The Weston Democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1875-current, 1876-07-17
BLIND TOM AT HIS MEALS.
How the 1fusIeni Idiot Tears and Drrourr
Ills Food.

How the 1IusIeni Idiot Tears and Drrourr
His Food.
A reporter at Virginia City expressed
a desire 10 see Tom at his meals, and
was accordingly taken to his rsom.
"Sit .dowa here," said the "agent,
"and keep perfectly still. Tom detects
the slightest sound, and often puts peo-
Pile out OF his room under the impress
sion that they mean to injure him"
The reporter seated himself in ono
Garner Of the -Foom, and in a few m6a
ments waiter brought in Toms meal
and placed II upon n stand. Shortly
aiterwasd Tom was led in from an ad-
joining room and seated alongside the
stand. The agent then wLk(Rlrew, leay-
ing Tom and.the reporter alone.
When the blind musician took his
seat his features could be studied at
leisure. His head seemed to be liter.
al copy from the pictures Of idiots one
sees in the chronological works. There
was scarcely any forehead, his nose was
large and fat. . the mopthsand4 4Sjaws
simply brutal His yellow, sightless
eyes rolled e61aiShally in their sockets,
and the whole aspect Of his face was
ferocious and animal. Immediately on
seating himself he began to drum with
his hsndsiupon the table, rs il lingering
the keys oiaa piano, Mt the same time
'humminhan mir in low tone. Next he
rau the tips of his fingers over the
stand, and touched in succession beef
steak, dish Of asparagus, cup OF ten
and some bread and potatoes. Satisfy
ing himself that grace was warrantable,
ho calmly spread his hands over it and
repeated % short grace in q reyercntih
tone and very slowly, The instant the
grace was said he clutched the becfsteak
in both hands, and, lifting it to his
mouth, tore it in fragments between his
teeth, seeming to swallow the pieces
without mastication. As soon as the
steak was disposed Of he began sweeten.
ing his ten with little cubes OF sugar.
He evidently likes his tea sweet, for he
put xteen ordinary cubes OF sugar into
his emp, and then, stirring the mixture,
drank it down with q smack of satisfac-
tion. When this was done he uttered o
cry OF delight, and, turning from the
table, rubbed hi hands together in q
sort OF childish glee, md danced about
the room. Going up to the nantelpicce
lie went through the motions OF playing,
taking no notice whatever OF the articles
which ho knocked OF. Suddenly he
rushed back 70 the table and made raid
on tho dish Of asparagus, eating the
stems entire, the Yhite stripgy part as
we'll as the tender dfteenity.
He next clutched . large potato in his
hand md placed it between his teeth,
but suddenly changed his mind, and
casting it down, lifted his eyes toward
tho ceiling, and again placed his hands
in position to play. He held his head
motionless for some minutes, rs If en-.
deavoring to catch some stray musical
fancy which was drifting through his
mind. Occasionally ho made a move
ment with his hands as il ho were about
to strike chord, but checked himself
and bit his lips as il impatient. Then
his face would lose its brutal expression,
and, us his eyes turned upwrrd, seemed
inspired. Finally he began beating time
with his foot, u smile broke over his
features, and he went through the move
ment OF playing passage in slow
movement. Suddenly he begun to slug,
evidently composing as he went along,
and the melody was full Of strange
pathos; then starting up from the table
ho rushed up 10 the door OF the adlo'n.
lug room and tried to open it. 1t had
been locked by the agent, for the reason
that piano was in the next room, and
when Tom takes his meals he frequently
refuses to eat unless the piano is beyond
his reach. Finding it locked, ho threw
himself against it and tried to force it
open; but it resisted all his efforts.
Finding that he could not force the door,
he leaned against it in sorrowiul atti-
tude, while his eyes moistened with
tears. .-....
At this juncture the reporter made q
slight movement, aud Toms attention
was attracted immediately. He ierked
his head quickly and listened. The re-
porter made another slght noise-so
slight rs to be alpost imperceptible-
and Toms face assumed horrible
scowl, aud he adyancedtoward the sound,
rubbing his hauds together and making
motions such aS prize fighters go Through
with when man's head is i'll chancery.
Not rolishing the idea OF n personal en-
counter with man Of Toms massive
build, the reporter resorted to little
ruse.. Throwing the stub OF n lead pelI-
ciliG the air, it fell in IL remote corner
OF the room, and Tom rushed toward
the sound, but was somewhat disap-
pointed when he grappled trunk. The
fun now begun. Tho reporter, by rolf
ing up wads OF paper and casting them
about tho room, had no trouble in
causing tho musical prodigy to skip
about in any direction. He never came
near the reporter, who sNt quietly iu hi
chair directing the prodigy's movements.