Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-04-21

produced at Covent Garden Theater and
was enormously successful. Home.
opera and was one of it's most popular
features. The song. however. had been
written twenty years or more before.
while Payne was visiting the Harden fam
lily in Athens. but had not been published
until its appearance in the opera. Every
body connected with the opera made a
fortune except Payne. who sold the copy
right for $3.50.
Payne's Life in Athens.
Shortly after the presentation of the
Maid Of Milan Payne returned to this
country and went to Athens to visit Mary
Harden. to whom he had been engaged for
many years but for financial reasons was
never able to marry. She had been loyal
to him all those years. and although his
life had been somewhat erratic and he
had been f1attered and feted by many
beautiful and accomplished women. there
is no evidence that he was untrue to her.
He boarded with her mother for several
years in an humble cottage. which still
stands on a modest street at Athens. 1t
green blinds. has wide. comfortable
porch. is half-hidden by vines. surrounded
by a grassy lawn and shaded by sweet
gum and magnolia trees.
Inside the house. at the left of the hall.
with a big brick fireplace, is a pleasant,
well-lighted room. which was occupied by
Payne while he was living with Mrs. Har-
den. and it Is believed that he wrote the
worlds most famous song in that room.
His favorite chair still stands where he
was accustomed to place it, and above 1t
hangs a portrait of Mary Hardens moth
err. a sweet-faced lady. clad In black silk
and dainty lace. On the other side is a
fine oil painting of Payne presented by
him to his sweetheart and a picture of
Mary i'm India ink.
Payne left Athens to accept an appoint
ment as United States consul to Tunis.
and there he died and was buried. In
1885,: his remains were transferred to Oak
Hill Cemetery in Washington at the ex-
pense of Mr. w. w. Corcorak, who erect
ed an appropriate monument in his
hVnor.
Only Double-Barreled Cannon.
The only double-barreled cannon in the
world and rare curiosity, is mounted in
the little park on College avenue In
Athens directly in front Of the city hall.
1t was the invention of John Gilliland,
citizen Of Athens and a member of an or
ganization of home guards of local fans
called ''Mitchells Thunderbolts" during
the civil war Mr.. Gilliland conceived the
idea of double-barreled cannon that
would carry a chain shot effectively.
projectile was to be attached to each end
of chain 100 feet long and rammed into
the barrels Of two cannon. 1t was his
the chain would be extended and NOV
down an entire regiment of the enemy at
each shot.
The cannon was cast at foundry in
Athens and carried to neighboring grove
to be tested. When it was first fired one
ball got little ahead of the other, which
gave a circular motion to the chain. and
it moved down something like a quarter
was exhausted. At the second shot both
balls got away together. and the chain
being in state of inertia. was torn away
from them and left lying on the ground III
front of the cannon. These and further
experiments demonstrated that the inven-
ton would not be Of great value as an
instrument Of warfare. and it was set up
in the park as curisosity. 1t has oeen
used from time to time to fire saiutes IN
celebration of democratic victories. but
the occasions have been rather limited OF
recent years.
Tree That Owns Itself.
Another curiosity of Athens is 1.-The tree
that own. itself'-a noble old oak stand
ing alone in it's majesty and glory at the
corner of Findley and bearing streets.
the last survivor Of a primeval forest that
once covered the site Of this city. Early
in the eighteenth century Col. William H.
jackson. father Of James Jackson. once
chief justice of the supreme court Of Geor
gia, inherited the land on which the tree
stands, and. being q man Of very deep
sentiment, he spent much time planning
how he could preserve 1t from destruc-
ton. In boyhood he played beneath Its
grateful shade. and in manhood he ad-
mired it above all other works of nature;
hence he finally made a deed conveying
the ground for radius of eight feet on
all sides Of the tree to the tree itself. 20
that it could not be disturbed. 1t was reg
ularly recorded by the register of deeds.
with other real estate transfers. on the
of Clark county. and. although
such a deed Is not legally binding. the
sentiment it expresses will protect the
tree forever. George Foster Peabody of
New York has Enclosed it with granite
posts connected by a massive wrought
iron chain, and has erected q tablet that
will tell future generations this story.