Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-10-09

| say, Look at Mr.. PICKERING
the freak hat that woman has
on. that's all right, but give us
a break and let us forget the
word as applied to ourselves"
You'll fipd. II YOU give them
a chance, that these are very
pleasant people. They're In the
Ripley Show, 80 named because
most OF them have been In the
|Believe-It-or-Not drawings and
|e X n bits at the two recent
worlds fairs, and just now they
are In building on lower Wood
ward venue, a block from
where old Wonderland used 10
be--If you remember II.
Sealo is the best natured Of
the lot. In fact. his is a bubbling
deposition, and the rest enjoy
ing him around. Sealo was
born without arms, and his
hands, smaller tn a n average.
grow directly from his shout
ders.
He's the least seif-conscious.
In fact. he is the only one who
uses the word freak and he'll
tell you all about himself. He
sold papers in Pittsburgh before
he went into show business.
Sitting up on his own private
stage, he says he makes an ex-
cellent salary. has his own auto
mobile and n chauffeur (becau~e
he can't get license, of course),
and has been all over the world.
"Down In Cuba" he said, I'VE
got some rum to bring back
with us, and the fat lady Snug
gled II In for us. hidden under
her dress. They never noticed.
And then there was Dolly, the
midget, who had quite a case
On me :"
In other words, d on feel
sorry for them. because, hon.
estly. there is no need TO. They
enjoy life. Indeed, they do. Take
Christine. the Crocodile Girl.
She's happy. She has a quick.
friendly smile. In fact, III defy
YOU 10 find Sweeter smile than
the Crocodile Girls. OFF the
stage. she spends her m oney
buying nice clothes and cXpcn-
Sive wigs. And her hobby is
sewing!
Frances Murphy. the Gorilla
Girl, 10 named because she not
- has q luNuriant beard, but
bvered generally with dOwny
fir, stops 10 talk To the HALF
Girl. wee Frieda Pushnik. who
was born without arms or legs.
Gorilla Girl" indeed. Frances
passes the time talking 10
Frieda about the book she II
reading. Just now. between
shows. the Gorilla Girl Is read
ing "Tbe Sun Is My UndOing."
Then, Of course. there are the
Texas-born Sullivans; Leroy. a
roper and knife thrower. and
his wife. Roxy, championship
shot with a rifle, who shoots the
fire off LeRoy's cigaret while
he smokes il.
Sullivan asks il Id like 10
hold a cigaret in my m GU I h
while he cuts il in half by
throwing knife from the far
end of the platform. w h
not ?" I say. Sullivan asks me
10 stoop down a few inches be-
cause he's used TO throwing at
his wife, who is shorter than
! am.
You feel the knife whistle
past your face and it bangs into
The boards and hangs trembling
by It's point. The cigaret falls
in pieces.
Nothing 10 it," says Sulli-
van. except that paused a
split second to sec if you would
duck. After all. l never threw
a knife at you before and didn't
know what you'd do
Next time, he promises. Roxy
will shoot n cigaret out Of my
mouth. Meantime. where can
they get some bullets-.22 shorts
are as scarce as gold, and bull
let's are their business.
Rita Rizelle, the sword swal-
pr, now is swallowing neon
Nghs Harry King begs,
Don't call me a barker. That's
old-fashioned, like sawdust. Call
me show salesman" The
Monkey Girl-born with a long
tail-combS her blond hair be-
tween shows Captain Lewis,
the India rubber man, ties him
self in a knot while he talks TO
YOU, because that's comfortable.
and sitting up straight isn't
But hose are inCidentalS.
nAknr.,n.arn rninn ronnrNlnl