The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1921-06-28


John Howard Paine, together with
that priceless relic, the original manu-
script of "Home, Sweet Home: with
erasures and changing Of words by
the author which he gave t. the lady
of his love.
| Vixen the remains Of Jcnr Fl Howard
Paine were brought back from AlglerS
aut the whole country was preparing
to dc honor to his memory The pub
Fishers of Frank .Leslie's Magazine
wrote me offering $500 for The orig
inal. But when l called on Miss Mary
Harden and handed Ter tie Leslie
letter, she became indignant and de-
clared that all the gold III the whole
world would not buy It and would rot
even consent to have copy made.
She told me that the ria luscr!rc was
, the most hallowed and treasured pos
session 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
nice property, always wore al 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. cannot con-
ceive more dreary and desolate ex-
istence than that led by this one-slme
belle, beauty and heiress, who pos
sessed all the advantages and good
things that this world can bestoW.
She was one of the highest educated
and most accomplished young women
in the South. 1t is said she spoke halt
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 at
first sight-a hopeless love that ended
! in wrecking two lives, making one
homeless wanderer and of the other
self-exiled 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 ne
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.
I sometimes think if 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 "Home, SWEET Home" 1t
would be an object lesson to them.
The story of the wrecking of two hap
DIV lives should also be a warning to
parents of interfering with the tu-
ture mating of their children when
their affections are once fixed. A
true man and woman can never love
ardently but once, and that will en-
dure as long as life lasts.
There is no question but that his
disappointment made of John Howard
Paine a wanderer over the face OF
the earth and also paralyzed pen
that would have added rich treasures
to the literature of the world. He
wrote his "Home, Sweet Home while
in the zenith of his young love, and
when all hope was abandoned of ever
winning the hand of Mary Harden ne
sought relief by becoming a selt-exlle
from his native land.
John Howard Paine in letter to a
friend told of how he had walked the
streets at night of some great Euro
pean capitalization, Paris or Wen
na-utterly penniless, hungry, with
out place to lay his head, he would
pass some brilliantly Illuminated pal
ace at the close of night of revelry
and hear the musicians ending with
his sHome, Sweet Home" Little did
! those joyous pleasurer-seekers know
that the author of that song was a
homeless wanderer at their door.
ANNUAL MEETING STOCKHOLM
ERS
TLo onn,,,1 rnetino of stockholders