To Chic Silber

This morning's Picture #6 below was taken out at Sid Kellner's place in Martinez, California, here is another shot taken the same day, how about that tub? I had just trained these three little guys "Sue", "Lovie" (after Kellner's wife) and "Jackie". Some years later Sid sold them to the Ringling Show and I immediately changed their names to "Sid", "Louie" and "Juno". I asked Kenneth how much he paid for them and got his standard answer, "More than I wanted to but a lot less than he was asking!"

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"Opal" on Ed Sullivan.

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When my Wife and I were Married she came with a little boy named Ben, a big Poodle dog named Robert  who liked me and a Chimpanzee named" Tommy" that was jealous and hated me. Sounds like something a Movie Script Writer would come up with. To get some kind of Family Harmony she reluctantly sold Tommy to Helen Haag who had a Chimp Act. A year or so later we appeared on the same Bill and to my surprise he remembered Barbara to a point Miss Haag had to ask her not to watch the act because it distracted him.

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Tony Gentry.

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Rudy and Sue Lenz.

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Ivan and Glen Henry. Descendants of the J.E. Henry Family.

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Great Story!

My wife had a Secret Admirer while we were with Circo London in Mexico who sent her this Floral display regularly. It just so happened that a delivery came while we were chatting with Kenneth Feld who was visiting and she asked, "Will we get this with Ringling Bros.?" and he replied....." Certainly!.....just leave a forwarding address!"

#1 Little Chitlins'

Visiting the Ringling Show with the latest addition. John Herriot in the background commented, "You look funny carrying that bag.....I carried one around almost all of my Adult Life!

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Finale!

From Roger Smith

Our "Duchess", Rebecca Apponey, faces a life-changing turn of events.  It began last week when she was out for an hour of shopping at a church clothing sale.  Upon her return, she found the Humane Society confiscating the 14 dogs in her care, her mobile home taped shut with "red tag" signs forbidding occupancy, and hostile police who placed her under arrest for animal cruelty.  She knew at once this came from a shrewish neighbor woman down the street, but the moment went against her.  She was taken down, charged, and given a court date for September 27th.  She was released on her own recognizance, since, as her friends all know, she has no record.   The City has condemned her mobile home and it will be demolished.  She plans to move into a converted garage out back.  She told me there has always been an abundance of food for her animals, and people constantly bring her donations, including cases of bottled water.  The animals, dogs and cats, are sheltered from the heat and cold, and given their veterinary care by volunteers, who know her kennel is a last resort for unwanted pets.  She makes no secret of being 74, and what is happening to her now is having a telling effect, which I heard in her voice.    Duchess wanted her friends on this blog to know the story, but made a repeated point of not asking for money.   But the time is certainly now for good showfolks to send her the deeply needed encouraging word.  She is off-line, so her snail mail address is: 2702 Roosevelt Avenue, Granite City, IL 62040-1929.    The phone number I use to reach her is:  (618) 210-4188.  This is our chance to show The Duchess that we're all keeping it in Center Ring. Roger Smith

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