Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-07-21
PAYNE'S "F1OME, SWEET HOME
MANUSCRIPT GIVEN TO LIBRARY
Added Verses Are Included
and Song Is in Authors
Own Handwriting.
Unpublished Portion Made
Tribute to Friend in
London Colony.
ny THOMAS r. HENRY.

NY THOMAS n. HENRY.
A manuscript copy Of Home, Sweet
Home" in the handwriting of the
author. John Howard Payne, and with
two additional and unpublished verses,
has been deposited in the Library of
Congress by Leander Mccormick Good
hart. commercial secretary Of the Brit
ish embassy.
The extra verses attached to the
famous old Sentimental ballad. which
has become twined around the heart
strings Of the American people, never
were intended by Payne for publicat ton,
but merely as a personal touch when
presenting an autograph copy to one of
his friends. The added verses read:
To us, In despite of the absence Of
years.
How sweet the remembrance OF home
still appears;
From allurements abroad which but
flatter the eve.
The unsatisfi'd heart turns and says
with o sigh:
Home. home; sweet. sweet home.
There's no place like home,
There's no place like home.
Your exile is blest with all fates can
bestow,
But mine has been checkered with
many a woe.
Yet though different our fortunes, our
thoughts are the same,
And both as we dream of Columbia
exclaim:
Home, home; sweet. sweet home.
There's no place like home.
There's no place like home.
Used rs Opera Ballad.
At this time Payne was a member of
the American colony, In London, lead.
ing members of which we're Mr.. and
Mrs. Joshua Bates. Both were Amer
leans, born in Massachusetts,. Bates
had come to England as young man
and had become one Of the wealthiest
bankers in London. Their home APP
pears to have been a meeting place for
many homesick Americans. Payne
wrote the poem for the souvenir book OF
Mrs Bates, after 1t already had made q
hit as q light-opera ballad. The refer
ence in the last verse is to the wealth
and social position Of Mrs. Bates, COM
pared with Payne's own penniless con-
dition at most times.
The author had been a wanderer and
a child of misfortune all his life. The
song. one of the best known among
English-speaking people everywhere,
was written in Paris in 1928, 10 years
after Payne left the United States, as
one of the songs of the opera, "Clari,"
Of which he wrote the libretto.
All the rest Of this opera long since
has been forgotten. II was first per-
formed on May 8. 1928, at the Covent
Garden Theater in London. and the
Everybody in London was humming 1t.
The music was composed by Henry
Bishop, director Of music ut the Covent
Garden Theater. It was an adaptation
of q Sicilian air, which, according to
Paynes own account, he first had heard
a peasant girl sing on a country road
in Sicily and called to Bishops atten-
ton when the two conferred over the
opera.
Manuscript Dated 1898.
The manuscript deposited in the Lii
brary of Congress Is dated September
10, 1929, from 40 Arundel street, Strand,
London, and is introduced by the fol-
lowing paragraph:
IT comply with your most compli-
mentary request and write the words Of
sweet Home In your valuable little
book. have added q few words more, |
addressed to you. It would have been |
more pleasing to me IL could have |
had time to contribute something |
worthier of my friendship for you, but |
what this trifie wants in poetry you |
will do me the Justice to believe Is
made up in truth"
The manuscript will be exhibited in |
a prominent place in the Library OF |
Congress. The depositing OF the work |
Is the more appropriate, according to |
Librarian Herbert Putnam, because
Joshua Bates was deeply interested IN |
public libraries and made such large
gifts to the Boston Public Library. ut |
It's first organization, that he Is re-
yarded as its principal founder.
Mr.. Putnam also calls attention to |
the fact that the author himself Is
buried In Oak Hill Cemetery. Washing
ton, at the end Of his homeless wan
derings and that the grave often Is
visited by tourists.
In Circle Of Writers.
The famous song writer was born IN
Easthampton. Long Island, In 1871 and |
after an apprenticeship In New York |
house made his first appear |
ance on the stage. In 1912 he first |
went to Europe and became interested
in writing for the stage. He wrote |
several dramas and adapted others,
mostly from the French. All, with the |
exception Of "Clari." have long since
been forgotten. Some were quite sue
cessful In their day. including "Brutus,"
'Virginius" and Charles the Second"
Payne became q leading figure In the
literary world Of London and an init.
mate friend Of Coleridge and Lamb.
In 1882 he returned to New York. |
The success Of some of his plays and
operas had brought him large sums.
but he was q poor manager and was !
In debt. In 1874 he was
appointed United States consul at
Tunis, North Africa, where he served
until the change Of administration in |
i845. In 1851 heswas reappointed. but |
died shortly after his return to the post.
He was buried In Tunis. In 1883 his
body was removed to washington.
Payne's title to remembrance rests |
entirely upon the famous song, at the |
success of which he was surprised. He |
was . volunninous writer, with an inti- |
mate knowledge Of the requirements of |
the stage, but he was greatly lacking in |
Consequently, most of his |
work has passed out Of memory.
Police Chief tailed