The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-06-01
T0MSHARKEYI IS HAPPY
HAS PROVIDED HOME FOR
 MOTHER AND SISTERS.
He Says His Only Desire is To Make an Honest Living and is
 Comfortable-Lawn
 Tennis.


 set an example for all pugilists. To- day, in a beautiful cottage with great green lawns and flower beds. the mus cuiar boxer. surrounded by his father. mother and two sisters, he says, he is the happiest man in all the world. and he looks it. Years ago sharkey left an humble little home in Dundalk. Ireland. to follow the sea. He was only bit of a boy then. but he set out to earn enough money to buy a home for himself and family. After weatheping many a storm on shipboard and ashore, he was successfully fought his way ip the world and at last his dream is realized.
 Two years ago he built a villa at sheepshead Bay. costing s25.oOo. Then he made . trip to the scenes of bis childhood and tried to persuade his mother to accompany him back to America. and spend her last days in the luxury that loving son had set out to provide for her. Mrs. Sharksy is 63 years of age and feared the sea voyage, but the fighters father con- scented to take trip with his son, SO came here.
 Upon the elder Sharkey's return to Ireland he told his wife of their sons great wealth and of the admiration Americans had for the brave fighter. Then frequent letters from her~favorite boy, Tom, and the coaxing of her hus- hand and daughters. Mrs. Sharkey decided to visit America. She arrived GAA ov.I An,, CTS were with her and Tom Sharkey met them at the ship landing An automobile took them to the palace at Sheepshead Bay Now Tom Sharkey, proud of the woman that bore him, with loving attention, Is ever at her side. Broadway, with its flashing lights. gay promenaders and sporting thropgs, has no attraction for the fighting sailor. His dream of child hood has been realized and, surround ed by his aged parents and favorite sisters, in their own grand home, with wealth at their command, Sharkey is satisfied with the world and happy man.
 The dear old lady as if in a dream cannot realize what it all means. She looks at her wonderful son with loving smiles and recalls his departure from the quaint Dundalk home fifteen years ago. Then she talks in proud tones of her boy Tommy"
 Mrs. Sharkey. who Is the mother of eighteen children, of whom only five are now living, spoke of her sons suc- cess in the ring, and said that she hoped he would forsake the ring, now that he had accumulated such com fortable fortune.
 Tom is a grand boy" said Mrs. Sharkey. "He has always made things very pleasant for us. no matter bow far away he was. He is entitled to all the success he has hand, and God has been mighty good to him.
 This home is beautiful and I can't say how glad I am to have 1t. N9, I don't like the fighting sbusiness., I don't know much about, it, but ]. hope Tom will soon give it.Nup for rood r like America very much. The icounyy here is very much like home. Yes, Tom is a good boy, God bless htn.2
 Sharkeyt was in high spirits aud spoke freely of his gift to his parents.
 "Yes, I have given my home to my mother and sisters" said he. This was my one aim when I entered the ring, and when things came my way I simply put the money away instead of blowing it in with the boys as some fighters have done.
 "Isbought this home come time ago, but have had great difficulty in induc- ing my motheE to cross the ocean. Af- ter a number of promises, however. she finally consented to come here with father. The trip was a pleasant one for her. and to me it was the happiest moment of my life when l presented her with the home. Nothing is too good for a motheY. What belongs to me is hers I want nothing on& my health and strength to make an honest living in the future"
 Around the sporting resorts tonight, Sharkey's grand act is the sole topic of discussion. The fighter Is every where lauded to the skies as a grand example to the men of the sporting world. There are those of the spend ers'' who called Sharkcy cheap" be- cause he was not a spendthrift; to- night they are all ready to take off their hats to nobleman of the prize ring.
 The New Orleans Lawn Tennis Club will hold its annual open tournament at the club grounds on Monday, June "A, and the three following days. The tournament will be played under the rules of the Tinted States National Lawn Tennis Association.
 The events will be gent!emen's sin gles and doubles for the championship of the Gulf States. Prizes win be awarded to the successful competitors n both events. and they will also hold the Stauffer Challenge Cup. for sin gles and the Club Challenge Caps, for doubles. fol. one year. with the priv ilege of defending them against the winners of the next years meet. These cups become the personal property of any parties winning them two success i've years.
 All matches will be best two out of three sets. except the finals. which will be best three out of five. Advantage sets will be played in all matches.
 An entrance fee of $1 50 per player in the singles, and g per team in the