The times., 1897-05-02
JUDGE HOKE, OF SANDY BEND.

JUDGE HUkE, OF SANDY BEND.
When the court al Sandy Bend had been
opened in due and legal form, Judge Hoke
assumed what he considered proper ju-
dieiaI dignity and said:
This ar a case as we hev never had
afore us before, but we think We kin
straightep out the kinks and do jestice To
all Three days ago that red-headed critter
over thar, who calls hisseif Tom Jones,
come hunpin down the trail from Big Find
TO ak IL thar was any law In this kentry
and to holler fer jestice. He had a wife
up thar al Big Find He went home one
eyenin to find that she had skipped out
with another man. The name of that mar
was Abe Skinner, and that S him over thar
with the broken nose
What ginerally happens out yere In
this land o gold and heather and hard
times when our wife runs away? If we
amt mighty glad of it, which we most
ly be, we git onto her tracks and fol-
Ter 'em till we overtake her. II she's
alone we take her by the car and lead
her back If she's with the critter we
pop him over. Thar amt no law in the
case, but the custom is purity well known
III
expects TO be popped by the injoorcd hus-
band, and be likewise expects 10 pop that
same inioored husbandif ifhe gifts the chance.
Tom Jones didn't pursoo. Thar was
the broad trail before him, and he had
guns and knives and hoss, tut he hadn't
the sand. lie jest comes hrmpin' down
yere TO hoiler fur the law and shrek fur
Jestice, and TO git all men, inclutiin this
court, down On him fur his doggoneness.
His wife, who ar that female over thar,
with mouth as big as bar'l, had gone off
with Abe Skinner, as aforesaid, and had
headed fur this very camp. AS they flies
from Big Find they meets up With Jim Hope,
who's the cuss over thar with the game
leg and one eye gone. Jim he stops 'em
and seZ:
Abe Skinner, what yo' got there?'
"a female
81 Who is she?'
"'Tom Jones wife,
And what yo a-doin' with her?s
'A-runnin away to Sandy Bend
'' Then you needn't go no fulder I've
bin wantin' n wife fur the last six months,
and reckon III take her off your hands,
WALL" continued his honor, ''Jim Hope
he had his gun plump on Abe Skinner, and
his finger on the trigger, and Abe had to
give in. This yere court can't Parn that
the woman objected to the change. On the
contrary, there is evidence that she didn't
keer continental, as Jim Hopeis a better
lookin' critter than Abe Skinner. The
couple heads this way by the trail, while
Abe Skinner takes a short cut, and arrives
fustly. and comes to me to yell fur jestice.
Thar's two fehers a-yellin' fur jestice,
and third one with the woman. The
woman gifts yere in doc time, along with
Jim Hope, and over by the creek they
meets Joe Scott, who stops to say:
Jim Hope, was jest gon' out to hunt
fur one'
What ye mean to do?'
Il want female woma n fur wife, and
you git down and skip!'
:. Thar was a gun on Jim, and he had
TO give the woman up. This court can't
learn that she shed a tear or did any
kickin', but Jim he comes whoopin' down
to me and wants law and jestice and all
that. That makes three of 'em a-wantin',
and so 1 tells the constable to arrest zoe
and the woman. Yere's four men and one
woman, and thelaw pears to be purity badly
tangled up. Fustly, Tom Jones, is this
woman your wife?"
"Sartin she is," answered Tom.
''Hev yo' got the dockments to prove
it?'
NO; but 1 married her in the Injm Ter
ritOry q var ago"
wall, this yere court has nuthin' to do
with the Injun Territory, and that mar
riage won't stand yere onless the woman
wants it to. Mrs. Jones, as / will call We,
what made We run away from Tom?''
Got tired of him." replied the woman
do you prefer Jim Hope or Joe Scutt?"
II amt pertickler."
''That makes the case easier pank
Williams stand up!''
Hank stood up and proved to he a middle
aged man of decent appearance
Hank, dye want a wife?' asked the
court
II dew" was the reply.
"Then I'll marry ye to this woman Eoth
OF ye stand up yere."
But 1 say 1 married herr persisted
Tom Jones.
II know ye say SO, but the Injun Ter
ritory don't go yere. What We is arter
is jestice fur all hands The woman
didn't like ye, and skipped. Ye didn't
go arter her and pop over Abe Skin
ner, and so we've lost her. fine We SO
fur disturbin' the court. Jim Hope, ye
took the woman from Abe Skinner By force
OF arms and then lost her to joe Scott
Ye want jestice. and I'll fine We $2J Joe
Scott, ye leveled gun at Jim Hope and
made him gin up the woman, and the con-
stable had TO arrest We. / guess fine
OF $15 will hit you. dse
I'm aginiti' shouted the three men, IN
chorus. .t'l44a
THAT makes no difference. Unanswered
his honor ..The fines stand, and yen