The times., 1897-04-25
BLIND TOM STILL LIVES.
The Wonderful Black Musician In
Contented Retirement.

"What has become of Blind Tom?' This
question Is often asked by old theatergo-
ers, who remember the day Us before the war.
when the gifted musical idiot was the star
attraction in lyccums, town halls and lecture
rooms, with which the simpler tastes OF
most amusement seekers of those times
were satisfied.
Tom was only lad then, the slave OF
Georgia planter, aud his mental weakness,
together with his blindness, served TO in
crease the interest of those VINO saw aEi
heard this ignorant little fellow, with I'M
erring touch, draw from the pianoforte
its sweetest and most mclodious strains as
well as it's grandest and most solemn har-
monies.
The question as to Blind Toms where
abouts can be answered best by tan,
broad-shouldered, neatly dressed colored
man, whose gray hair and sIghtless eyes
increase the imprcssivcness of his appear
ance, in a comfortable cottage at the
Highlands OF Navesink, on the New Jersey
side of the lower New York Bay This
elderly coiored man is the Blind Tom OF
today, and for several years he has lived
there in ease and comfort with his guar
dian, Mrs. Eliza Lerche, who was appointed
ten years ago by Justice Andrews OF the
supreme court as committee of the person
and property OF tile musician. she was
then the widow OF John g. Bethane, WhG
baa Charge of Blind Tom for many years,
and the old man was given into her care
only after long legal struggle with her
father-in-Iaw, James n. Bethune.
When Mrs Bethune took charge OF Tom
she found that his popularity as a pubhc
attraction had greatly waned, owing 10
the fact that he had been before the puo-
lie many years, and thai his former man
ayers had made all the money they couid
out of the peculiar musical talent oil the
sjmule-rninded co!Ored man without pre-
serving his value as an attraction by re-
DlaCing his Worn-out repertoire with more
modern musical pieces. Tom was also get
ting old and was physically worn out Dy
the night and d. travel consequent on
one-night-staud performances He had
bpen handed Ovel to Mrs. Bethune with
no money and no property, personal or
otherwise, out Of the hundreds Of thous-
ands OF dollars which ne had earned during
the previous quarter of q century. SO u
was necessary to keep hin at worE while
| longer TO provide for his future ntainte-
nance in case he became disabled by age
, or iufirnIities, and also to enable him to
| take care of his old moi her, vino was stiil
| alive in one of the Southern states and
| looked To Tom for support
! About three years 20 Mrs. Betnune. who
| was then Mrs. Lerehe, having married
! Albrecht J. Lerche, the lawyer who had
| fought her legal battles in the courts,
| had saved enough money to warrant the
| Temporary withdra wal of Blind Tom from
| the amusement world 20 that lie might
| recover his health and at the same time
| familiarize himself with modern musical
| compositions.
Tom enjoys his long rest, after so many
| wears of incessant travel and work lie
| does very little visiting among his neigh
| bors, and receives few callers at his cot
| tugp He finds sufficient companiUnshlp IN
| his bisno playing his old pieces and prdc-
| ticing new ones Occasionally he attempts
| IMPROVISATION, but even then the initiative
| faculty Dredouinates as sle notes e pii,SS
out are usually the reprOdu ctions OF
sounds that he has heard. His hest effort
in this line was q piece entitled: 'Wha'
the Wind and the Waves Told Tom, IL
which ne iinitatedthe whisGHng OF the wind
the roaring OF the waves. the howhRg
! storm and the crash OF thunder.
When not at the piano Tom aInuses him
| self oy initiating the small talk Of women
| end other visitors TO the Lerche cottage
He holds imaginary receptions, at which
| the weather, new styles in dresses and like
| tgpics are discussed by the imaginary Wis
itors. as initiated by Tom, in way tina
is very comical. but he will not 90 it il
| he knows there is any one listening To him
In spite of his advanced years and his re
served. formal demeanoT in company, Ton
| is merely an ovcrgrown child, and has 10 be
carefully watched by a male nurse, spe
ciallv hired for that purpose. He has al
the selfishness Of n spoiled child, and il
Jealous Of any attention paid to any on'
else in his presence He has little natuFa
| affection, and cares only for those Who min
lister directly to his wants. He is willing
that his mother should he taken care o
out OF the money he has earned, but III
does not wish TO have her or his brothe
and sisters near him. for fear that they may
annoy him or prevent his being the sol
object of the attentions OF those aroufC
him With the exception of this childlik
selfishness, Blind Tom is extremely mora
and religious in his habits and disposition
|
PRAYER, and on Sundays will play onl,
church music on his piano. He will hav
nothing to do with any one who drink
liquor and will quickly order from the room
anv person who uses profane or inprope
language in his presence. He is usual,
| very polite, but cannot abide bore an
when member of the long wnded fTateI
nitv tries to make him victim of his tal6
the big blind man brings his tormcrto
I'D with round turn By saying very ah
ruptly: We'll. now. you have talked Ion
, enough. Goodbye!"
1t was only after the conclusion OF Mrs
Lerche's long legal contest that mother an
son were together again for the first tim
since Toms infancy, but after the novelt
! of their reunion had worn away 1T wa
: evident that their tastes and temperament
were 50 utterly at variance that there wa
, little likelihood of their living happily
: | together Fate had kept them apart t.
| long. Toms cIouded mind could not rca
, | iZe what his mother had suffered durin
their long separation. Fourscore year
, | of life had made her a witheTed-up, irr
| table old woman, set in her ways, and Mt
r at all recon cled so the fact that she foun
the baby for whom she had mournrd S
] | many years turned into prcmaturely tl
4 man, fixed in his hIt its. and strIuEel
lacking In the natural affection ne shoul
, | have for her SO Charity Wiggins wen
( backto her old home in Georgia to live wit
{ her other children, whose ways she unee
, stands. New York Sun.
+ Long, Hale aud Hilbofn.