The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1907-01-25
III s9T7za ~ WI7H TEE e3ADoW OF The e0ReH


More and more is the spirit to cher
ish and preserve historic spots and
buildings manifesting itself among
the American people, and as one after
another some building or place con-
nected with some noted individual or
historic event is threatened with de-
struction and obliteration there is
aroused a sentiment which crystalliZes
into movement for the preservation
of the same.
Recently it was reported that the
old cottage at East Hampton, l.. l., i'm
mortalized by John Howard Payne in
his world-famous song, Home, Sweet
Home was to be torn down to make
room for an addition to the Episcopal
church which adjoins 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 it is probable that the agita-
ton will eliminate in a plan for the
permanent preservation of the historic
spot.
Home, Sweet Home" the most pop
ular song ever written at any time or
in any language, needs no word of
comment here. But the life of its
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, &C.
tor, diplomatist, scholar; a man with
gift for things military and things
dramatic; a wit, student, a friend
of alien races as well as of all the dis
tinguished men OF his day; a partisan
of Indians, a comrade of neutral
princes, companion of great actors
and writer's of all lands, traveller, a
worker, a dreamer and the tenderest,
kindliest soul that ever was loved n
life or mourned in death; there are
few men cut on his pattern-the pat
Howard Payne.
On February "a, 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, 1.-The American Juvenile
Wonder" and then went to London,
where he acted with Miss O'Neill and
other well-known players and did some
brilliant work.
He not only had rare gift in this
direction, but he had in his youth ex-
traordinary beauty of vivid mobile
character, and he possessed as well
the personality and fire that go with
the genuine poetic temperament. AL
though he did brilliant work upon the
stage, it was in his play-writing that
his 20 years in London. Some of his
plays reached fine dramatic heights,
and few of them remain celebrated
to this day. Notable among them all
is his "Brutus, or the Fall of Tarquin,"
in which Edmund Kean, Edwin For
rest and many other eminent actors
made great successes. Charles H., or
the Merry Monarch" was great ia
vorite with Charles Kemble "Ther-
csc, or the Orphan of Geneva" had a
long popularity, and "Clair, the Maid
of Milan" Originally known as "An-
gioletta") was renowned for two sea-
sons, both because Nine. Tree, Ellen
Trees sister, made a great hit in it
and because Payne incorporated in it
his great song, Home, Sweet Home"
The words sprang into Payne's head
spontaneously, but the melody was
first suggested to him by Sicilian 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.
81 first heard the air in
Italy. One beautiful morning as
1 was strolling alone mid
some delightful scenery my at
tention was arrested by the sweet
voice Of a peasant girl who was car
rying basket laden with flowers and
vegetables This plaintive air she
trilled out with so much sweetness
and simplicity that the melody at
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-
nuested her to repeat the air, which
she did, while jotted down the notes
as best I could. 1t was this air that
suggested the chords of Home, Sweet
Home both of which sent to Bishop