The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-07-10
CAPTAIN TONY MILLER
BLOSSOMS OUT IN NEW ROLE

Captain Tony Miller. who ,Nvs-
teriously vanished from his accus-
toned haunts hersabouts some weeks
ago. much 10 the "worriment" Of the
cid com ra6es with whom he has wont
TO daily exchange Fluctuations, RENT
niscenoes and opinions on politics.
law. religion and baseball. has been
heard from News concerning him
came last night that not only relieved
the approximations OF Captain '-Tony's"
friends and felIow-veterans of the
Late Onplsasantness." but actually
threw them into ecstacies
Captain Tony has blossomed
forth as vaudeville actor. More
over. with the garish glare OF the
spotlight full upon him. he ia head
ed this way and will appear In public
next week. the halo Of his new found
histrionic glory encircling his brow,
his banjo in his hand and his voice
lifted In the stirring songs OF the days
Of the Coufederacy.
IT was Manager A r. Denman. who
came down from Pennsylvania 20
take charge OF the Lyric Theater
while Manager Charles Rex as on va
cation. that found Captain Tony" in
the northern country and convinced
the idea OF bringing him back to
Richmond for the first half OF next
week. The redoubta bic Tony Is one
OF Quartette OF old soldiers appear
ing in the patriotic musical playlet,
The brotherhood Of the Blue and the
Gray" on the Keith big time" The
other three old soldiers are Colonel
J. A. Pattee and Major James Pierce,
y-,5D ~ No II
Hammersley, of Virginia. who. like
Captain Tony" is an ex-Confederate.
The act has been big success In
the North and West Manager Den
man is starting the old soldiers on a
Southern tour They are heralded by
a -salaried press agent, carrying
a forty pound gold headed cane.
wearing horn spectacles and bearing
a strong resemblance TO the late Rich
ard Mansfield. who describes Captain
Tony" Miller as "one OF the few sur
viving heroes of the immortal charge
made by the gallant Pickett on the
blood-stained field of Gettysburg.
F. Montmorency Fitzsibbons. the
press agent. who arrived here last
night. thus describes the entertain
ment. which will be one of the fea-
lures on the lyrics bill Monday,
Tuesday. and Wednesday:
"Old-foik songs. some OF them so
old they are new. and others that will
I've cherished as long as America is
the land of the free, are revived when
the old boys come on the boards with
their fiddles. They play the fiddle,
as they say. by air. and Colonel
Pattee says notes look like little mig
gers on ''bob-wire" fence But the
soldiers get some genuine music out
OF their fiddles and among their
tunes are medleys of popular national
airs. Devils Dream, Monkey Musk,
Captain links OF the Horse Marine,
Pop Goes the Weasel Old Black
joe old time jigs and 'Mocking Bird
and then there is a roar of laughter
when the old soldiers jump to their
feet, give the rebel Yell and do a
French four and buck and wing
dance that's a hummer. The old SOL
diers still wear the old blue and gray
uniforms, OF which they are as proud
as they are of the flag they fought
under. They have been in vaudeville
about six years. but they are stronger
than ever, with each succeeding year
They appear in staee-setting
representing the old battle ground at
Gettysburg, as II now appears fifty
three years after the battle. showing
the ground over which General Picket
made his famous charge. July 3.
1868 The time Is about sunrise and
the old soldiers never fail to bring
down the house when they arrive on
the scene, They can fiddle, sing and
cut up like village boys, and offer
what is unquestionably the greatest
novelty before the public. The nov
city OF which will never wear off as
long as there are old soldier must
clans living, who are able TO travel
and play in the act This act will
surely pass into history with the old
time fiddlers and old American SOL
diers of siXtY- one to sixty five"