Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1907-01-23

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
cusslon, 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 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, &C.
tor, diplomatist, scholar; a man with
gift for things military and things
dramatic; a wit, a student, friend
of alien races as we'll as of all the dis
tinguished men of his day; partisan
of Indians, comrade of neutral
princes, companion of great actors
and writer's of all lands, a traveller. a
worker, dreamer and the tenderest.
kindllest soul that ever was loved in
life or mourned in death; there are
few men cut on his pattern-the pat
tern OF gay, gentle. handsome, gifted
Howard Payne.
On February "a. 1909, when he was
18, 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'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 a vivid mobile
character and he possessed as we'll
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-writlng that
his chief distinction was gained during
his 20 years in London. Some of his
plays reached fine dramatic heights,
and a 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 a great ia
vorite with Charles Kemble; ''Ther-
ese, or the Orphan of Geneva" had a
long popularity, and "Clair, the Maid
of Milan" Originally known as can
gioletta") was renowned for two sea-
sons, both because Nine. Tree, Ellen
Trees sister, made a great hit 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.
\ II first heard the air in
Italy. One beautiful morning as
u was strolling alone mid
some delightful scenery my at
tention was arrested by the sweet
voice of a peasant girl who was car
rying a 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. l accosted her,
and after few moments conversation
I asked the name of the song, which
she could not give me. But having a
slight knowledge of music myself, I re-
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.