Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1882-12-03
WHAT BLIND TOM DID.
His Effect on an Infant and q Policeman
in Zion Church.

in Zion Church.
Blind Tom gave concert last evening at
Zion African Methodist Church, at Blocker
and Tenth streets, in aid of the Brooklyn
Old Folks Home. Among those who at
tended was an infant, which was borne
carefully in its mothers arms. Its trihing
nose, rising in a queer small peak; its
round, inquisitive eyes its round cheeks,
and its toothless, spherical mouth, were all
that could be seen of the infant proper, the
rest being effectually concealed in blue
cloak with an ermine edging, and a lace
cap with a pink inside. 1t smiled upon
Tom as he stepped with his director upon
the platform which had been built around
the pulpit; and when the audience ap-
plauded, it struggled in its comfortable
environment and gave emission to series
of dwarfsh sounds, which undoubtedly
were intended to signify appreciation.
Tom bowed like double jointed foot
rule shutting up, showing a tendency to
close upon himself both at the waist and
at the knees. He applauded also with the
audience, clapping pair of hands which
depended far below his sleeves and resem-
bled shoulders of mutton, and, sitting
down at the piano, sent those massive ex-
tremities wandering over the keys in way
correctly to provoke the notes which go to
make up part of the opera Of Don Gio-
vanni." At this the infant smiled and
cooed so that it could be distincly heard
throughout the church, and large police
man sitting On the coor of a rear pew
smoothed his club softly and assumed hui
name expression.
After that Tom played other selections
from other operas, running treble fusllades
and touching off the bass keys in volleys,
lifting his chin high up and suffering the
gaslight to fall upon his broad and stolid
features. And then he saLg the song of
"Gather Them H." causing the pew doors
to rattle aud the infant to assume very
grave and doubtful expression; and rolled
off q negro melody which provoked tu-
multi of applause, and repeated correctly
and in order all the airs which a young lady
out of the audience played upon the piano,
and named objects spelled out by his d.
rector with the piano keys and spelled
Chickamauga and aurora borealis by sound,
and told humorous story an artesian well
out in Kentucky.
But the great effort of Tom was that in
which he represented on the piano one of
the hottest battles of the civil war. He
started off the Northern and Southern
armies to the tunes of t'Dixie" and 1.-The
Girl Left Behind Me-" sounded the bugle
calls. discharged artillery necessarily from
the left hand side of the piano, played
yankee Doodle" with his left hand and
''The Star SpangledIBanner" with his right,
and sang Tramp, tramp, tramp" all stimuli
taneously; brought in railroad train with
reinforcements and terrific whistle just
in the nick of time, and topped off with q
triumphant Bedlam which unnerved the
large policeman on the rear pew door AMI
frightened the infant into what promised to
be fit.
There was nothing more to be done, and
Tom chuckled as he bowed his thanks.
The above is from the New York Sun OF
November 4th. This wonderful musical
phenomenon will give three grand concerts
at Staub's Opera-h ouse, in this city, OF
Monday and Tuesday, December 4th anc
5th. Matinee Tuesday at 8 o'clock, p. m
Everybody should go and see Blind Tom.
The verdict-after an impartial trial
The Celluloid Eye Glasses will stand ten
times more abuse than any other. For sale
by all leading Jewellers and Opticians,