Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-08-29

fire, and the
baby's meth--u- ptcxrrfso-
er was killed.
Since then Old Whiskers has
been feeding the baby green's
and milk from a saucer.
Circus people say they've
never known a male rhesus
monkey TO start mothering a
baby, but Old WhiSkers fought
of a couple of female monkeys
when they tried 10 adopt the
orphan. Old Whiskers is the
baby's father.
FIRST OF MAY: Roland
Butler, boss Of the publicity d.
vision, and I went hack TO the
dressing tent to visit First Of
May - otherwise, Shirley Joy
Tremblay, the only Detroiter
among the performers.
\ "First OF May" Ii the circus
cnsme applied TO any newcomer,
hut Shirley outgrew II quickly.
She's only 10, but she learned
her tumbling well under Arid
Friedlund, the Detroit police
man-athIete, and the circus peo-
pie quickly accepted her.
They call her Shrimp now In
stead of First OF May" and
Tripoli Cristiani In teaching her
the fine points OF tumbling.
HOME TOWN: Shirley. by
the way. is so modest she didn't
even tell the publicity men that
Detroit was her home town.
They saw IL in the papers.
She's the opposite OF Frankie
Salute. the clown. who "remem-
bers" in five or six cities each
year that the particular city is
his home town. He used 10 do
II. at least, until the publicity
men caught ON.
DETROIT WILLIE; Ticket
men, roustabouts and all the
rest, are known by the name Of
the town at which they Join the
circus--Nashville Blue. Boston
Charlie, Scranton Blackie and 30
on. Detroit Willie IL William
Downing Of ST Beaufait avenue,
Detroit.
They wig-wagged him over
from his place at the gate and
introduced him to me: "Meet
Detroit Willie" Willie grinned.
said graphically. "Straight-ahead
WiIlIe!" and walked away.
Willie IL deaf and uses an
electric gadget which he discon-
meets when he doesn't want to
he bothered. When q patron
asks him n question he has no
idea what II II. but jerks his
thumb over his shoulder and re-
plies to all queries: straight
ahead."
Later we coaxed Willie back
and he told US that he Joined the
circus In 1870. after having been
laid of at Continental Motors.
He's said to be the worlds
fastest ticket counter; can count
1000 an hour easily and $4,000
In a pinch.
RETORT: Pet story Of the
current Ringing season concerns
Helene Wallenda Of the famous
high wire troupe. A New York
woman watched her for % con-
secutive days AT Madison Square
Garden and finally met Helene
in the Forty-ninth street alley.
She handed Helene bunch Of
flowers and Helene said thank
you and she was glad to have
such q devoted fan.
II think your act IL superb"
the woman said. "but my real
reason for never missing n show
must he an obsession Of mine. I
know some day you will fall, and
I want TO be there when IL hap
pens"
Helene handed the flowers
back. They say IL was the only
time she ever forgot 10 be a
lady, and she said. among other
things, that she wished the flow
ers were made of razor blades
and the stems stuffed with fire.
crackers.
AND: Besides which we learn
that there's n roustabout known
as Frosthjte, because he Joined
at Frostblte, Fla. You can
lead any animal except a kan
CARGO. that beast having to he
pushed from behind and steered
with his tall The route book
lists n minstrel named Rastus
Alrship The circus train IL
90 cars long -. Hardly any OF
the roustabouts, who speak a
dialect all their own. can pro-
nounce Gsrga nttla's name. They
call him cole Guarantees"
And the hero Of the Cleveland
hre, Terry O'Rourke, who sells
whips, hats and trinkets, Ii an
other Detroiter. Formerly an
animal man. he saved many AMI
mails from the flames.
RETTY HUTTON. HOLLYWOOD