The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-11-28
B. ND TONS MOTHER
Charity Virgins Is Dead at
the Age of l05.
VAS BORN IN SLAVERY
Story of the Genius of Her
Blind Son Recalled.

birmingham, Ala, Nov 27.-Charity
Virgins. colored woman, said to b,
105 years old. who died here this week
in a little tumbledown shanty on the
outskirts of the city. was the mothsr OF
Bling Tom, one Of the greatest prodigies
| the musical world has ever known. She
was born in slavery and belonged TO tn.
family Of Gen. James y. Bethune. wealthy
Georgians, who lived near Columbus. She
was the mother of twenty children. OF
whom the noted pianist was originally
regarded as the least worthy.
When Tom was born his mother be-
Ionged to Col. Wiley Jones. of Georgia,
and not long after his birth she and her
children were sold to General Bethune.
Tom being blind and considered worth
less was thrown in" that is TO say. in
the transaction no valuation was set upon
him.
When the child was 3 years old. ac-
cording to the story of his mother told
just before she led, he developed a
great fondness for music. General Be
thunes daughters were accomplished
musicians and the chief delight Of the
blind boy, who was allowed to crawl
about the yard, wearing a single gar
ment-a shirt-was TO get under the win
dow and listen to the young women
playing the piano.
No one paid much attention to him in
those days and it was his custom to lie
on the ground for hours listening 10 the
dows of the Bethune mansion.
One day, when he knew the occupants
were all upstairs, Tom crept into the
house, and cropping to the piano climbed
up on the high stool and began to press
the keys cautiously with his baby fingers
Becoming holder, because no one came to
take him away. he began to play the
selection he had last heard. The mem
hers of the family on the second floor
heard someone at the piano and sup
posed it was one Of the neighbors who
had dropped in to cali But at length
Tom the little blind negro, was dis
covered. and his remarkable musical tai
ent was Immediately recognized.
He was asked to play over the various
musical airs he had been accustomed to
hear around the house. The astonish-
ment of those present was great when
he reproduced them note Tor note, and
showed his ability 10 play the most COM
plicated selections once he had heard
them. Thus was his musical genius made
known and while still a child he was in
troduced to the musical world. Il was
said of him in those days that nature
lad music for him. and that even the
patter of the raindrops on the roof We're
to h i'm sweeter than the creates man
made music
Bling Toms birth raises an interesting
question in psychology, and has been the
subject of comment in the lectures of
some of the most eminent men of sci
ence in the country. Just before his
birth there were several young women
at the house Of his mothers owner, all
musicians They played on the piano in
the evening and frequently had Toms
mother to dance for them, a duty which
fell lightly on the shoulders of the neg
ress. who violently loved not only the
dancing. but the music. She took adj
vantage of every opportunity to hear the
piano. and seemed enchanted with its
learned many Of the selections, though
not able to play herself. This is believed
by many scientific men to account largely.
if not wholly, for the wonderful talent
of her son.
In her declining years the old woman
delighted to tell stories illustrating the
peculiar and remarkable accomplish
ments OF her blind offspring. She always
denied that ne had only intelligence in
music. and she resented the idea that his
gift of music was purely mechanical.
When Blind Tom was at the height of
his fame some years ago. having won
renown in this country and Europe. he
invited his mother TO go 10 New York
and be his companion. She went and for
rive years lad every comfort OF life, but
she was supremely unhappy because she
was removed from her old surroundings
and associates.
Accordingly she returned to the little
two-room cabin which Gen. Bethune be-
fore his death had built for her on his
old Georgia plantation. There she and
two OF her daughters remained until last
April. when her daughters removed 10
birmingham. The old woman came with
them, and the trio. on account Of illness
and natural infrmities, became poverty
stricken. The mother OF the musician
took her bed in July and never arose.
dying last Tuesday. She was the mother
Of twenty children. the oldest Of whom
was more than s..
Her body was taken back to the scenes
Of her childhood. near Columbus Ga.
for burial. benevolent white people pay
ing the funeral expenses.
ORGAN-GRINDER A TERROR
,,.t. MI. ,.l,fro g. pot5