The Coolidge examiner., 1932-07-22
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them Washington irving, were able to secure
his freedom from his British jaiers.
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
ca 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 &c characters.
Early In 1914 the new manager of the Drury
Lane theater sent Payne TO Paris to write Eng
lsh translations of French plays and this
marked the beginning of his career as a play
wright The first play he wrote was ACCUSE
ton" a 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
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 garden TO write and act
In "Adegirtha" at Bath. Soon afterwards he
wrote 'Brutus" for Edmund Kean, a popular
English actor who was then beginning to de-
cline in public favor. The play a remark
able success, running for SO nights and paying
its producers thousands of pounds, but Payne
received only 200 pounds for his play.
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, or
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 a
disastrous venture producer and manager
landed him in debtors prison. He paid his way
out with playwrting done while in prison and
finally returned to America In 1892 almost pen
niless
For once the saying about Il 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 Kemble 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.
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 1S42. un-
der President Tyler. He was recalled in 1S45,
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 80 years later
his coffin brought to the United States and
entombed in the Oak Hill cemetery at Wash
ington, through the efforts Of William H. Cor
coran.
| monument was erected there and two 9TH
er monuments to his memory stand; one in the
shape of a gateway at Union college, the other
bronze bust in Brooklyn, N. Y. But the real
monument in the hearts of his countrymen is
the house on the village green at Easthampton,
Long Island where the bronze knocker on the
door tells the thousands Of visitors who come
to this memorial every year that this is Home
Sweet Home"
(9 by Western Newspaper Union)