personal friend OF Ahmed
Pasha hey, the king OF Tunia, and was
adored by the natives OF the city.
He was recalled In isi5. but re-
turned to Africa in 1851. And when
they told the hey that he had reached
Tunis he "cried out joyfully and said
Let him be made welcomed" Flags
were hung from every window. and
The people filled the streets with fes-
tivities in his honor.
And there In Tunis he died, cared
for by a Greek priest, two French SIS
ters OF Mercy and some native Moors
who loved him. Tunis wept when his
eyes closed at last. and the hey was In.
consolable.
He was buried In a plot Of ground
overlooking the purple water and the
splendid ruins OF old Carthage. Our
government erected there marble
slab bearing Chilton's lines:
Sure when thy gentle spirit fed
To realms beyond the azure dome.
With arms outstretched. Gods angels
said:
Welcome to Heavens Home. Sweet
Home"
Gabriel Harrison says OF the poet In
connection with the Easthampton cot
tage. Of which he often spoke:
zone who has studied the character
OF John Howard Payne cannot fail to
discover In his picture OF the old home
stead a deep. unsubsidIng love for the
old place. as n the spirit OF his boy.
hood had come back 10 awaken men,
cries OF delightful past; indeed. II
was here where his earliest inspira-
lions were winged. where his eyes
were first opened to the beauties OF
the world. where he first took breath
Of the broad green fields: whore the
waves OF the sea shore. as they broke
their white crcsts az his young feet.
whispered 10 him strange stories OF
the deep: where he first tried TO count
the stars. and where. each early
morning as he awoke. hope painted
new pictures OF his imagined future.
Indeed. n he was thinking OF any one
place on earth when he wrote his song
OF Home. Sweet Home Il was OF the
lowly cottage at Easthampton.'
And II Is this cottage which has
come into the possession OF the Epis-
copal church OF East Hampton, and
because OF the necessity for moro
room. for the present building Is not
adequate for the needs OF the congre-
cation. especially In summer when the
town is Allied with visitors. Il has been
the plan 10 demolish the cottage 90
as TO secure the building space needed
for a larger church and a parish house
and rectory adjoining.
Several plans have been put for
ward for the preservation OF the cot
tagc. One Is that II be remodeled and
used as n rectorys one resident of tho
town offers land on which to place the
building: tho editor Of boys maya
zine IN tho west urges his young read.
ers 10 support Il as historical mu.
scum, and still others have other
plans. Just what WI be the ultimate
outcome OF the agitation Is uncertain.
but Il surely viii be unfortunate II the
place Is lost TO the country anu future
generations who win continue to sing
the song Of ''Home. Sweet Home"