Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1866-03-01
EsinI Tom.


Blind Tom is unquestionablT a great musical
curiosity. lie Was born, they cav, So void Of fac
ulty that even his good old mother hersdf pro
nOunced him an idiot. He was, however, full j.,
the top OF his ben, with animal life--a wild, over
flowing, savage life, which must expend itself in
all sorts oil strange, out totthe way, unheard-of
ways. He would run like hare for a good long
mile, then suddenly drop on all fours, and tumb-
ling himself into ball, roll away into the bru h
out Of sight Presently Blind Uom made the fact
known that 1t there was no light OF the reason in
him there was not wanting good deal o. the der
il. Not wicked devil however, but funny,
practical joker. who prompted Tom to do all sorts
OF queer things, and among them TO steal Aunty's
cakes from tie ashes on tho hearthstonc, eat the
same with gusts and put: so many cakelike look
ing stones in the place of them. Then he took
new freak. He used to 60 down to the pig-styes
that is to say he used to trundle himself there,
having first rolled his supple body into a ball; and
being there, he would lo over the rails and listen
to the grunts and squeals and regular rows of the
hogs and little piggy wigg!ss. lie would stay
there un;ii he was tired and if COW near him bel
lowed Tom would below still more loudly, and in
efec. ask her to take her change out Of that.
SO he went on until he grew up TO be a CHAP"
boy oi ten, say Then he became known all at
once as great mtao Or Of sounds and cries, and
every living thing that had a voice found also a
voice in his voice. He made a natural concert of
the creation. Every now and then round the steps
of the great house, and whenever he heard the
young ladies play on the harp. the guitar, or the
piano, lie WIS in ecstasies He could not repro
duce their music because he had no instrument,
and nobody of course ever thought Of putting h.
great black claws into marriage relations with tho
chaste white keys o.. TIE instrument, which, when
opened, ia Ike heaven unroofel.
One day, however, Tom was found, to the utter
amazemen: OF everybody, seated on a high stou.
bv MS nd .la
music for him How he did it he does not know.
'Spects somebody il amt safe TO name. But from
that timo Tom was looked upon as 4 musical
prodigy. He got whipping for intruding into
the drawing room, but some coppers instead, and
was thankful.
Then he used often 20 ge: seat at the piano,
and out Of its meodious strings came the diapasons
ofpgs and the lond swelling voice OF COW and fire.
breathing bulls the croaka of frogs, the Ehinnying
of the young colt, tie brsy OF the old ass, and ths
rest.
II vas discovered tia! lie could initiate ANYTHING
and every one,--that is, persons, bauios, musical
boxes, guitars &c, ell prisoned in that little
by box of an instrument. although he alone
possessed the magic which corjured them into ar
ticuaiOn.
ludeed, music put soul, in mos. literal sense,
under the ribs of Blind Tom, who. before that,
went about in body like any other animal.
He soon attracted the attention of the profes-
siopal people who came to tie great house." and
.he pretty little planter girls Themselves thought
il no degradation 10 let Tom sit in their prssencs
aGd play 10 them, which he would by the hour and
at all sorts of tmes-symphonies, melodies, remin-
iscences, and improvisalions. He is q great i'm
prOrisatOrc, and has wonderful power OF abstrac-
ton.
In at Root & Csdy's, the other morning, we saw
him at the piano, and heard him too, much to our
satisfaction.
He is really wonder, and we watched hfrn and
all his movements closely. Mr.. Root PLAYED some
Beethoven symphonies TO him, which he had new
er heard before. and he sat down, when tha other
had finished. and reproduced them with all their
breadth, sweetness, depth. aud coloring. IL
very funny to the process by which he coDjured
all those difficult symphonies into his "most mu-
sical, most melancholy" brain. He is boy of l6
years of age, stouty made, 1.-the, supple, and e1i
BILE.
On the sound of the first tones lie emitted
straEge, deep cultural cry. He then began to
make bow of his back, standing on his long legs,
and throwing his arms over his head, until he
brought the tips OF mis- fingers TO touch the foor-
Then his movements became more rapid, and as
the passionate passages swslled up the avenues of
sound attacking the citadel of the soul itself, he
jumped up and down, rolled over and over. and
described evoutions, indeed, which put to mockery
many fine clowns performance in mounte-
banks show booth.
i heD ne went up 10 the piano, threw himseH
over it, arms and half his black body caspng the
great, infinite hearted instrument, like lover his
brde--and when Root had done, he rushed into
the seat and "in one rude clash" be struck the
strings, and out came all that long flood of music,
correct TO O note.
Root (our George Root we mean then asked
him, while four hands were laundering discords on
the piano. 70 pitch his voice fat, A ard g
sharp. This he did in moment, and without
hesitation. The notes were struck on the piano
directly the sounds had left his lips and they
faultless in their tones.
This is perhaps the most wonderful thing in
music which has ever happened. His imitation Of
the musical box is 50 exact on the piano that it is
hard to believe, although you it done, that he
does it with those black fingers out of those white,
delicate keys.
These who have hot seen Tom ought to 20 d.
rectly. He a true card and no sham. We ask
our readers to Go themselves the pleasure. the
great pleasure. which they will feel on hearing this
prodigy.-CAicago Republican.