Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1921-07-05
above the average mind. He devot-

plished young girl of Athens, Georgia
who belonged to an artistocratic and
distinguished family, named Miss
Mary Harden, and who ardently re-
turned the young poets love and re-
mained true to him to the hour of her
death. But young Paine had the rep
utation of a ne'er- well, he was ut
terly penn!less and the Harden family
firmly vetoed such a mesalliance for
their only daughter and heiress. In ye
olden times children were more SUBJ
missive to parental authority than in
these days.
/ And just here let me state that
many years ago, when l published q
paper in Athens, Georgia, lived. next
door to this same Miss Mary Harden
and my partner, Horace Crawford,
rerted and lived in part Of her home.
She retained in her service an old mu-
latto named Rob Roy a body servant
Of her father, General Harden. This
old negro waited on John Howard
|
tress and always being of an investi-
eating turn of mind and never for
getting what have once heard. I had
rare opportunity of learning and
preserving in memory unpublished in
cidents in the life Of this world
famous character.
At that time Miss Mary Harden was
very old maiden lady, almost de-
crepid, who lived almost the life Of
recluse. She had outlived all Of her
kindred and friends, was looked upon
somewhat as a mser and seemed
rather to avoid mingling with the
outside world. Among her few asse-
ciates was i charitable young lady
named Miss Effie Jackson and to
whom Miss Harden bequeathed her en-
tire property. but on her death bed eX-
acted from Miss Jackson a promise
that she would bury with her trunk
full of old love letters written her by
John Howard Paine,s. together with
the priceless relic, the original manu-
script Of Home, Sweet Home" with
erasures and changing Of words by the
author which he gave to the lady OF
his love.
When the remains Of John Howard
Paine were brought back from Algiers
and the whole country was preparing
to do honor to his memory the pub
fishers Of frank Leslie.s Magazine
wrote me Offering $500 for the orig
inal. But when I called on Miss Mary
Harden and handed her the Leslie let
ter, she became indignant and dec-ar-
ed that all the gold in the whole world
would not buy it and would not even
consent to have a, copGsasapade. She
told me that the manuscript was the
most hallowed and treasured posses
sion she owned and when she died
it would be placed next to her heart
and buried in the casket with her,
and which was done.
Miss Harden, while possessing a
nice property, always wore an old,
faded black dress, which she never
changed winter or summer and she
was said to be very slovenly and un-
cleanly in her habits. l cannot con-
ceive q more dreary and desolate en-
istence than that led by this one-time
belle, beauty and heiress. who pos
sessed all the advantages and good
~. IL. hnGt0W
She was one Of the highest educated
and most accomplished young women
in the south. 1t is said she spoke half
a dozen languages fuently and when
her father was the American minister
to France she accompanied him and
acted as his secretary and interpreter.
It was there that she first met John
Howard Paine, who was almlesSly
wandering around the French capital.
On both sides it was case. OF love al
first sight-a hopeless love that ended
in wrecking two lives, making one
a homeless wanderer and of the other
a sclf-eXied recluse who only lived on
memories of the past and hopeless
love.
When General Harden returned
home. John Howard Paine followed
the object of his ardent and undying
affection. Some Of his friends and ad-
mirers secured for him the appoint
ment of Indian Agent at Dahlonega,
in Northeast Georgia, and which he
solicited because he was near the
home of Miss Harden and it was
while there that he travelled through
the country on horseback and would
visit the young girl who held his
heart enchained.
| sometimes think il those young
women who have made up their minds
never to wed had seen the forlorn
and almost friendless existence led
by the old sweetheart of that immortal
author of the song. Home, Sweet
Home" it would be an object lesson
to them. The story Of the wrecking of
two happy young lives should also
be a warming to parents of interfering
with the future mating Of their chill
drcn when their affections are once
fixed A true man and woman can
never love ardently but once and that