Oct. 06, 2007 - 21:22 MDT

TIMES OF OLD

It is a small eating establishment, but one that leads to a bit of nostalgic thought while scarfing down a sub sandwich.

Silver Mine Sub Shop is it's name, in a shopping center just off Leetsdale Drive and Monaco Parkway in East Denver.

It's done up nice, it is. Modern equipment on the serving side, but old timey on the customer's side.

Various photographs from the Denver Public Library's Western History section are on the wall there. One in particular struck my eye, a photo of Pay Rock Mill at Silver Plume, Colorado a mill built on the steep side of the mountain by a water course, many storied, of timber.

A pseudo old time sign says, "Leadville Blacksmith Since 1877", adds to the mystique. Another sign says, "King's Rock Gambling Hall" (Leave guns at bar) is another reminder of how things were in those days.

A well printed, large card, Probably a foot and a half by two and a half foot size, well done, makes its point, "Why walk around half dead when we can bury you for only $22.00" "Tombstone Undertakers" "Boothill still offers fine view plots from $12.00" "Ask about our layaway plan". That last one makes me ponder a bit, does the corpse have to pony up before he gets planted ? Or was it the earliest version of the prepaid funeral of today ?

There are two Wells Fargo cards about the same size advertising passenger service and transport of Silver and Gold dust, Bullion, Coin, and U.S. Mail, it goes into detail somewhat.

Sitting there with a large root beer and a brownie while Heather was getting a haircut, a crossword puzzle magazine in front of me suffering from inattention somewhat, what with looking at the old photos of mining operations and sinking myself deeper into the history of our state, I puff on an imaginary cigar while drinking a beer (also imaginary) and think a bit about what it took to be a man in those days, the hardships endured, the illnesses survived. Humans of those days, both men and women were tough, hardworking survivors of things that life dealt in those days.

Silver Mine Sub Shop is barely five minutes from the apartment complex we lived before we moved to Wheat Ridge some time ago. While waiting for Heather to undergo a haircut, I enjoyed my time there as I always do, Today - - - - gently steeped in TIMES OF OLD . . . . . . . . . . . .

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