The Carbon County news. [volume] (Red Lodge, Mont.) 1924-1931, 1930-09-18
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From The River Of Life
BY E. p. coNWELL
BY E. p. CoNWELL

/
der now occupied by the Tiny-Mlte
golf course there stood a livery
stable owned, operated and con-
trolled by James Virtue who in
the afternoon of a useful and sun
ny life is yet one of our venerable
and most respected citizens. His
stable known wherever good liv-
cry horses were known, was the
Mecca toward which anyone de-
string good livery turnout let
his footsteps stray should he be in
this section of the Treasure state.
It's fame spread far and wide for
the hospitality of its owner whose
motto was, they'll take you there
and they'll bring you back re-
ferring of course to the handsome
steeds that were hired out to the
travelling men and others desir-
ing up-to-date, safe, speedy AMI
satisfying livery service.
He kept one horse, however.
that was an exception to the rule
"a rangy white gelding whose ca
rly education for speed had been
sadly neglected. but he was safe
and was kept for the special use
of spooners and sparkers, the fore
runners of the neckers and PETERS
of the present day. His name was
Sure Shot and perhaps you re-
member that later a gushing, TO-
600 Dbl. a day, oil we'll on which a
score or two of Red Lodge people
became millionaires was named af-
ter him. $50 Sure Shot was not
named the charger because of his
speedy proclivities ?" asked my CO.
mpanion. NO. l answered. che
was called the Charger, not in the
usual exception of that term but
because nearly everyone who used
him used to charge their account
after doing so. Most of the elder
business men and miners and even
many of the farmers hereabouts
owe their successful romantic adj
ventures to the patience and fore
sight of Sure Shot, the Charger.
He was slow of foot, one could dr.
i've him with one hand and he never
made more than four miles an
hour, if the moon was shining he
he used to stop in the shade of the
first tree he'd come to. If it wasn't
he'd stop anyway. He was a spec
ial favorite of the young ladies of
his day for if they had to walk
back they never had to travel more
than two and half or three miles.
Just the other day. last Tuesday.
to be exact, we'll known Red
Lodge business man stopped Mr..
Virtue on the street and handed
him a check for $73.66. "How
Gomez" asked Mr.. Virtue, "You
don't owe me anything that l
know Of" eyes, I do answered
aforesaid" I owe you a million
If the truth were known. Years
ago one Summer evening I hired
Sure Shot from you and took my
girl out for a drive. Oh, how I
loved that girl. She was perfect
blonde with rosy cheeks, ruby lips
and tresses of gold. The moon was
shining and the air was balmy and
freighted with the delectable
breath of June flowers as we
started on drive that promised
to make the pleasures of a Mid
summer Nights Dream seem like
mere second hand work. Old Sure
Shot, true to his custom, stopped
under the first tree and there the
trouble started. She upbraided me
for not hiring a better horse and
to make long story short Sure
Shot baked and we both walked
back The next week she married
my successful rival and they NOV
ed to Spokane. Had [ been X-rayed
my heart would have been found
broke just about in two. But time
is great healer, even of hurt
hearts. She came back here for a
visit the other day and | saw her
with her hair cut and her clo-
thes shortened up for the first
time. Oh, boy, how I blessed the
memory of old Sure Shot. No, yon
must take the money, and wait,
understand that there is a move
ment on foot to erect monument
to Sure Shot in the center of the
,thoroughfare where Eleventh St
rect intersects Broadway. If so, I
wish to head the subscription
list with a contribution of $780,"
(To be concluded