The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-04-01

ANOTHER AWFUL. APPALLING AERIAL. AUToAoBiLB
BoMKBsAUDrN0 ACT
" A YOUNG AND RRARiR8S FRRNcH LADY;
A TURNING. TWISTING, TwIBLnSo, TOSSING,
TuTISo TaAaBPosITioS.
There's a style for you'll You recognize
II now? Naturally You've been devour-
ing Tody Hamilton's masterpieoesfo for years,
and they've never failed to stir you blood
with the one particular thrill reserved for
the call OF the circus.
For more than a quarter Of a century Mr.,
Hamilton has contributed to the gayety Of
nations In the capacity OF press agent
for the Barnum & Bailey show. Every
circus pole in the country has sprouted
imitators Of him, but he remains the un-
approachable king pin Of his profession.
There is one subject, though, which dries
UP the we'll of Tody Hamilton's eloquence.
AK him about himself, invite him to con-
ade to you-and the public-the story Of
his life. and a blush Of ineradicable modesty
mantles his cheek.
'I-I-well. really he stammers; I'm
I'm very shrinking. That's what I am
Pm shrinking. Ill-talk-25O-words-to
the
-the-sun, but when it comes to talking
about myself, lin so tongue tied that
il mounts to lockjaw w."
And it was the truth, Telling the truth
is an ungovernable passion with Tody
Hamilton. anyway Sometimes he rolls
IL in adjectives till it's as big as a three
ring tent; but there's always a kernel of
truth inside.
This time there was more than a kernel.
His fancy galloped madly OF after every
topic that came within hailing distance
except himself. Nevertheless a few labori-
Gus bits Of information about a mighty
interesting personality we're finally cor
rallied.
Mr.. Hamilton's connection with the
CIRCUS gees back more than fifty years.
This is not so remarkable as it sounds.
Every man now approaching sixty was
more or less connected with the circus
about that same time. MIR. Hamilton
merely happened TO enjoy unusual adj
vantages.
His father was a newspa per man and was
blissfully prone TO the possession Of circus
tickets. Anyway. he was in an office right
across the street from Ba rnum's when il was
down at Broadway and Ann street.
I, is needless to relate that Master Tody
Hs milton, them promising child of 8, whose
brow already bulged with rudimentary
adiectives, lived, moved and had his being
o. 'itt tllCIS' u liiF ho"tNtl- 't
simply following the first law Of snall-boy
nature! He Sta ties that he was not conscious
TT that period Of an uncomfortable desire
TO make the circus his life mission.
On the contrary, when his father died
end young T,ody, a few years later, had to
leave Fordnam College and GO to work he
Jumped straight into journalism. 1t was
IN his blood His father had died in that
hs rness, His grandfather had done the
ssme. Fourteen-ye r-old Tody put it on
as NJ naturally 49, he wore bis name.
In the matter of M mes. by the way, he
is tolprshly we'll supplied. Somehow his
parents did not get around to christening
him until he was two yea RS old, and in the
mes ntime his mother had given "the little
toad the nickname which has chung to
him through life.
Later, ase matter of form. he was equipped
with the usual outfit Of Names the initials
Of which are R. F.. though ne man knows
or cares what they stand for. As a mere
item Of curious information Mr.. Hamilton
recalls the fact that they are derived from
Richard Francis. But that is hardly worth
mentioning. Tody he has lived, and Tody
he will-weD, that's not TO be mentioned
either.
In journalism the young man stayed until
the AQUARIUM was opened in the building
which IL now the Herald Square Theatre,
when. by request, he transferred his talents
10 the new restitution and thereby settled
his career.
He wasn't yearning to be a press agent.
On the contrary. he had another ambition;
to own and rln g newspaper. He had started
three, whi,h, with dis ,ouraging lack of va
riety, hal r1no smash one after the other.
He siEks oycc nov when he tells OF 1t.
Wee p-e.ty much all insists in this life
he saws circumstances put us into one
place and. perhaps, we make a fair success
thera RI1 Typ'vn 1iWavR got a earning eve
on some other niche which W.. never manage
10 scramble into
Grcups tances were evidently bent on
puttipc Tody Hamilton into the circus bust
ness, for when he left the aquarium il was to
go with Coop's snow for a year. Then he
Joined Barnum's forces and the world has
ha ! an extra lot Of good laughs coming to it
ever since.
THE press agent Of to-day said Mr..
Hamilton. was as unknown then as an
automobile; and it's a toss up which would
nave made the bigge- sens alton. Why at
that time press notices of the circus had to
be sent to the dramatic editor. whose de-
partment consisted solely Of little para
graphs Of two or three lines each formally
announcing that So-and-so would open a
weeks engagement at such and such a
theatre or that somebody else was playing
al another house.
Il remember the CONSERVATION in one
Office when two notices Of the circus three
lines e~ach-appeared in the dramatic column
"a u OIG dDu llt Stult llllc ilH1b a WI
heard Of; positively revolutionary. | had
to work three years before could get circus
news transferred from the dramatic depart
ment-with whom we had about as much
connection as a bull fight has with the
,leiry new to he city editor.
in those days a press agents business
had been to keep things out Of the papers,
He was to see that the bloom on the shows
reputation was not disturbed by the rude
hand of criticism.
i tackled the proposition from the other
end. 1t became my aim in life to keep the
show before the people: to have something
interesting TO tell them and 10 tell IL.
DO You known | think IL the biggest
achievement of the twenty-five years |
have been in this business? 1t was when
] carried American methods into Europe
and made the newspapers over there not
only sit up and take notice. but sit I'D and
take us at our cwn valuation.
v were going to winter in Paris. so l