The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1928-07-27
>Tl]BBY'S' FEE !.
MAY NEVER PA1
PAT ANY NOR
A Strange Affiction Befsl
Youthful Jazz Player Who
Used Both Feet Beating
Time

feet of Hugh (Tubby) Sawy}
popular young saxophonist 4
this city, as the notes of I'll
latest jazz music issued frof
the throat of his saxophoiII
Pat-pat-pat went Tubby's fei'
all the time, never beating tint
with the music but always pal
ting. But the feet that pattd
so merrily and so tirelessly I'd
several years in Elizabe4
City's jazz orchestras are stl
now. Tubby's feet are in !
plaster cast and it will be son1
time before he will be able d
pat them again. a
When Hugh was about elevd
years old his father. Bill c Sawyd
bought him a xcphone. Hud
liked the instrument and took
1t like a duck takes to water. i
less than a year he was playiIt
I'm the high school orchestra and !
the boys band. Hugh praeticd
day and night, and since he hd
no metronome to beat time for hiii
he beat the time of the pieces i
played by patting his feet ON til
floor. He didn't pat one foot 4
most people do when keeping TIM
with music. but he patted both fet
In an endless. steady pat-pat-pal
regardless Of the time Of the musil
SO great was his talent and 1
well did he learn to play the instrs
ment that mt the age Of fourteei
rsTubby" Sawyer, as his fpy,nq
were wont 10 call him, was one 4
the best snxOphonists In the Stas
and was greatly In demand by locs
jazz orcheatras. '<Tubby" has bee
In every orchestra that has bee
Organized here since he starte
playing. ,tts saxophone. He cha
been In the high school orchestr!
the Sunday school orchestra, I'll
boys band, and several jazz orche;
tras. At every dance at which b
played. lie was all life and all pei
attracting the attention Of every
one on the floor with his sparkip
eyes. his ruddy cheeks glowing froi
the exertiOn of blowing his saxt
phone. and both his feet pattiD
merrily. Patpat-,mt went 'Tul
by's' feet. and everyone smiled. en-
vious OF this Joyous, peppy youtl
who made such. hot" music onttb
sax0phone.
But "Tubby" became too coed
saxopllonist to remain here all tli
time playing with local orchestral
80 last summer he got a job Wit
an orchestra IN the Western par
of the State. He got about 50
a week and all expenses paid. Thi
summer he was to play sfor a
orchestra In Virginia md was 4
get about $50 a week. but thi
orchestra disbanded rfter .playin
a few engagements. lie. then star
ed playing with an orchestra nea
Hickory. Meanwhile his feet .Ysr
pat-pat-patting on, never firing an
never stopping.
Then tragedy entered npon tb
scene and placed a blight on sth
life Of this handsome. cheerful, Ia
ented boy, who had such brillian
future before him. So much di
"Tubby' pat his feet that he 500
got to patting them ettn whel
there was 10 sound Of music aroun
him and no instrument In his hand
He Just couldn help II; he ha.
patted them so much that he ha'
lost control of the muscles In hi
legs. He came home from Hfckor
about two or three weeks, ago, an
his feet were placed in plaster cast
by LEGAL physician In the hop
that the muscles Of which he ha
lost control would become fir,
again. And "Tubby", a cheerfu
youngster. who is as full Of life a
he can he. Is confined to his bed
unable to move. Some form @
paralysis has set in, and 1t vii
probably he some while before thi
sixteen-year-Old boy will be abb
to swim. dance. and play ball lik
ether boys his age. s"s'a
Possibly he will not be able 9
dance or play hts saxophone an.
more for a long while, becaus
when the jaZZy brasses and tn
tympanic are going, 1'ubby's fee
want to pat-patpat. And the
can't pat-pat-pat very we'll In 'Piast
or casts; indeed he may never b