The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1896-12-05

Il couple OF seasons when Toms fame
was at its highest point, and I am still
of the opinion that he was one of the
most marvellous pianists that ever
lived. I have heard it reported sew
eral times that he Yves dead, but he is
not. He must be nearly fifty years
old by this time.
Il don't think that Tom vas entirely
blind, although he has generally been
so considered. On several occasions I
remember his calling my attention to
objects which he could not have known
about without seeing them; but he
was so nearly blind that what glimmer.
ing of sight he had could not have
been of any assistance to him in his
work on the piano.
''Hie memory was simply phenom-
email. Every night We used to have
some local rianists play their most
complicated pieces on the piano which
Tom used on the stage, and after once
hearing them, Tom would play them
through without an error. The local
musicians were usually pretty nervous,
and almost invariably they would
make errors in execution, and these
Tom would reproduce as faithfully as
he did the rest of the composition.
This used to furnish much amusement.
"COm was q harmless fellow. and.
nearly a giant in stature, l never knew
of his being violent but once while
was with him, although he was always
hard to manage and inclined to be
sullen like spoiled child. The
instance l speak Of occurred in Cleve-
land, I think, where we had an i'm.
mcnse audience. During the first
selection Tom pressed too hard on the
soft pedal and it snapped of. The
piano was q magnificent grand, fur.
nished by local dealer, aud put on
the stage at considerable expense.
Tom jumped up insSaatly when the
accident occurred lind lett the stage.
Mr.. Belts, the,,Jtuer assistant, and I
ran to. him st6nce.
"'ro4a'%ants another piano. said
the prsdigy. Ee always spoke OF him
selsin the third person. ] never heard
him say s., me- my or mine, in
all of the time I was with him. ':Tom
wants new piano; this one broke.
Tom won't play on it again.
"Of course it Was unfortunate, but
We knew that with his marvellous
touch that blind colored boy had little
more use for a soft pedal than he had
for eyes, SO far as his music was con.
cerned, and we reasoned with him and
tried to get him to go back. The
audience was applauding like mad
but he would not be reasoned with.
tom won't play on that Piano any
more; get Tom a new one
1T was q bad few minutes for us.
There must have been 1900 people in
the house, and to get new piano soon
enough would have been impossible.
Belts. got hot and took hold OF Tom to
push him out On the stage. Tom did
not seem to get mad, but he just
hauled off calmly and deliberately
struck Belts a blow in the face that
knocked him into the corner of the
stage among lot of set rocks and
practical trees. ! did not want tho
same experience, SO I told Tom it was
oil right, he needn't go on if he didn't
want to.
"Mrs. Bethune, the wife of Toms
former owner, who has always had
charge Of the colored boy and was up.
pointed his legal guardian alter slav
cry was abolished, was at the door
looking after the finances. for which
she had sharp eye. Iknew that nc
one else could do anything with Tom
when he got one of his moods, so !
sent for her and che came at once.
Shc did not storm at all at him, just
appeared grieyed. why, Tom, she
said, aren't you going to play for the
people?'
"'No. Tom won't play. Piano
broke
"'Wel], that's too bad, Tom; but al
right, we'd pack up and go back home
and not travel any more ever. It'll
be pretty lonesome home, but nobody
will want to hear you play anywhere
again now that you have disappointed
them, aud nobody'll care for Tom any
more In five minutes Tom was fairly
begging to go back, and he 1evel
played better in his life than he dit
the rest of the programme.
"Tom was great mimic and 500,
learned by heart the speeches used il
introducing him, and, Tor the novelt,
of the thing, we nsed 10 let him an
nounce himself, which he always die
in an exact imitation OF the regular
lecturer something like this:
'rom will now play for you, il
his inimitable manner, q selection
which he heard during bis tour o
Scotland some years ago. The circum
stances were as follows etc.
GAS soon as he had inished @ sclec
tion he would always start The up
pause himself, US those who hay
| T.