Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1891-07-31
HIS WONDERFUL MEmoKY.
A Blind Boy who Answers 1900
Questions Off Hand, Plays Musical
Instruments and PLAYS Well.

A Blind Boy who Answers 1900
Questions Off Hand, Plays Musical
instruments and Plays Well.
At the residence of George A. Wells in
Black Rock yesterday afternoon party of
newspaper men from this city were given
matinee entertainment by Oscar Moore,
the six-year- blind colored boy, whose
wonderful feats of memory have caused
him to be regarded as a marvel. For
nearly one hour the party listened to Os-
cars answers to questions, his playing on
the ACCORDION and piano and his singing.
His hearers could not but feel that the lad
was striking example of the law of COM
pensation, as the affection of blindness
had been made up by almost supernatural
endowments in other directions.
Oscar was born in Waco, Texas, August
10, 1885. He has been blind from birth
His parents, who were formerly slaves,
first had occasion to remark on the child's
precosity when he was about fifteen
months of age One evening, while his
brothers and sisters were studying the
multiplication table, one of them said,
'four times twelve are fifty-eight." ono,
forty-eight," corrected Oscar. His mother,
who had never heard him speak before, was
greatly surprised, and began questioning
him. He repeated to her remarks he had
heard at odd times and proved the fact that
he had wonderful faculty for memorizing
anything which might be said to him or in
his presence. The wonderful child soon
became locally celebrated, and upon the
advice of friends, Oscar, when a little more
than two years old, was brought north by
his parents.
George A. Wells, proprietor of the
George hotel, is an old Snowman, having
been associated with the late P T. Barnum
in the latter's Jennie Lind and Tom
Thumb ventures, besides several other en-
terprises. He heard of the phenomenal
child and about two years ago engaged
Oscars parents to work for him. Ever
since he has had Oscar under instructions
for show career and it is his intention
within few months to take the boy and
start upon the road. Professor George
Reed Cromwell has compiled list of 1000
difficult questions which have been issued
in book form. They embrace all subjects
from simple mathematical questions to
questions upon secular and scriptural his
tory and geography. One of these books
was furnished to each of the reporters yes
terday and for nearly half an hour Oscar
answered a running fire of questions Sc
lected at random from different parts of
the book. His replies were given without
the slightest hesitation and only in two
instances did he falter. This was due, Mr..
Wells said, to the boys failure to have his
customary afternoon nap yesterday.
Having satisfied his hearers that they
had listened to an amazing exhibition of
memory, especially in one SO young, and
who must derive all of his information
from hearsay, Oscar next played upon the
ACCORDION. His rendition Of the tunes
was remarkably correct and shaded and
phrased with more fidelity than many who
might have studied for years. Next he
seated himself at the piano and to his own
accompaniment sang variety of songs,
beginning with ssAmerica" and winding
up with several comic ditties. Mr.. Wells
saws that he has the natural African pro-
pensity for humor and that he memories
comic songs much quicker than Others
The ladies summering at the George
hotel are much interested in the 'sTribuns
Fresh Air Fund" for sending poor child
rem from the tenement districts into the
country for a vacation. Under their pat
ronage Oscar will give an exhibition at
Pleasant hall, George hotel, at 7:30 o'clock
this evening. The entertainment will last
for an hour and half and the proceeds
will be forwarded to the Tribune fund
Bridgeport Farmer, July 80.