The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1911-05-21

singer OF Home. Sweet Home. is to
be invited to repose on the campus of
his alma mater. Union college where
Payne was student one hundred odd
years ago. There a gateway is to be
erected in memory OF him. A bust of
the poet will be set in niche in the
front face Of the central pylon. On
the inner face the simple words Of the
song that touches the heart of the
world will be inscribed on a tablet of
bronze.
Legends have gathered about the
memory of John Howard Payne. 1t is
supposed that his life was filed with
vagrancy and sorrow. The truth is
hardly SO. Again, there is an impress
sion that his career was somehow in
effectual and failure Neither is
this true. True 1t is that he did not
in all respects fu!fill the expectations
Of his admirers nor evn his own: true
also that fortune did not favor him
with just recompense for his labors.
Yet all deducted, to have sung Home.
Sweet Home" is by many considered
success enough and sufficient title to
immortality.
Precocious a. Child.
John Howard Payne. the precocious
child of excellen. parents, was born in
New York, June 3. 1871. His father
was worthy man of good ancestry
who made name for himself as prin-
cipal of the Clinton Academy, in East
Hampton, L. l., and later as principal
of school in Boston. His mother
was a daughter of a Jewish resident of
East Hampton named Isaacs. who Is
concentrated in the village grave
yard as IAN Israelite indeed. in whom
have derived the sweet simplicity that
breathes through his more intimate
writings and through his undying song
from his mother His mothers home
was goal of his affections. He has
left charming picture Of his native
village in his esay on Our Neglected
Poets" Here his thoughts found a
hearth. 1t is pleasant to suppose, and
probable too, that East Hampton was
in his memory when he wrote of home,
sweet home.
The elder Payne's residence in New
York was an interim in the practice
of his profession. He had gone to
the great city to try his fortune. but
fortune did not favor him. He there.
fore moved to Boston in 1896 to re.
sumo his school teaching as master
of the Berry Street Academy. In Bos
ton John Howard Payne spent his
early boyhood years, and it was here
that his die was cast. A marked gift
in elocution attracted the attention Of
an actor, who was all for having Mas
ter John, then twelve years old, tread
the boards as 1.-THE young Rescium Of
America" This reused an unquencha
BILE desire in his heart and cores
ponding horror in his fathers. The
way to avert the playhouse and perdi
to forget the allurement of the stage
among the folios Of Mr.. Forbes. mer
chant; perhaps the boy would some
day be a partner in the firm as his
eldest brother had been before his
death, and that would be respectable
I Tried His Hand 40 Editor.
The first prescription for stage fever
did not prove wholly effectual. Young
Payne devoted his spare hours to the
publication, sub rosa, of a little dram
attic paper called the Thespian Mirror
which attracted the attention and the
favor OF William Coleman, the editor
and founder of the New York Evening
Post. Notice Of the Thespian Mirror
in the Evening Post brought lettel
from the youthful scribe to Mr.. Cole
man, fearful lest discussion of hi
paper should lead to disclosure o.
the editors identity and to more chas
tening. Mr.. Coleman, impressed b.
the letter, through which he Learned
that his colleague of the Mirror wal
but thirteen years old, invited the Lar
to call on him, and then following hi,
better judgment made public til.
: whole incident. The upshot was tina
Mr.. John Seamans, a wealthy gentle
man of benevolent inclination ant
rock-ribbed virtue, undertook to defra.
the expenses of college education TO
Payne, having gotten the consent o
the boys father. Mr.. Seaman's choic.
fell on Union college. Il have chosel
this place." he said in letter to Dr.
Nott-tehn and Icing after distinguish
ed as president of the COLLEGES
well for the high opinion / have Of tn
eminent qualifications of its presiden
os for its detached situation. which Il
the case of this youth are Of the high
; est importance" With rOck-ribbed vii
tue, he added: Nothing but the dis
cipline of classical education can regu
late the almost frantic sallies to which
the mind Of Master Payne 10 expose,
, by the fatal Establishments OF tn,
world. If. sir. you can recleaim thi
youth and by any means whateve
supplant love of pleasure by Low
of study, you will confer very hfg
} obligation on his country; for talent
J like his. ii properly directed. viii d
/ much good in arresting the increasin
and desolating effects Of democracy
AS an editor Of paper he would b
placed in a situation to be eminentl
/ useful to his country. as well as imml
! diately serviceable in assisting hi
/ father in the support OF numerou
and worthy family
Sails Up the Hudson.
The editor OF the Thespian Miro
iracnorffs,IIv ann.YafufoA HE fv{n