The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1903-02-22
Afraid


was made, says the Washington Post,
to the announcement OF the death
OF Charity Virgins. the mother Oh
Blind Tom the well known musical
prodigy, attention being called to the
statement that the old negress had died
at the advanced age of 182 years
Yes" replied the southerner, Aunt
Charity must have been at Least 100 years
old. IL not more. ] remember seeing her
upon my last visit to Georgia She had
a little cottage home of her own on Ross
Hin, one OF the many pretty SUBURBS
which environ the city of Columbus AS
we drove I'D 10 the cottage she was seated
on the front porch. dressed IN black bonn
bazine. relieved with 3 snowy kerchief
crossed over her eaparfous bosom, and
protected with a broad expanse OF white
apron and about her head was twisted
bright coi0red Dandanna
she represented a true type OF the
ante-beflum 'auntieS-a class now fdSt
passing away While talking she gently
rocked herself tn and fro and piled her
turkey tail fan In that digni1ied manner
peculiar TO the old NANNY OF qualty.
Though IN excellent health considering
her five score years. Aunt Charity s mem
DRY was bazy and uncertain. and try as
she would she could not reckon upon
her black, saffron-tipped digfts the names
and ages of her tWenty-one children Her
first born, man now over 70 years Oh
age ana still living upon one OF the Chat-
tahoochee plantations, she remembered
to talk OF Blind Tom
'.As to when and where Blind Tom was
born, neither his mother nor anyone else
has been able TO determine accurately. He
wss a babe Ia his mothers arms when
General Bethune bought I rarity, along
with a number OF other Slaves, from Mr..
compassion General Bethune insisted that
the CHILD be included in the purchase to
prevent its being separated from us
mother: for none could foresee that this.
lump Of black inert flesh and bone with
its vacant, fdiOtic expression ana Sightess
eyes had been anointed with the divine
chrism Of exquisite harmony.
The little blind slave was always an
object OF more or less interest on the
plantation. not only on account OF his
helplessness. because, too OF the iolo-
syncrasies which he evidenced at an early
age. He had a way Of crawling about the
would frequently lie for hours flat on his
back. staring with Wideopened eyes ct the
sun Sometimes he was caught in the
act OF Rouzing his fists into his eyeballs,
thus irritating them until they bled. This
led to the Inference that he was not
BstSpe 6 toS S Tass s SaS M aer M t.
Paris he had specialist to examine and
operate on Toms eyes The operation
was only partially successful, however,
and Tom was never able to discern except
dimlv the outlines of an object
The child also had a habit of dragging
hlmSelf up on the veranda of the big
house. and, squatting near the door,
would wait patiently for a kind word OF a
friendly touch from those who went IN or
out He was keenly sensitive to the light
est blame or praise, and showed a sort of
a dog-hke fondness for certain members
of the family. but was easily irritated and
would give way to yelps of inarticulate
passion when provoked.
1T was noticed that at a remarkably
early age sounds exerted controlling
influence over him, from the soft tones
OF the flute to the harsh grating of the
bird had aIIured him to wander far away
INTO tne WOODS, the sound of the flute
would bring him home again.
Tom was about 4 years of age when
he first heard a piano. and il produced
a peculiar and most remarkable effect
upon him. At first he stood as If spell
fingers TO twitch and his body to sway
back and forth, when suddenly ne seemed
CONFUSED with emotion. and the cont0r-
lions OF his body were something most
painful to behold. Immediately upon the
completion Of the selection he CROPPED
Key seeessivev selsd o Of r. Frn e .is9
day TO this Blind Tom has never been
happier than when his ebony fingers
with their magical touch were wandering
over the keys Of the instrument he loves
Not long thereafter the family was
amazed one day TO discover the black
enid seated at the piano. playing with
ease and accuracy the various selections
which ne had heard given by friends ana
members of the household. After this he
was allowed free access to the Instru-
ment, and soon began initiating almost
TINS or that was he happened TO be play
ing. ne would answer. What the birds
said or What the rain or the wind told
From the roof of the family mansion
10 within a foot of the ground ran a
large TN gutter. down which the water
Would lfickle with a peculiarly musical
and soothing sound after hard rain
the gentle gurgling OF the small stream
ColHoihsd with the occasional tick tick
Of rain drops. seemed to have a peculiar
.eseHt1tlvf TOT ION. and after rain he
was always to be found close to the gut
ler listening intently to its melody.
One night after an unusuaIlv heavy
transform. the inmates of the bOlISe were
aroused from their sfumber by a sound
when SEEMED 4 confused medley of rain
drops and pianoforte. Creepii,e, softly
uoWn The stairs they beheld Blind Tom
oeoding eagerly over the piano He would
strike one and then another cora untii
ne mad produced the exact har-rloy4y- xr-F1fcf
ne sought, then. springins from the piano
stooi- Would grope his way through an
open window onto the veranda and Mac
ing DIS ear close to the gutter which ex
e,asd atong this side of the house, listen
sntentiN Tor a moment. Having caught the
tone desired. he would hurry bac< To The
piano ana, after few trials reprodsce
Win wonderful accuracy. Thus he corr
unued going back and forth from piano ~
gutter until at last was cOmpoSed the on,
s5e selection which he afterward called
urst composition. was In after wears en-
booied IN his Rainstorm.' the best l<nox-n
ann s.n- most merItorious of his productions
often exhibited for the wo5der,ys,cS,,t /" a.
tftenQS ana neighbors, IL was NOT until
dooet years of age that he first an
ptdFsu IN a public concert. I recall ollffa
way one OF these early performa noes
which was unique indeed
The concert hall, a large. barn-iit.a
room. gaudy with gay frescoes and viaSs
chandeliers. more or less dinmed SvvifS
SCOT and dust, had at one end : board
plano. Fe q Si'ai1 anu
After waiting what seemed an pnrsa-
sohanly long time the manager apDeared
uPon the stage half cOaxing, half leadins~
n lite PACK plckaninny. dressed in white
nnFu- he was OF a rather chubby huild
WIN large head. which rested II, . ne
SoAar way upon the back of his shout
49, us mouth. as usual, was wide omen
anu MS great blubber lips and vvhite
Sns,tAihg teeth were about all that vn,,
could see as he faced YOU. Tom was nof
al good nlm0r that night and ~ r.
CURED A deal of coaxing and nrornises
~ candy ana cakes to induce him 10 omen
the concert At last seating hirosaif ~
the piano. almost half a ward disfanf ~
Stretched out his arms full Ienpfh ss
enough 10 claw from the keyboard those
NOTORIOUS melodies which so bewildered
and deisghted his audiences -
:. wv rom. my boy, said his master
IN kindly tone, suppose YOU give IIs
something from Verdi His head fei5
tarther back. bis fingers began to glide
sInoothly over the keys, and those har-
MONIES OF Nerdfs which you would have
CHOSEN as the purest exponents of mas
SION iloated through the room. Selec-
renowned followed. After eaci, niees 20
applauded himself Justify then turned an
pat upon the head. '-''e