Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-10-17
ALL SORTS OF LUCK.
The Ups and Downs in a showman's
Life

Tom Mills, business manager Of the
Zozo theatrical com bination, who was in
the city for two or three days this week.
has quite history for a lad not yet q
years old. Tom is a native of Atlanta
and left there about two years ago. He is
bright, energetic, get-up- and-get young
fellow, and always at home with the
boys. He looks to be about 80 years old.
Sitting in the Screven house the other day
with three or four gentlemen, none
Of whom are under that age, Tom
startled them with the announce
ment that he was yet a minor. His
experience since be lett Georgia has been
lively and somewhat sensational In 1888
Tom left home as green as a gourd and
went TO the Louisville exposition to work
on Col. 4. l.. Harris's railroad paper. The
paper didn't prove a success, and Tom
was on the eve Of starting to count cross.
ties home when chance to lecture in
dime museum presented itself. He
jumped at the chance, not because he
liked the business, but because it gave
him a living. And this is the way Tom
started in the show business He pro-
cured an encyclopedia from the
public library and studied up on
his subjects and proved sue
cessful lecturer. For two months
he talked himself hoarse and bis audience
deaf. One day Pat Harris. the manager
Of the largest dime museum in Cincin-
natl, visited the museum in Louisville
and heard Tom talk. The Cincinnati
manager was pleased with Tom. He
thought he was the best talker ne ever
/ heard, and engaged him to 90 to Cincin-
natl on a fine salary. Tom remained in
| Cincinnati four months. and left there
| with $500 for New Orleans, where he
/ dropped every cent in business venture,
| and found himself dead broke IN the
I Crescent City. He then wrote to Heuck.
/ the opera house man in Cincinnati, ask
| ing for place. In few days he received
a telegram telling him that he would find
a ticket at the railroad, and 10 come on at
] once.
Up to this time Toms entire experience
in the show business had been with dime
museums as a lecturer or squealer.
When be reached Cincinnati, he was
| given a place at the PEOPLES theater
! Heuck, the man who owns the opera
house bearing his name, also owns the
| Peoples theater. The Peoples had been
a popular and successful place until the
new opera house was built. 1t then lOsl
| patronage, and when Tom Mills became
connected with it, 1t wasldown at the heel
| Tom soon proved himself GOOD material
and was put Ia charge OF the theater. He
! made popular pieces, and soon began 10
dot good business. He made friends with
the newspaper boys, AID in a snort time
packed his house. In the heN OF the SUM
mer his audiences were so large that from
TWO 10 a dozen ladies tainted at every per
Torrance, 50 great was the crowd.
Toms success at the Peoples hurt
I Heuck's opera house, and the manages
there Cancelled an engagement with 9
we'll known company which cost hin
$4,000, and brought the Kiraly party. 100
from New York. But this failed To re
store the old business, and In order q
protect the fine opera house, the People,
theatre was chOked OF, and Tom Jumped
10 New York 20 secure another place
Here be joined the L1zO party, and Tor
The first time appeared before she foot.
lights. He essaYed one of the leadme
characters and made a complete and
thorough failure. soon ter this the
party was going towards Boston, Tom
was sitting beside Mr.. Gardener. the pro
( pretor Of the piece, and asked.
"How much do YOU expect to play 10 IN
Boston next week !"
1.-Two thousand dollars" was the an
swer.
"whapn you give me on more than
SCOOP asked Tom, feeling that he could
work better than play.
Zen per cent" was the answer.
Yes and pay the printers bhlsw
'les.n
"Lend me a ten and III 20 ahead"
Mr.. Gardener gave Tom $40. He went
on 20 Boston and put 10000 dodgers In the
ladies' hands about his show. The week
/ in Boston paid over $4,000, and since then
rom has been the business manager. and
to-day be is married and has nearly $4,000
ahead.
Toms marriage was sensational. Hg
married Baby Bimdley, a musical prod
Icy. She is now only l6 years Old, and Is
| with the XozO party. she was the daugh
ter of one OF the finest musicians in New
/ York. aud after she married Tom hei
father killed himself accidentally.