Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-01-20
Fortune Always Elusive for Author of "Home, Sweet

man in his studies. So the communi-
cation between the lord of the palace
and his servants was confined to geS-
lures and grimaceS.
His sitting apartment was about the
size of the east room in the White
House, with a cool marble floor, fur
nished with divans and lounges. Here
Payne sat in solitary splendor II he
needed anything he blew a silver
whistle. and there filed in at least q
dozen tall Arabs. who placed themselves
in semi-circle around him, as silent as
craven images, but all of them Salaam-
ing with the grace of sons of the desert,
and informing him by smirkS and signs
that they were his slaves. The novelty
of the thing afforded amusement for a
while, but becoming fatigued of 1t, he
turned his attention to reforming GER
tain abuses which he assumed had been
overlooked by his friend the Bey. and
the result was that he came near fall
ing victim to the bow-string."
4 X
IN Washington Home, Sweet Home"
was sung for the first time when
"Clari, or the Maid of Milan was given
March 20, 1924, at the Washington
Theater, which then stood on the south
size of Louisiana avenue between John
Marshall place and Sixth street, near
the corner of Sixth. This theater was
completed about August "a, 1921, and
was the second one of this name in
Washington. 1t was destroyed by fire
shortly after the Civil War and portions
of its walls are still visible. My esteemed
fellow vice president of the Associations
of Oldest Inhabitants, Washington Top
ham, supplies me with the date as July,
1869, and says he witnessed the de-
struction of the theater. Miss Warren
sang the piece and received for her ex-
cellent rendition great applause. No
doubt the greatest reception the piece
ever received was also III this city when
it was sung by that celebrated artist,
Jenny Lind-the Swedish Night
ingale," as she was called.
This took place during the diva's first
concert December 16, 1850, in build
ing specially constructed for the pur-
pose, on the site now occupied by the
National Theater John Howard Payne
was in the audience, having come here
with a view to being reinstated to his
position as Consul to TuniS, from which
he had been removed. Others who were
there to hear the great songbird In
Guided the President of the United
States and family the president Of the
Senate, Daniel Webster, Henry Clay.
Mr.. Crittenden. Gen. Scott. justices of
the United States Supreme Court and
many Senators and Representatives.
1t is said:
Nothing was wanting that Office,
fame, wealth, culture, taste and beauty
could inpart in giving dignity and
grandeur to the occasion. The match
less singer entranced the vast throng
with her most exquisite melodies 'Casta
| Diva the Flute Song the Bird Song
and the Greeting to America But the
| great feature ~of the occasion seemed
to be an act of inspiration. The singer
suddenly turned her face toward that
part of the auditorium where John
Howard Payne was sitting and sang
| Home, Sweet Home with such pathos
and power that a whirlwind of excite
ment and enthusiasm swept through
/ the vast audience. Webster himself
lost all self-control. and one might
readily imagine that, Payne was thrilled
with rapture at this unexpected and
| magnificent rendition Of his own i'm
mortal lyric"
| At the second concert, held on the
| following day, December II. Miss Lind
| again made history when she sang for
| the first time in America the national
4 song of Hail Columbia" accompanied
/ by Signor Benedict's powerful and ad
/ mirable orchestra.
y Il * y
DAYNE received his reappointment
Tunis early in 1851, and as he
was embarrassed by debt and harassed
by creditors, he took passage from New
York for Europe under an assumed
/ name on May 6. On the first day Of
the following April he passed into eter-
nal rest after lingering illness at his
| post in Tunis, and here in st. George
Cemetery his body was inferred, mark
| ed by the United States with a slab
reading as follows:
| In memory Of
| Col. John Howard Payne,
Twice Consul of
| the United States of America
, for the city and kingdom of Tunis.
| This stone is here placed by grateful
country
He died at the American consulate /.
this city, after tedious illness,
April 1st, 1852.
He was born at the city Of Boston,
State of Massachusetts,.
us fame as a poet and dramatist
we'll known wherever the English
language is understood through
his celebrated ballad Of
Home. Sweet Home"
and his popular tragedy of Brutus and
other similar DrOGuctiOnS