The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1932-07-22
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his freedom from his British jailers.
Soon afterwards Payne was introduced to Sir
John Kemble, the great English actor, who in
turn introduced him to a Mr.. Whitehead chair
man of the board of managers of Drury Lane
theater As a result Payne made his first stage
appearance in London in Douglas" on June
IA, 1913, and scored a triumph similar to the
one he had scored in the same role in Amer
lea He also acted in other English cities and
is said to have established a record by perform
ing for JOG consecutive nights, taking the party
of % characters.
Early in 1914 the new manager of the Drury
Lane theater sent Payne to Paris to write Eng
lish translations of French plays and this
marked the beginning of his career as play
wright. The first play he wrote was ACCUSE
ton melodrama in three acts. Successfully
produced, it had a long run, but the theater
was already in financial difficulties and the up
shot was that Payne not only failed to receive
a penny for his work but actually lost $1,000
which he had invested in the production.
Undaunted by this experience Payne ar
ranged with the Covent gardpn to write and act
in "Adelgirtha" at Bath. Soon afterwards he
wrote "Brutus' for Edmund Kean, a popular
English actor who then beginning to de-
cline in public favor. The play was a remark
able success running for 80 nights and paying
its producers thousands of pounds, but Payne
received only 200 pounds for his play. Soon
afterwards he wrote another play called THE
rese, the Orphan of Geneva" which was pro-
claimed the best dramatic piece of art written
for the English stage since Shakespeare's time.
But so lacking in business ability was Payne
that he received very little financial benefit from
this masterpiece.
Once more he was sent to Paris by the Drury
Lane theater under the management of Charles
Kimball. 1t was then that he wrote "Clari,
the Maid of Milan" which, as has already been
stated, gave to the world his immortal song.
Despite the fame which this song brought him,
Payne was soon in financial difficulties and
disastrous venture as producer and manager
landed him in debtors prison. He paid his way
out with playwriting done while in prison and
finally returned to America in 1882 almost PEN
niless
For once the saying about prophet being
without honor in his own country was proved
untrue. For New York turned out to honor him
with benefit celebration at the old Park thea
ter where he had scored his first triumph in
the role of Norval. The performance, with Ed
win Forrest as Brutus and Fannie Kembe also
in the cast, brought $1,000 to the man thus
honored. Other benefits were given in differ
ent cities for Payne, who was truly back in
Home Sweet Home" But he did not return
to the theater. 1t was out of his life, and his
next enterprise was in behalf of the Chero-
kee Indians whom he desired to save from op-
preston.
A love affair is mentioned at this time with
Miss Mary Harden of Athens, Ga. She was
young enough to have been his daughter, and
just how serious the affair might have been is
matter for dispute He was known to have sent
her a copy of his "Home, Sweet Home" in his
own handwriting, and interlined with tender
passages; but the document has disappeared.
He never married Other romances in his life
have been limited one with fho widow Of the
poet Shelly.
The Cherokee Indian work. which brought
much unjust censure on Payne took him into
political fields. and he was much in evidence
about Washington, where he contributed to the
Democratic Review" with Whittier, Hawthorne
Emerson and Bryant. Never affluent his finances
at this time were not an exception to the rule.
and his problem was solved by an appointment
as United States consul at Tunis, in 1872 un-
der President Tyler. He was recalled in 1916,
but sent back in 1851 and died there less than
two years later in 1853.
The body of the man who had sung so sweet
ly Of his native land was buried at Tunis. be
meath a slab sent from America But the story
of Payne was not finished. for 30 years later
his coffin was brought to the United States and
entombed in the Oak Hill cemetery at Wash
ington, through the efforts of William a. Cor
coran.
monument was erected there, and two 9TH
er monuments to his memory stand; one in the
shape of gateway at Union college. the other
a bronze bust in Brooklyn, n. Y. But the real
monument In the hearts of his countrymen is
the house the village green at Easthampton
Long Island, where the bronze knocker on the
door tells the thousands Of visitors who come
20 this memorial every year that this is Home
Sweet Homei"
&c By Western Newspaper Union)