The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1874-01-10
From the N. Y. Sun, Dec. 25th.
THE WONDROUS MUSICIAN.

How Blind Tom Became . Great Pi.
snist-An Interesting sketch Of his
Early Life lmpr0vising at Two
Years of Age-His Strange Love Of
Sound and Wonderful Powers OF
Imitation-Likes and Disllkes.
"No, he is not an IDIOT" said Mr..
John Bethune, the guardian and man
ager of Blind Tom, in answer to the
Sun reporters questions. II have
travelled all over this country and
Europe with him and have invited the
scrutiny of the most scientific men as
to his mental peculiarities, and not
one of them has ever pronounced him
an idiot. Charles Halle shook his
head and pronounced him "a most
singular and inexplicable phenOme-
non with marvellous musical gifts"
Moscheles. the preceptor of Mendels-
sohn and Thalberg, entertained Tom
and myself several days at Chelsea,
where he has a handsome villa. He
tested his abilities in various ways
and every test was satisfactory. He
declared that his power of analyzing
chords exceeded comprehension; and
when he had tried him in every con-
ceivable manner he exclaimed: He
is more marvellOusly gifted by nature
as musical wonder than any creature
that ever lived.
Mr.. Bethune raped at the door of
Toms room. He carefully opened it
little and peeped cautiously at us.
''It's me. Tom" said Mr.. Bethune;
"open the door,"
When the reporter was introduced
to him, Tom put out his hand in a
hesitating, timid manner, drew HIM
self away toward the grand piano and
looked annoyed. This is q friend of
ours, Tom" said Mr.. Bethune, who
writes for the newspapers" Tom
made = face and turned his back.
His attitude even more than his face
had expressed repugnance and annoy
ance.
"Go on practising, then," said his
guardian.
That's just the way he acts toward
everybody, He never talks with a
stranger and not often to me. When
ever he asks a question it is invaria-
bly, about music"
Does he play on any other instru
ment beside the piano?"
"Yes, a little on the flute; but he
does not care for any instrument but
the piano. One day some one of the
family was trying to give him some
religious instructions. When they
began to talk to him about the music
in heaven he frightened up and ask
ed, Are there any pianos there? "
APET IN THE FAMILY.
"Was he blind from childhood?'
"Yes, born blind. We though
when he was baby that he was al
idiot. As soon as he began to rul
about the yard he became a great pc
with all the family. used to notic'
his fondness for musical sounds b,
his coming to me wherever / sat play
ing my flute. He would crawl to me
put his hands on my knees stand vi
and begin to jump, and as long as
would play he would continue to jump
and no matter how long l played b
never ceased to jump nor seemed ia
tigued. All sounds seemed to inter
est him and when any of the othe
children cried he appeared wild wit
delight. He soon learned the SCUM
of carriage wheels, and when we ha
visitors he invariably came up to tn
house to listen to the babies crying
any came. AS we lived on the planta
ton in Georgia, most of the visitor
were from distance, family connec
tions or intimate friends, who gene1
ally came to spend several days.
there were babies in the party, Tol
knew the precise hour in the mornin
when they were bathed and dressed
and nothing prevented his being ther
on the long piazza, listening to tn
cries Of the little ones as their nurse
made their morning toilets. Hi
mother had seventeen children, an
he always seemed delighted when sh
whipped any of them. Their erie
were music to Tom. Yet he did nc
seem at all cruel as he grew older H
talked no baby talk, but, beginning Z
an earlier age than most children, h
uttered his words distinctly from tn
first. He attached no meaning I
them, but repeated what he heard !.
random. He never attempted to max
his wants known by words, althoug
he had at two years very large vocs
bulary. When he wanted anythin
he whincd, and his wants had to
guessed at. He was always in til
dining-room at meal times. HI
mother had never tried to teach hi
anything. She said he had not sens
enough to learn. My father said b
knew that was mistake, so one nigf
while we were at tea he said to Ton