Evening Star Newspaper, January 22, 1922, Page 66

“HOME-SWEET-HOME” CENTERS PLANNED: '~ FOR AMERICAN TOURISTS IN EUROPE TUNIS, North Africa, January 12, 1922, BY STERLING HEILIG, WENTY American tourists lounged in a hotel of Tunis, after dinner. They talked of “Home, Sweet Home!” and heard this story. They were on the spot. Far away from his native land, homeless, alone and unhappy, John Howard Payne, author of the im- mortal song, died, here in Tunis, on April 1, 1852, as United States con- sul. He had written the song twen- ty-nine years previously, and all those intervening years but six had been spent away from home.. He was an American, born in New York city, but living continuously between Paris and London from 1812 to 1835. Then, when President Tyler gave him his appointment, in 1841, he started off abroad again, to die, finally, as United States consul to Tunis, ten years later. . According to local tradition, Payne spent the summer in a villa among olive groves, outside the city walls, but breathed his last in the American consulate, a Moorish building sepa- rated from the British residency by & narrow lane. Over his grave was a plain, gray marble slab on massive foundations, overhung by a great pepper tree, whose limply falling branches resemble the weeping wil- low. The slab, on which the Ameri-|{ THE OLD PRINT SHOWS THE PAVILION DE HANO VRE, A FASHIONABLE PLACE OF SOCIETY can eagle was conspicuous, had been sent out from America. * ok ok ok ARLY in 1883 it was decided that his remains should be removed to America, and in the absence of a diplomatic representative of the United States, the British consul gen- eral, Thomas F. Reade, son of Sir | JOHN HOWARD PAYNE, AUTHOR OF “HOME, SWEET HOME.” Thomas Reade, Sir Hudson Lowe's| licutenant at St. Helena, undertook | . the exhumation. An American ship of war arrived at Goletta, with a handsome double cas- ket of unusual size and weight, for the removal of the body. This was successfully accomplished, but with two strange accidents. The' great slab broke in two as it was lifted, crushing the leg of one native laborer and killing another outright. Then, when the ponderous casket was being hoisted to the ship, a rope gave way consequence of which Mr. Reade received a violent blow in the chest, from which he ultimately died. The casket remained in the Angli- can Church of Tunis the night before its embarkment. “Home, Sweet Home!” was played on the organ as it moved out. When it was finally interred at Washington the vast con- course joined in singing the same sacred song that had been played on the organ -in the little church of Tunis. “Strange, those marked a tourist. “Kind of symbolic,” observed an- other, “as if these foreign lands were against his departure, on account of what he stands for.” ust how? Explain.” “As if they were hostile to the idea of ‘Home, Sweet Home' for Ameri- cans in Europe.” * % X ¥ FROM this idie conversation (it is said) grew up the proposition of the home, sweet home centers in Eu- rope. Ostensiply (and as a fact) they, would be memorials to John Howard >ayne, author of the song, the typical American betrayed by love of Europe. An association of patriotic Americans is to bear the expense, aided by teur- ist contributions. Others ask if the State Department at Washington is entirely stranger to the idea. The.State Department is known to be the enemy of ex- patriates, hostile to the scattering of, tourist money abroad and completely partfsan of “Home, Sweet Home” for American citizens abroad. Our passports are granted for two years only, including extensions. Up to very recently, the. application con- tained a sworn declaration of “in- tention” to return home within that time. While at present liberal to American business men legitimately abroad, all its tenderness will cer- tainly go to the memorials—to jog the loiterer’s memory that “Home, Sweet Home” exists, to touch his emotions in contemplation of the sad fate of John Howard Payne. In any case, at a meeting of Amerl- cans in the Paris offices of Alexander Kahn, representative of one of our great singing machine companies, the jdea of the memorials was adopted— and there seemed no doubt of {ts financial support, as if already ac- quired or promised. The idea includes premises, first in Paris and London, then in other capi- tals, to be centers of the American remembrance of home. They are not to degenerate into Information bu- reaus. The only Information given accidents,” re- out will be how to get back to God's| ¢ prance—ana justly—have “thrown country the most promptly, together | ¢hoir cap over the milL” 8o to speak. with the reglstration of tourlsts'|ang returned to seek a job in Paris, names for cable transter and nominal | mhere are thousands and they are rate greetings to home folks, the| ot doing themselves any good. stirring of home interest by well stocked reading rooms of American|gtate Department's two vears is not newspapers and appeals to the better | arbitrary fiddle-faddle, but profound emotions by patriotic lectures, termi- | psychology. Two years continuous sung | stey in Burope is, I think, the limit, by the sweetest and most famous|after which an American becomes nating in “Home, Sweet Home! volces procurable, Even the Stats Department {to-3e~ He is not likely to make ‘& suscess { Wells Theater he was imprisoned for I PARIS IN THE DAYS WHEN “H TO 1830. turn to the gratuitous rumor) has nothing against Americans in the style of John Howard Payne. The author of “Home, Sweet Home!” never had any real luck in Europe; and most of us who have followed his footsteps have done it completely. He began life as a youthful genius and]| romantic actor in the best style. At the age of eighteen he was playing Norval, in the tragedy of “Douglas,” at the Park Theater, New York. He appeared in leading, heroic roles, from “Barbarossa” to “Romeo and Juliet,” and his profits for the first year were $10,000. * ok kK THREE years later, he went to Lon- don and Paris, and while always | at home forget them. Little by little | | For seven years he wandered up and { down an artistic success, it took him nol time at all to get his nose permanent- 1y on the grindstone. Payne turned playwright at the age of twenty-one. He wrote, translated or adapted sixty plays on the twenty- three consecutive years of his Paris- London existence. Always hard up, he had to bestir himself at times to pay 12 shillings per month for his dog’s board and lodging with a fancier of the Pont-Neuf. To a request for money, Charles Kemble sent him the untruthful reply that “a poorer man lives not in England than myself.”| Payne answered simply: “You should { come and see what Paris can do in that line.” When manager of Sadler's debt until a successful adaptation of | “Therese” permitted him to “arrange” | with his creditors. During all these dreary years Dl‘ exile, Washington Irving. who had met. Payne in New York, was nis | friend, literary adviser, mentor and, for several periods, his companion in Paris lodgings; but—and here, again, | one sees how expatriates are punished —there came a time when Payne's | lady love preferred his friend. H It was Mary Shelly, young widow of the poet. The love story has been ! I completely reconstructed from Payne’s letters. Mary, who “had a passion for going to the theater without paying”, (she often had six tickets to the same show), used the author of “Home. Sweet Home” for the double ‘purpose of keeping her supplied with theater tickets and for reaching Washington Irving. Invariably Payne offered to escori Her, with the tickets. Sometimes she accépted, often she accepted. only the tickets. She used to address him, in her little notes. as “My Dear Sir.” Tt warmed up to “My Dear Payne" only | after an “abundant” supply of tickets. My, don’t it sound natural? ‘When, at last, he yielded to the evi- dence that Mrs. Shelly used him “as her stalking horse in the pursuit of ‘Washington” his ardor cooled, and he abdicated. Then he wrote “Home, Sweet Home!™ * k¥ % | AYNE was always a success— | though always broke. He was a man out of place, a square plug in-a round hole—an American settled in Europe. Being under contract to supply operas and plays to Covent Garden Theater he wrote the libretto, | ot the eperetta “Clari, or the Maid of Milan.” As a suitable song was needed in the second act Payne, in- | spired by early memories of New York and Easthampton, L. I, penned the immortal hymn: “Mid pleasures and palaces though we may roam, Be it ever so humble, there’s no place like home.” Payne furnished the tune as well— that is to say, he hummed it to Sir Henry Rowley Bishop, the composer, : | who fitted it to the words. What Payne hummed was his remembrance of an air which he had héard from the lips of a Sicilian peasant girl selling oranges. For “Clari, or the Mald of Milan,” containing the most famous song in the world, Charles Kemble, man- ager of Covent Garden Theater, paid the poet 30 pounds, or $150. Miss Tree, sister of Ellen Tree, played the part of Clar! and thus sung, for the first time, “Home, Sweet Home.” ; It was said that all who had to do! with the song- got rich—except the author, In twenty months Charles Kemble gained $10,000 by the copy- right—100,000 copies were sold the first year. He kept the profits. They were his, weren't they? Others have done the same thing since. The opera was quite forgotten, centers, I would like to get together, as audience, all the young fellows of the A. B. F., who, being enamored I would tell them, first, that the rapidly unfit for doing anything else. ‘WAS WRITTEN AND SUNG IN A THEATER THERE., » FROM 1820 OME, SWEET HO ME” abroad—he is a foreigner. lost his chance of making a suc- cess at hosme—because he is being saturated. with. Parisine, the subtle poison of peace and good will, which is ruinous to business. The natives are immune. I would tell them that the Ameri- can colony, socially, has always been composed (apart from wives of busi- ness men) of those who did not get along well, socially, at home. I would tell them that Paris, in the newspaper business and other services, is the place where they send a man to bury him, to let him down easy. The others bury them- selves. they lose the personal touch. * ¥ K x WOULD tell them that after-war Paris is not nearly so amusing as was the Paris of John Howard Payne. In his day everybody .went, to the opera. It was the elegant lounging place. The masked balls of the opera were current and crowd- ed. Everybody went to the theater— there were no movies. Mournful tangos and others were replaced by the gay waltz and quadrille. Payne and Irving went to hear Rachel and Talma. Longfellow was particularly smitten with Rachel. Emerson could not keep away from her. They met Thomas Moore _at Talma's. Who would bother with Thomas Moore now? They want to meet Charlie Chaplin. And he| | Paris of -gastronomy and a witty {boulevard. The Latin Quarter was i new Little by little their friends|the pageant of the empire. Although frequently hard up and often in trouble, he had enjoyed great friendships and the best that Paris offered. He lived in the Palais-Royal at its brilllant epoch, when 114 gambling houses drew sightseers from all Europe. He lived in the Rue Riche- lieu when it was still the elegant street of residences. He had a villa at Versallles. He knew the Paris of “Pelham” and “Becky Sharp,” the then still the Latin Quarter. Ile had made his entree to all theaters and actors and actress He saw He returned to New York in 1835. the land of home. His old friends were scattered. Although they stuck to him, the subtle har- mony was lost. Little by little he found himself restless, out of touch. It is the revenge of home neglected. Friends worked to get him a con- sular _appointment abroad. At the age of fifty-two he obtained the post of Tunis. " When he presented his credentials the bey of Tunis ex- claimed: ';‘:\merflca? America? Where is Payne smiled sadly to himself. He knew. He had consular society, an olive grove and—the flag! le was beloved :or Jjust one song that he had writ- en. Once again, he had a chance at home, sweet home. He was recalled in 1845. By good work of his friends he was reinstated in 1851, the year before his death. Alas! he had lived abroad too long The author of “Home, Sweet Home!" discovered that Europe does not pay for prolonged American residence twelve years after he wrote the song. to_live at home—or anywhere. Yet he still lives. Himself is the memorial of “Home, | Sweet Home." H Also, he wrote it. 7th at F —rjoin in“this sale at prices lowest in years. Here we feature FOUR BIG GROUPS 9x12-ft. wool and fibers. . * 5 9x12 and 8x10 ft. grass rugs. 9x12 Juto grass rugs. 9x12 all-fiber rugs. . $ 6x9 Deltox grass rugs. \ 6x9 Rattania fibers. 9x12 Texoleum rugs. $23.50 Brussels rugs, 9x12 feet. $29.75 wool and fiber, 9x12 feet. $25.00 Brussels, 6.9x12 feet. $26.50 Axminsters, 6x9 feet. $29.00 velvet rugs, 6x9 feet. $23.00 Klearflax linens, 6x9 feet. $39.75 Axminsters, 9x12 feet. $42.50 Axminsters, 8.3x10.6. $34.00 Klearflax linen rugs, 8x10 feet. . $37.50 Royal Turkish, 4x6 feet. $35.75 Beauvais Axminsters, 6x9 feet. < $39.00 Brussels, 8.3x10.6. $34.75 Axminsters, 7.6x9. $37.50 Axminsters, 6.9x12. : \ $49.75 Axminsters, 9x12 feet. $4250 Axminsters, 6x9 feet. $49.75 velvet rugs, 9x12 feet. $45.00 Klearflax linens, 9x12 feet. $65.00 Almeda Wiltons, 9x12 feet. $45.00 velvet rugs, 8.3x10.6 feet. $53.50 Axminsters, 9x12 feet. 539 (The Heeht Oo.—Fourth fioor.) “Be sure you’re right, then go ahead.” Sound advice, especially when buying furniture. For furniture is not bought for a day; it is an investment that.must last for years. We have no other kind of furniture. Every piece in our stock is _ worthy; it is all master-made furniture of enduring quality; furniture you can enjoy for years. ; > brought our stock . All of this furniture is now at rock-bottom prices. The industry has been adjusted to a peace-time basis—prices are fixed to sta ‘Accordingly we have bought ith confidence during the past six months; up to a new high level of completeness. And now comes the Half-Yearly Sale, which permits you to choose from these complete stocks at discounts of 10% to 40% Nothing is excepted; nothing is reserved. Even standard lines like Bohn Syphon refriger- ators are discounted 25%, and McDongall kitchen cabinets, 20%. Every piece of furniture bears its regular and special discount tags—savings are evident at a glance. This announcement lists a few typical items: 33387 4-piece bedroom suite $304.88 This suite was exceptional, even at its regular price. Genuine American walnut suite in Louis XVI period design. Includes dresser, large vanity table, chifforette and bow-end bed. Just as pictured above. $245 BEDROOM SUITE, $220.50 Four-piece Queen Anne suite in genuine mahogany. In- cludes dresser, chifforette, toilet table and full size bed. Discounted 10 brings it down to $366.75 bedroom suite, $311.73 $586.75 BEDROOM SUITE, $498.74 Seven-piece genuine antique walnut suite, inlaid in two shades of walnut. Includes dresser, full-length vanity table, chiflorette, double bed, chair, rocker and bench. Genuine Ameérican walnut 5-piece suite in Louis XVI period design. Extra large dresser, bow-end twin-beds, chifforette and semi-vanity table. 295 3-piece overstuffed Suite $22]1 .25 Maybe you have longed for just such a suite—this sale brings it at an unexpected low price. Luxurious suite upholstered in tapestry; has full spring edge and spring back; also loose, Discounted 25% brings st down to $495 LIVING ROOM SUITE, $420.75 Solid mahogany and cane suite pholstered of finest With mahogany-finish frame. Tapestry and velour com- taupe silk velour. 76-inch settee, chair and rocker, with four extra pillows and one roll. closed server, 48x60-inch oval leather seats. bination upholstery. reversible cushions. See illustration above. $365 CANE SUITE, $310.25 Queen Anne design settee, armchair and rocker. 352225 dining room suite Dicsounted 25% brings st down to ‘5645 DINING ROOM . SUITE, $548.25 Genuine American walnut suite, in Louis XV period William ai server and oval extension table. design. Includes 66-inch buffet, china _cabinet, enclosed '$350 DINING ROOM SUITE, §280, A massive four-pi or fumed iece suite in osk, golden oak finish. Includes et, extension table, china cabinet and: server. The $39] .69 ; There’s a saving of over $125 for you: ‘Ten-piece Louis XVI suite in gen- uine American walnut. Consists of 66-inch buffet, large china cabinet, ‘en- FOUR-PIECE DINING'ROOM SUITE, $159.38 nd Mary suite, of jacobean oak. Suite com- extension table, arm and five side chairs with prises 54inch buffet, china cabinet, 48-inch ex. tension table and server.-..... . . . . $134.50 DINING ROOM SUITE, $98.75 A highly -polished, golden oak suite, consisting of 2 "oxtencion table, Stinch bufet, with mir. ror back, grilled front china case, and enclosed server. Hecht Co. Seventh-at F 5 Half-Yearly Divcount Furniture vale All Bohn refrigerators 25% oft None better made; used by the most thrifty and efficient homes and organizations everywhere. Seamless porce- lain food chambers are as easy to clean as a glass bowl. £’ Bohn-Sanitors Bohn-Icyco Bohn-Syphon All inctuded at 25% off. McDougall kitchen cabinets L 20% off | 2 5 | Acclaimed by its thou- | sands of owners as the most conveniently arranged cab- inet made. It has many | labor-saving devices not | found in other cabinets. Oak and white enameled. Gate-leg table $16.50 . discount sale_price Colonial table in mahogany finish. 15%x34}2 when closed; 34%x40 inches when open. | $28.75 breakfast table, $16.50 i ; discount sale price Handsome English table in | dull mahogany finish. Top measures 32x40 inches when open. 1 { | All odd wood beds 40% Off | for the discount sale $15 beds now $1256, $39 beds | now and so on to the best in stock. Genu- ine American walnut or mahogany finish. Numer- ous styles. $49.75 gas range, $37.30 for the discount sale “The Hector” 4-burner gas range with elevated oven. Made to comply with our standard of - quality. A i good looking range, with | porcelain trimmings. $29.75 gas range, $19.95 Three-burner range with roomy oven. The prod- uct of a reliable maker. Ideal size for small apart- ments. $47.50 coal or wood range, $16.95 “Melvale” cast iron range; nickel trimmings. 6-lid top; with apron. A dandy stove for bakin, Baby carriages and “strollers 25% Off Entire stock goes at % less than . regular. Reed, in various finishes. For example, $3185 ecru reed carriage, $2389, $39.75 white enamel reed car- riage, $2981, etc. = 3