Wichita eagle., 1888-07-29
POOR BLIND TOM.
HOW THE ONCE NOTED MUSICIAN
oASSeS THE SUMNER.

Feeling the Sunlight and Initiating the
Church Bells on the Piano-Angry with
an UnmusicsI Servant Giri-waiu,s and
EEsctiocA
In old fashioned St. Marks place. Just
east Of the bustlins Bowery. stands an
cd fashioned marble STOPPED dwelling
that is q marked spo. II that noisy guar
YER OF tie town At varying intervals
daily the music Of . sweet toned piano
Goats softly from the interior OF the old
house and ningles delightful harmony
with the dull hum OF traffic Ia the popu,
lous thoruughfare Men and women hur>
rying to and fro in the street stop often
and listen TO the strains The 6lSer
ths: so dsftly touch the keys and G-x~
such wondrous symphonies from he In
strument are those OF q s.rapping big
negro who sits AZ the piano in the spurious
back parlor. and fer hours sometimes
those residents who are fortunate enough
70 have living quarters In the houses IL
Ninth street whose back windows lock
upon the rear porch OF the old fashioned
dwelling have e rare and delightful treat
Every once II while the staiwart Afri-
can VIII starr up from his sesS and rush
out upon the porch. snd pace up aud down
like al imprisoned animal. beating his
chest and moaning piteously. A railing
that reaches above his waist completely
cuts of egress 70 the little garden patch
that blooms In the back yard. aad he ,runs
his hand along IL as If be were trying to
find stairway 20 the garden
bow are you. ToIag What's the mat
terl' some one who has been listening u
sure TO say when the musician makes
such sudden Appearances on the porch
Their greeting Is always cheery. for all
the listeners know well that the big
chested negro is none other than Blind
Tom, the famous Ethiopian pianist Tom
never appears in public BE IS suffering
from some nervous complaint that rem
ders repetition Of his stage perform
ances impossible.
For hours daily he tramps up and down
the porch in his shppe-ed feet. clad in
blue trousers and dark flannel yachting
shirt bareheaded and uneasy he behaves
Ike an imprisoned bear. at times crouch-
ing on ali fours or dancing up and down
IN mysterious deliriEm. tie has worn
a ridge in the flooring Of the porch near
the hand rail by his restless promenade
70 and fro Music or harmonious sounds
seem to be the only Influences that ever
divert him from fsm these capers On the
porch
One Sunday recently the chimes In
Grace church steeple ca Broadway began
to ring. and the echoes. softened by the
distance they had traversed. struck ToE's
ear with sweet Naturalization that
reproduced note by note the beautiful
hymn. Nearer rny God. 20 Thee )"
Ia an instant the bl nded giant ceased
his tramp on the porch. and, resting his
hand on the railiaC raised his siGhtles.
eyes TO the SKY. and. turning bis bead II
the direction Of the chimes stood Ike :
statue. listening with rapt attention 70
the melody The echoes died sway
finally. and. waiting some moments 20
hear if they would continue. he groped
his way through the open window into
the parlor. and. seating himself a; the
piano. ran his tn.ers over the keys IN \
sudden inspiration. What be played was
an imitation. as perfect as the piano
would allow Of the music of The chimes.
Tom repeated the same stirring imitation.
when Il little later the chimes again rang
out upon The June breeze,
Then he rose FROM tie piano. went out
on the porch and lis cued IN q curiouSly
intent way. to the noise made by tAe tap-
ping wings Of flock Of pigeons. whose
cote Is built against the wall Of al ad-
joining house
The sun meantime rose 50 that its hot
rays broke pas, the shade Of tree IN ;hs
garden and beat agui.izt the side partition
Of the porch The 0i< negro leaned oa
his hand against tie partition. Hs with
drew IL TIE mOuzcH. ls felt the heat Tie
it, ~. ...
placed his hand ca tae partition again.
withdrew it a second time and began 70
stroke il and to ponder lie stood il this
way stroking his hand for many moments
Then he looked up and smiled Il had
dawned upon him last that wLat hs
had felt vas sunshine Hc held both
hands aloft and groped in tic air untn hs
discovered by bis sense of feeling that 30
Was standing In the rays of the gun He
remained on tie sp0; motionless. with hls
siyhtless orbs opened wide 70 the golden
rays. and laughed with the glee Of child
who had found . ne-f piaything.
One day last week when lie had found
the sunlight in this sane gropiag way =
servant girl. with high keyed. discord-
ant voice. began 10 sing White Wings
as loudly a. size could She was 81 work
In dwelling some distancs from Toms
house. bGt he heard her voice distinctly.
Ii appeared N CRATE upos bls nerves ter
dbly. and be dashed sP AID down tbs
porch Ia a raze. and finally taTZlEz LIS
face In TIE direction q the singer. Re lat
loose the vocal batteries Of his wrath fS1lI
upon her.
"shz. %. cant youf" te screamed
You ought 20 BE- ash&1ae'. q yoarsslf -
make such e trightful aoiss."
He poured out rsbgks In tbs frantic
style for many Minutes. wkiie tenants q
surrounding houses. who had strongly
grounded prciEtioe themselves against
the servant girls voozllz&tioa. rezrcd
with laughter.
HIS method q o,1-s.rzErr.fzv good
r1usiciazs Is as fa.tsrs1z a. this Teb1ks
q eisoo-d II severe A16 nateene4. There
ars sou1e cultivated voezEsts AID p.srlsta
n TIC Siz.th street fats wSoss rsa< viz
dovs look osIt or his po--h. sad hs sss11s
I'D listens. smiling whatever tse tra-lse4
voices rrnet4es. or the plac4zso. VIE. Il
tiais hastaz.ss arc ycss-x -oEe1, pay
Thea hs d.ves into h.2 pssIor ADD pas
tbs rszx.c Il tie socz. CT reyea.s To
pl21o s.r * his OWE grsr1 pi&10. T. isa
H.ghty poY-l.< way II allowing Is AZ
r--c.atiC1-
Day By 6sy paeses th-s "a ths Cd
fashioned bozse. viii ~ a.~,Sets1 hliEd
EszS.ctzn z~zt.iag tie Few delights ih.;
eoEe t-o-1 uz-sxyscte2 h2rraozies 0f zourA
WstcAed 5y guardian. freed cf az o&Fs.
AID sdTt.g k4E-sek Up 70 tss vtiszs AID
e-ao-is1lz Il a. soceatrsc te-,oz2L1;y. It's
strangely inspired hlack gsriss aTes ts-
al tie word Like sozs r~.,et ekllt Z .
Play Eozze- Alternately ps.s-aszs szd