Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1886-03-09
MARRIAGE IN THE EARLY
DAYS.
A Raw Justice Performs the cere
uony in His Own Way.
lcapt. Jack Crawford in \. Y. wOr

lCapt. Jack Crawford in n. Y. world.l
Back in the early days, when the
ship of civilization was endeavoring
to push its prov up the valley ofthe
Platte and brawny workmen were
spiking down the rails of the Union
Pacific railroad, the proceedings in
some Of the courts Of justice were
peculiar. Lawyers were about as
scarce as they are in the promised
land, and Justice, not being provided
with the traditional scales, perform
cd some remarkable guesswork. AT
that time | was in the Indian service
and for time was stationed at Lone
Tree, in the beautiful valley of the
Platte. The town consisted of a half
dozen hastily constructed houses, the
majority built of sods. There were
a few settlers near the town-hardy
pioneers who had taken up govern
ment land and who lived in constant
danger of attack from Satan's earth
lycorps. the Sioux.
One of the eccentric characters of
the town was Jimmy Crane, a time
beaten frontiersman, uneducated, un-
polished and, as travelling mission
airy once said, ungodly. His life had
been spent west of the auburn waters
of the Missouri, and he knew as lit
tie of the ways of civilization as an
Apache Indian knows of the modern
plan of salvation. He was dead
shot with the rifle, an ardent lover
of whisky and an expert at draw po-
ker, but aside from these he had no
religious accomplishments worth
speaking of.
Bill Bennett, the justice Of the peace
in and for that precinct, had a mis-
understanding one night with Jerry
Manson over the very important
point of who played low in game of
seven-up, and after the funeral it be-
came necessary to elect man to sue
ceed him. With that spirit OF reck-
lessness which characterizes the
frontiersman and as a rich joke the
boys nominated Jimmy, and, to car
ry out the joke, elected him. The
high honor so Unexpectedly thrust
upon the old man broke him all up.
but he at once rose to the dignity of
the position and began to comb his
hair daily. His knowledge of law
and of the duties of his posi-
ton was limited-in fact, he
didn't know the difference be-
tween a writ of replevin and all act
of congress, and couldn't distinguish
peace warrant from the ten COM
mandments, but he assumed the re-
sponsibility fearlcssly, and smiled be-
nignly when the boys addressed him
as Judge"
A few days after his installation In
to office a young couple appeared be-
fore him to be married Jimmy was
in quandary. He had never seen the
marriage ceremony performed, but
determined to worry through the
embarrassing affair as he best could
Bidding the couple to stand before
him he said:
"Dearly beloved fellow citizens
these young folks now appear before
you to indulge in the holiness o. mat
ermony, accordin' TO Scriptu' an thu
laws O this court. If any ofyor
knows any cause why they shouldn'
make the play, you want to squea
right at this stage o. the game, o
corral yer jaws on the subject furev
ermore."
No objection was heard, and th'
justice continued:
"lIop up yer right hans"
The couple blushingly obeyed.
ado you an each Of you solemn!
sw'ar that you will marry each othe
in the presence O. this court; tha
you will no the squar' thing by eacl
other; that you will give everybod
else the go-by, an cling to each 9th
er through life till death calls upol
you to cash in your earthly check
! am that you will be to each othe
husban' an wife, accordin' to the Law
an the prophets am the rules al
regulations o. this honor'ble court II
sich cases made an pervided, so hel
ye Golp
: The couple so swore.
Jimmy was sweating profusel
over the exertion, and after scratch
: ing his head to collect his thoughts
= continued:
"Then l. James Crane, justice 9
d the peace, announce you as husbai
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