A ‘Fortune’ Teller – In the Truest Sense

By Bennett Owen

Credit: Yahoo.News

Virginia City, Montana sits on the remains of one the most lucrative gold rush sites of the pioneer west. The US Assay Office estimates that $90-million in gold was extracted from Alder Gulch between 1863 and 1889 – and given the price of the precious metal nowadays, that value soars to – count the zeros - $40,000,000,000.

Man with a rocker cradling for gold near Virginia City, Mont. Terr. By Jackson, 1871 Credit: Marion Doss

Now, the popular ghost town is celebrating a lucrative find of a much different kind… namely, a 100-year old fortune telling contraption that’s gathered dust in a back room of the "Gypsy Arcade" which has the nation's largest collection of woking music machines and arcade games from the early 20th century. 

Credit: Ernie Hathaway

The Gypsy Fortune Teller – drop a nickel in the slot and her eyes would flash, and her teeth chatter as a mysterious voice told you your fortune. Yikes! The 'eyes' have it!

The Montana Heritage Commission has found that the Gypsy is one of only two or three “verbal” fortune-tellers left in the world! And magician David Copperfield has gone a step further, saying he believes it’s the only one. He’s reportedly offered $2-million for the relic, hoping to make it the crown jewel in his collection of turn-of the century penny arcade games.

Credit: nicolekiss.blogspot

Now a bidding war has broken out and experts say the piece might ultimately fetch upwards of $10-million.  I wonder if one of the Gypsy’s fortunes went something like, “you will fall back-asswards into boo-koo dolores”? Now that’s a fortune worth telling about.

Read the Chicago Sun Times account here.

Virginia City, Montana, c. 1939.  Credit: Library of Congress

Virginia City, Montana, c. 1939.  Credit: Library of Congress

Montana Politics - Irons in the Fire

By Bennett Owen

Credit: KTVQ.com

Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer has been vetoing legislation he decries as “frivolous” almost as fast as the state legislature can crank it out.

Credit: KJA18.com

Credit: Cody Bloomsburg

Never the shrinking violet, he’s now brought out his “VETO” branding iron to ceremoniously transform those bills into puffs of smoke, although he does vow to stop short of the castration that takes place during real branding parties. 

Credit: KTVQ.com

In what was surely a gesture of conciliation, legislators responded with a branding iron of their own, which will emboss the governor’s initials on anything it touches…

Credit: KXLH.com

Now, we figure any politician with that kind of moxie should have his deeds immortalized in song, and therefore we offer:

VETO!

(Must sing to the tune of “Branded” Here’s the original, in case you forgot how it goes…)

VETO!

He was governor…
Up in Helena…
And they say he gave them Hell…

VETO! Pen mightier than sword!
What do you do with a VETO?
His popularity soared!

Schweitzer’s branding iron….
Branded him a star…
Now he’s re-booked for Colbert…

VETO! Public Relations ploy!
What do you do with your VETO?
Well you play the cowboy!

But his work’s never done cause they’ve already tried….
To OVERRIDE!

Good Thing She Didn't Come From Poughkeepsie

by Bennett Owen

Credit: erjkprunczyk

Montana native - ranch hand - rodeo rider - actor.  The monumental Gary Cooper died 50 years ago this week. In his first full-length talking movie, "The Virginian", he delivered one of the legendary lines in the history of western films: "If You Wanna Call Me That...Smile..."

Credit: Answers.com

"In Rodeo you get paid to stay on a horse. In movies you get paid to fall off." Gary Cooper

Credit: Spiritofthebear.com

"In Westerns you were permitted to kiss your horse but never your girl." Gary Cooper

Credit: Moviefone.com

"Nan Collins, my manager, came from Gary, Indiana and suggested I adopt that name. She felt it was more exciting than Frank. I figured I’d give it a try. Good thing she didn’t come from Poughkeepsie."  Gary Cooper

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