The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-11-09
BLIND TOM As Ne IS TODAY.

gins, and was buried as such. That the
writer spent tre day with Thomas Wig
gins a few weeks ago is proof that the
Inscription on the Pennsylvania tomb
stone is si~ngularly Incorrect.
The name Thomas Virgins means
nothing TO the majority Of readers. But
Thomas Virgins is Blind Tom" a
name familiar to hundreds Of thous-
ands I'm this country and abroad. who
have heard the piano played by this
wonderful negro. The imp ,ess.in that
re Is dead Ii a pretty ger sral oIc. As
a matter OF fact Blind Tom has never
bee. Ill a day in his life. and is now
enjoying an existence more full of com
forts and happiness than falls to the lot
or most mortals.
On the banks of the Shrewsbury ri yar.
!" a domain of over 200 acres % wood
land. stands a picturesque tvO-ln1-a-
half-story wooden house with a bread
veranda. Here Blind Tom is at home.
The day the writer called the negro
pianist was expecting o tuner who could
correct a faulty A In his concert grand.
When I reached the house and pressed
the annunciator button the door was
flung open by Blind Tom himself.
For a moment he stood there, a big.
burly fellow OF nearly so, his black
broadcloth trousers braced up high or
his capaclous girth. over a white outing
shirt with a narrow pink stripe. His
head raised. his large dark eyes uplift-
ed, he waited till l announced myself
as a visitor who had an appointment
with A. j. Lerche. his guardian. My
voice told him that I vas not the tuner.
With a childhke droop of disappoint-
ment he shut the door I'm my face. He
viii always be a child, and his actions
are sometimes saved from rudeness
only by his simplicity.
Mr.. Lerche soon appeared. He sug-
gested that II might have a pacifying
influence IL l would hear Toms explain
alton of the pianos shortcomings, and
promise to let the tuner know about
them. so that he would come promptly
to remedy them. This / accordingly
did.
The A is wrong" said Tom. pressing
mis- hnger on the note; and then this
high A is a little out. too sounding
another. two or three octaves above the
first. He put his finger on each note
without any hesitation. He spoke In a
rich. full voice and with much simple
dignity. There was a respectfulness in
his air and pose. however. which re-
called the fact that he had been a slave
for nearly 20 years.
Then at Mr.. Lerche's request he seat
ed himself. and for the first time I
heard Blind Tom play. II was indeed a
wonderful exhibition. His hands are
not at all piano hands" In place Of
the slender. long-fingered hands. which
n so often sees In great pianists,
Toms hands are mall and plump, with
the thumbs and tapering fingers quite
short. They seemed too small to do oc-
taves effectively. Later il was proven
That they were not so by any means.
His technique Is good. He executes runs
with perfect ease and fiuency. Wheth-
err the composition is difficult or sim
pie he sees no difference in IL. He plays
everything with the same absence of eff
fort.
Toms head and face are not wholly
unattractive. He has often been de-
scribed as a repulsive imbecile EXCEPT
during his moments at the piano. This
Is not so. His head Is small, but well
shaped. His feature are of a strong
African type. with low forehead. large
eyes. nose and mouth, and a general
heaviness rather than weakness. His
skin is not perfectly black. In his ap-
pearance n In his manner of speak
ing when addressed-apd during the
who'll day he made no remark to any
one actually present except when adj
dressed-he shows intelligence and dig
nifty. with quite a pride of his own at
times.
While playing he moves his body
very little; his head is at an angle
OF 40 degrees, the eyes upturned. the
heavy lower lip pendulous. and there is
a sense OF utter absorption i'm the
music. He has an d way of bring
ing this lower lip up and letting ii fall
at short intervals, as "A fish works mis-
mouth while breathing. He uses only
one foot in pedalling-his right-and
always IL was the loud pedal
ina ne pressed. When the passage
called Tor no PEDAL ne stuck the foot
under the pedal This was invariable.
AFTER nnisning MS piece ne stood up
ana ms right hand habitually went up
10 MS race.
rom played one or his own compost
tons next, something that the birds
ana wind TOLD him. IL was a simple,
iresh' meiodious thing, with a good
oash OF the sprlghtilness which the coll
ored people are so o OF In music.
When ola you compose that?" asked
MT. Lerche.
Ihat, SIR ] composed when l was
: years OF age, replied Tom with the
same impressive gravity.