The advocate. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1901-1913, 1908-06-25
/. CAREER.
Blind B: | Tom, Musical Prod
ig,y, Very Remarkable
Born q Slave He Early Exhibited
Wonderful Talents and Made a
Place In the Worid by His Skill
ON the Piano, Though Blind.

49, &t' e. -. .s, ..,. 60 ,. . .. '.. =,
New York, June 2O-There has
JUST died in Hoboken, N. j., one OF
the most unique figures in music that
this country has ever produced.
Unique, because he was colored
man, born In slavery, totally blind,
aud, outside Of music, his is'intelligence
was little more than that of an imbe-
cile. OF late years his playing at
tracted little attention, the musical
intelligence OF the country having
advanced beyond the mere exhibition
of freak. as a drawing card, but
for many yersr after the war'+Blind
Tom,' as he was called professional
ly, was an excellent "card" through
out the country, and very many con-
cert-goers of 80 years ago we'll re-
member how Tom would. find his way
TO the piano, play selections from
the masters with considerable techni-
Que, compositions of his own, strik-
Ing musical novelties such as s"rhe
Storm" and "The Battle of Manas-
sas," always walking to the>front of
The stage after each composition and
vigorously app1auding himself.
= His Battle of Manassas was usu-
ally his piece de resistance, for not
" % '0 anio ~ rep'eseht the
~, "' 'ie tr ntPs' 'ne cannohaolng'
ss1,t s,. % 49, snI - p'anot uut "oulu repre-
the engine and the pufflng of the
train bearing reinforcements to the
~ 80 ."eston .~;..
4 >lNx,llH l' n'ne st", A"ne memory. =.
ioa'uie oi Inc cohcerC
d,anaa ovn h"iieu ~ IMPRESS an au-
80 10, te'alKaple ai. !. tune
go, 49,, -, ee]nn .oAeei' pnst ptanlst
~, "@s eeheu At", 70 come come
,re.sttt - p!ssS pttsS s'Lns
~ 4, q tess q
- ,,t &. 3 8 =
- IN, t = V taCI VII
mos -, ,,sa e 1.to !, postt ioit
shla - sit 49, oult, 49,. =. ne Moala az
warde .and -, it ,attSl-
nino ~ ond .1suoe,,t, "a. A.oul pee III
orror "1'hou ": "h
Tha nronor o 20 ~ X. !,
nianist ae I:hanas ~ uyoa, W tniS ooioteo
when ~. u1hana ~ " llS' Nu' as ~
hio Motive. 49,, 49, "o Dn no,tAe'
abIa to do+orn,i,,o ooaI,.o,ll '' 'e
motbar wos on t,no oot a,o, S l'
who With ha,. 60, nc s.a'e "onnan
w.s nuroh.soa .DJ ton, ~ arms
ahne win ., n,,,, q, Dotnuie'
in 185O " O'i''' S''" '''''''' 'e"'
How, NS,,s,o n~oo. xr, .,
Tho .it+1. hIina
an oTiaot ~ n,nna -. 49, ""a arrays
tho .nI,nto+ion r. - 9't W
at o remarkobIu aor,', 80 nu tn@'
erted q contro,,ino i,,e,,hea' -
him from tha soet to,na 40 ts ~
\ to the harsh GRATING of 49, oon, .t"I
ler.. Tom was abont 4 veors - 80
when no first board '," W "s1 -
nroduced q nanr1ior ~ " ~
markab1e afrec+ NOV 80, taA..t
he stood 90 - sna11ho,,s - 10 20
eyes began tn roll bia> enao.a .S
twitch and bis hodv +o ga, ~
and forth Immedioto1v ,,r,o
comnletion of the ,e,ootio,
ed hie uov ~ 49,, ,,to.,s ~ sly
running his fingers nyer tho go iuonseS 80"
Not long tbereafter ~. sano,i-.
were amazed one dav,to discovar 49, +.
blind child seated at tho nIono lv,,n,,
ing with ease and accuranv ~. 49,,
Gus selections which be had boara
given by friends and membera ~ Tho
household. After this he wac onoa,1
ed free access to the inst rumert ond
soon began initiating almost everv
sound he heard. When aated vb at
this or that was he hapnened n be
playing, he would answer. -.
What the birds said" or uWbat
the rain or the wind told mo"
Discovery of His Talent
One night. after an unnsuo11v
heavy rainstorm, the inmates OF the
house were aroused from their slum-