Rensselaer Republican, Volume 12, Number 36, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 May 1880 — Curioas Facts About Blind Tom. [ARTICLE]

Curioas Facts About Blind Tom.

Blind Tom’s birthplace is Georgia, and he began to excite attention as a musician at the age of four yean. All sounds afforded him delight; even the crying of a child canned him to dance about in a state of ecstacy. When at home he often bit and pinched his brothers and sisters to make them emit cries of pain. If kept away from a piano, he would beat Against the wall, drag chairs about the room, and make all sorts of noises. When in London a flute was produced for him of a very complicated pattern, and having twenty-two keys. He frequently rises up at night and plays this Instrument. imitating upon it all sorts of sounds which he may hear at the time. Once, when the agent attempted to make him stop playing a piano in a high-toned hotel at three orclock in the morning, Torn seised him and threw him through the door. In Washington he threw a man down stairs who came in his room. When at home in Georgia he lives in a building about two hundred yards from the house, and there remains alone with his piano, playing all day and night, like one pouposped with madness. Bad weath er has an effect upon his music. In cloudy, rainy seasons, he plays sombre music in minor chord; and when the Ison shines and the birds sing he indulges in waitae* and light marie. Sometimes he will hammer away for hours, producing the most horrible discord imaginable. Suddenly a change comes over him and he indulges in magnificent bursts of harmony taken from the best productions of the masters. Since his 1 childhood be has been an idiot, and be played nearly aa well at the age of seven as ne does now; bo* new bis repertoire seven thousand pieces, and picks up new ones everywhere. It is a curious foci that he will not play Sunday school mn> sic if ha can halp ttjmviag a great diaUte for it.