ETHEL ERMINE
By
T. GROVER ROSS
ETHEL ERMINE IS DIFFERENT FROM ANY ERMINE YOU WILL EVER KNOW. ERMINE ARE HUNTERS AND WILL ATTACK ANIMALS MUCH BIGGER AND WILL NOT BACK DOWN FROM HUMANS. ETHEL IS ALL OF THAT, BUT MORE. ETHEL LOVES TO SING. SHE KNOWS ALL THE SHOW TUNES AND CAN BELT OUT A NUMBER AS IF SHE WAS A BROADWAY STAR. SHE ALSO SINGS SONGS OF THE DESERT BETWEEN EI PASO, TEXAS AND CARLSBAD, NEW MEXICO.
ETHEL IS A SMALL ANIMAL WITH A BIG HEART, A BEAUTIFUL COAT THAT IS TREASURED BY WOMEN OF THE WORLD OVER. SHE EATS ANIMALS, FEATHERS, FUR, SKIN, AND BONES. SHE LIKES RODENTS, BIRDS, FROGS AND WORMS. SHE LIVES IN A BURROW OR DUG OUT WITH MULTIPLE ENTRANCES AND EXITS. ETHEL DECORATES WITH GRASSES. LEAVES, FUR, AND “STUFF”.
BUT, ETHEL’S PLEASURE IS SINGING. IT IS VERY UNUSUAL TO FIND A ERMINE THAT SINGS. ESPECIALLY, AS GOOD AS ETHEL SINGS. HER FAVORITE SONG IS “EVERYTHING IS COMING UP ROSES”. BUT, ANY BROADWAY SHOW TUNE IS A FAVORITE. SONGS FROM “ANNIE”, “CAMELOT”, AND “OKLAHOMA” TOP HER LIST OF TOP SHOWS.
BUT, ETHEL HAS WRITTEN SONGS WITH A WESTERN FLAVOR. SONGS LIKE “I’LL LASSO YOU IN EL PASO”, “BE MY DESSERT IN THE DESERT”, “BIRDS, FEATHERS AND BONES”, AND “SAND AND SANDWICHES”.
IF YOU TRAVEL FROM EL PASO TO CARLSBAD, YOU MIGHT HEAR ETHEL BELTING OUT SONG AFTER SONG SOMEWHERE IN OR AROUND THE GUADALUPE MOUNTAINS PASS AND THE PLATEAU ON THE WAY TO CARLSBAD. PEOPLE STOP THEIR CARS AND TRY TO FIND THE SOURCE OF ETHEL’S STRONG SHOW BUSINESS VOICE. SHE MAY BE BELTING OUT “THERE’S NO BUSINESS LIKE SHOW BUSINESS” OR A TUNE FROM “THE SOUND OF MUSIC”, OR “ANNIE”.
THERE HAS NEVER BEEN AN ERMINE LIKE ETHEL. THERE MAY NEVER EVER BE A SINGING ERMINE IN HISTORY EVER AGAIN. BUT, ETHEL IS AN EXCELLENT HUNTER WHO CAN BELT OUT A SHOW TUNE LIKE FEW HAVE EVER DONE.
Top of Page