Page 10 COUNTY COMMENTARY THE OAKVILLE-TRAFALGAR JOURNAL possessing such a memory, such fineness of musical sensibility, such order, such method, as he displays? Let us call it the em- bodiment, the soul of music, and 9 there rest our investigations." LONG SERVICE RECORD 42 of the 60 years the Hal Mutual Fl been in bus shy has been st For the company. Li retired to directorship, his place poard being taken b srownridge. Daniel Gray rg, is the new president , while T. L. was re-elected of Lasby a director week, Mr honorary the lie, of Georgetown, vice-pre Report of operation showed 2631 policies in force repr $17,731,902 in insurance t company while the year $123,495. BRIGHTER FUTURE Milton's main street will get a new lease on light shortly, fol- lowing council approval of plans to erect 36 new modern light standards, A move to carry out a Street naming and house number- an defeated, how- ul year of at $167, end surplus was was TWO BAD BLAZES which destroyed Harold barn and a blaze which gutted Buc were largest contributing to the 1950 Georgetown reported by Chief Harry The chief imated damage ed the fire Saving last year's D ,000 mark LS eee BY IRVEN FELL This is a story of Blind Tom, which I found very interesting and thought you might find it so. Blind Tom was a negro born or near Columbus, Georgia on h, 1849. He was blind ii, therefore he learned nothing from sight. His parents were ordinary field hands and ere owned by General Bethune. Even as a baby it is said that Tom showed a strange interest and fondness for sounds, and soon developed an amazing talent for imitating any sound he heard, and his memory seemed to register everything from long conversa tions to musical tones The outdoors, especially at night, seemed to fascinate him, and whenever his mother failed to lock the door he was apt to £o out and just sit outside. It is thought that with the harsh noises of the day silenced, he could hear sounds: which the or- dinary person could not. Before he was two years Of age it was noticed that he poss- essed remarkable musical talent. It was not until he was four years of age that General Bethune, his owner, bought a piano. Living' in those times of slavery, Tom was not allowed near the piano but he always listened very eagerly, and undoubtedly was storing up in his mind many of the tunes he heard. An opportunity to get at the piano came one night when his mother did not lock the door. He got into the room where the piano was and started to play: The story says that he played on until the usual hour for the family to rise, and although the performance (his first) was mot perfect, it seemed marvellous to the family, who stood around watching him. Instead of being scolded for his presumption in using the piano he was given access to it. He played everything he heard and soon started to make up com- positions of his own, imitating the singing of the birds, the noise of in May 25t from He was tested by several famous musicians of his day and Profes- sor H. S. Oakley of Edinburgh University said, "I played some Mendelssohn, a Bach Fugue, both of which he produced after a single hearing. He not only can name any note chord or discord which is struck, but also can give the exact pitch of any note he is to sing' This test was Tom when he was seven- ANOTHER NEW SCHOOL The board last Acton of de- mounting to ,000 to sizeable addition to the public school. Other de- ventures totalling $ were approved by council, the sum to be spent on improving the Acton water system. municipal week ance by given teen. His affairs were often in the courts and he finally came under the guardianship of the widow of John Bethune. She had quite a battle in the courts for thi guardianship with her fatherin- law, General Bethune. Mrs. Bethume took him to live in seclusion in her apartment in Hoboken, but he often appeared in vaudeville. His name, Thomas Green Bethune was changed to Thomas Wiggins. Three weeks before his death he took a stroke which affected his right arm and upper side. He tried to play, but when he found he play it right after them. These numbers included the most dif- ficult of works and no matter how long they were he could always play them. Beethoven, Chopin, Schubert were alike to him as far as being able to play them was concerned His concert career began when Tom was § years of age. General Bethune went on tour with him and his first concert was in New York, He afterwards toured Bur- ope. James Tortier in "Music and Some Highly Musical People," said, "Whoever heard of an idiot CATERING SERVICE Too Busy To Get Ready For A Party? THEN LET US QUOTE ON YOUR NEEDS! FANCY CAKES, COOKIES & SANDWICHES HORS D'OEUVRES Showers, Parties, Weddings, Special Occasions F MORGAN-BROWN Phone Oakville 616421 -- could not play, he is said to have wept, saying, "Tom's fingers won't play anymore. June 13, 1908, he went to the piano and began softly singing, but his voice broke. Sobbing he rose and said, "I'm done, all gone, missus," and then there was heard a faint ory and a thump on the floor. Blind Thursday, February 15, 1951 Tom had gone. Music was his lite and when he could play "no mo" le could not stay. WINNER OF THE WEEK If | J. L. ADAMS, 23 Douglas Ave, will call in at Lofquist Record Bar, he will be presented with a Red Seal record With the compliments of the Journal. 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No real explanation was ever given except that it was caused by his extremely B) e Nervous sys- tem. Tom was nature's child. He lived in a world of his own, a world of music. He could play any- thing he heard, and used to go about the country inviting people to play something and he would Formerly with T. Eaton & Co. and Ryrie Birks. All repairs done in Oakville, located in Mc- Dermott's, Opp. Bank of Toronto A. MARCHAND -- See the gay and spritely Custom . . . which can accurately he titled "The Newest Car In The ° A GENERAL MOTORS VALUE anc T® \ on ipmery Dynafio® sonderlal 'ar etre © 4 World". . . new in structure, new.in power, new in dimensions, new in thrift. See thelordly Roadmaster. .. exuberant with power and action . . . with interior richness that sets new standards of elegance in motor cars . . . luxurious in every detail, spacious in every dimension! 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