The Topeka state journal., 1902-12-09

'Jestice amt sloshin' around with her
protectin' arms thrown over verybody.
She calkerlates that every man with a
gun has got sand enough to purtect his
own It's only the man who has forgot
his shooter or has run short of cart
ridges who has any right to holler for
the purtection of jestice. 1t was an even
thing between. Joe and Bill from the
start JeStice wasn't in it. She WASH
needed. Bill bluned and Joe wilted. If
Joe couldn't call that hand he ought to
have felt doggoned mean to say any
thing about it, He might have pulled
trigger and recovered his own. but he
got down and walked seven miles to
demand jestice of me. Well, I'm going
to give it to him. and Bill as we'll The
verdict of this court is that both crit
ters be turned loose and run into the
bushes by an impetuous population, and
/ If either one of 'em ever dares show his
/ face ag'in in Sandy Bend he'll need a
new frame of bones to hang his shirt
on. As for the mule in question, he's
valued at $40. and he'll be seized upon
to pay the costs of bringin' this Iamen-
table case to a legal conclusion.
THE other case is that of Tom Wright
versus Jim Renshaw. and it contains a
/ legal pint or two on which authorities
! differ. Tom Wright is workin' a claim
over on Dead Hoss hill He has a cabin
and wife. Where he got that wife or
why she resembles a bladder of putty
and is known for fifty miles around as
! Sidppln sal Is none OF my D1Zn6SS. Sn2
and Tom was hvfn' together like two
j turtledoves, accordin' to his story, and
/ Tom had made her believe he was the
putiest thing in the kentry, when along
4 comes Jim Renshaw- Jim was went;n'
L a wife to run his shack but was too
burned mean to hunt up one in the reg
4 ular way. He takes shine to 'Slappin'
/ Sal, and to destroy the happiness of
4 that cabin home he says Toms mouth
/ is too big, his nose is too long his l.air
I iG off onl0 ali
out He gets the wife to takin' notice
of the husbands defects. and in half an
hour she rises I'D on her heels and says
she won't live with no sich scarecrow a
mint longer In the end she goes off
with the handsomer man.
Tom Wright has two guns. He sees
his wife walk off with another man.. He
turns TO his desolated hearthstun and see
nothin' left but the ashes of happiness.
Does he foller after and open fire on jim?
Does he whooD and howl or bluff? Not
any. He let's the pair go in peace and
noofs it across the hills to see ME and de-
| mand Justice
'.The first pint of law in this case is:
Has a bowleeged. slabsided, krcck-kueed
1 critter like Tom Wright any legal right to
shyster lawyers in town say he has, while
J this court says he hasn't and. is prepared
( to enter shootin match to uphold mis-
: pint No. is: Has wife a legal right
to pack her duds and walk off any time
she feels she can do better? Agin this
court is opposed to the opinion Of six shy
sters. They contend not, but my verdict
is that she has The right and Will be pur-
tected in maintainin' it.
"Havin' now disposed of the p'ints of
law, w1ich haven't caused me to lose any
Sleep I will dispose of the case-that is /
have disposed of it. When I was over at
the Jail hour ago. purity fair specim an
of a man was hangin' around there with a
wistful look on his face.
Z" What dye want? says I.
.' "A wife says he
8. What sort of a wife2'
q Most anything that can fry bacon.
1T strikes me the best way out Of
this nuddle is to get rid of Slappin Sal
so I turns her loose and she goes off with
the stranger and is three miles away ny
this time. The plaintiff and defendant win
be turned loose after forkn' over the legal
| costs. and If they want to foIIer on and
get up a row over in Woodchuck county,
| I haven't the slightest objections. Wood
chuck is out of my jurisdiction, and the
wabble legged dispenser of jestice for that
territory kin handle the case to suit his
self.
LAS the docket is now clear, we will adj
| journ court and get across the creek in
time to witness the boss race set for 'leven
| o clock. I'm bettin' two. to the
spotted hoss, but 1t don't legally foller ttat
all the rest of We must foller suit be
| guilty Of contempt of court. I seek to dis
pense jestice. not to barrel up the glorious
! air of freedom and keep my own mouth
at tie bunghole. '-(Copyrigh 1902, by r..
4 4 \