The dollar weekly bulletin. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1862-1864, 1863-10-29

| allowed to have constant access to the
piano; in truth, he could not live without
it: when deprived Of music now, actual
physical debility followed; the gnawing
Something had found its food at last. No
attempt was made, however, to give him
any scientific musical teaching; nor--I wish
it distinctly borne In mind has he ever at
any time received suoh instruction.
The pla inter- began to wonder what kind
OF creature this was which he had bought,
flesh and soul. In what part of the insight.
ly baby carcass had been slowed away these
old airs. forgotten by every one else, and
some Of them never heard by the child bus
once, but which he now reproduced, every
note intact, and with whatever quirlx or
quiddity of style belonged to the person
who originally had sung or played tbem?-
Stranger still, the barmouies which he had
never heard, had learned from no man; the
sluggish breath of the old house. being en-
chanted, grew into quaint and delicate whims
OF music, never the same, changing every
day. Never glad: uncertain, and minors
always, vexing the content of the hesrer-
one inarticulate, unanswered question Of
pain in all, making them one. Even the
vulgarest listener Was troubled hardly know
ing why,--how sad Toms music was! At
last the time came when the door was to be
opened, when some listener, MT vulgar,
recognizing the child as God made him, in
duced his master to remove him from the
plantation. Som mething ought to be done
for him; the world ought not to be cheated
of this pleasure-besides, the money that
could be madel So, Mr.. Oliver, with a
kindly feeling for Tom, proud, too. of this
agreeable monster which his plantation had
grown, and sensible that it was more fruit
full source of revenue than tobacco-fields,
set out with the boy, literally to seek their
fortune. -...-
The first exhibition of him was given, 1
think, in Savannah, Georgia; thence he
was taken to Charleston. edmond; theme
to all the principal cities and towns in the
Southern States.
This was in 1858. From that time until
the present, Tom has lived constantly an
open life, petted, feted, his real talent be-
logged by exaggeration. and so pampered
and coddled that one might suppose the
only purpose was to corrupt and wear it out.
For these reasons this stat EN- ent is purpose
ly guarded, and restricted to plain known
facts. ..-..
No sooner had Tom been brought before
the public than the professions put forward
by his m aster commanded the scrutiny of
both scientific and musical sceptcs His
capacities were subjected to rigorous tests
| Fortunately for th boy: for, so tried, harsh
| ly, it is true, yet skillfully, they net only
bore the trial, but acknowledged the touch
as skilful; every day new powers were de-
veioped, until be reached his limit, beyond
which it is not probable he will ever pass -
That limit, however, establishes him as an
anomaly in musical science.
Physically, and in animal temperament
/ this negro ranks next to the lowest Guinea
type; with strong appetites and gross bodily
health-except in one particular, which
will be mentioned hereafter. In the every
day apparent intellect, in reason or judg-
ment. he is but one degree above an idiot
incapable of comprehending the simplest
| conversation on ordinary top:cs-amused or
enraged with trihss, such as would affect a
child of three years old. Onthe other side
his affections are alive, even vehement. deli
cate 10 their instinct as dogs or an infants;
he will detect the step OF any one dear to
him, in a crowd, and will burst into tears il
not kindly spoken to.
His m emory is so accurate that he can re-
peat, without the loss of syllable, dis
course of fifteen minutes in length, Of which
he does not understand word. Songs, too
! in French or German, after single hear
| ing, he renders not only literally in words
but in notes, style and expression. His
voice, however, is discordant, and of small
compass.
In music, this boy of twelve years old
born blind, utterly ignorant of note, ignor-
ant of every phase of so-called musica
science, interprets severely classical COM
| posers with a clearness of conception iu
which he excsls, and skill in mechanism
! equal to our second rate artists. His con-
certs usually include any themes selected
| by the audience, from the higher grades oI
Italian or German opera. His mprehen-
sion of the meaning of music, as prophet
or historical voice which few souls utter, and
| fewer understand, is clear and vivid, he
renders it thus, with whatever mastery oi
the material part he may possess, lingering
dramatic effects, and so Iorth; these are bu
means to him, not as end, as with mos
artists. One could fancy that Tom was
never traitor to the intent or soul of the
theme. What God or the devil meant tc
say by this or that harmony, what the SOU
| of one man cried aloud to another in it, thi:
! boy knows, and is to that faithful witness
His deaf uninstructed soul has never been
| tampered with by art-critics who kEow the
body we'll enough of music, but nothing oi
the living creature within. The world is
! full OF these vulgar souls that palter with
eternal Nature aud the eternal Arts, blind tt
| Word who dwells among US therein. Tom
or the demon in Tom, is not one of them.
With regard to his command Of the in
strument, two points have been especially
noted by musicians: the unusual frequency
of occurrence of tours de farce in his playing
and the scientific precision of his manner G
touch. For example, in a progression o
! augm ented chords, his mode of lingering il
invariably that Of the schools: not that which
would seem most natural to blind child
never taught to place finger. Even when
seated with his "back to the piano." and
made to play in that position "a favorits fsa
in his concertsl the touch is always scion
tifcslly accurate.