The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1915-07-02
Judge Hoke Of
Sandy Bend
By M. QUAD

Copyright, 1016, by the Mcclure
Newspaper Syndicate.

Deen opened In u q q form
Judge HOke assumed what he con.
sidered a proper judicial dignity and
said:
This ar q cas such 40 We hev new
er had afore rs before, but W think
we kin ~straighten out the kinks and
do Jestice to all. Three days ago that
red headed crttter over thar, who calls
hisself Tom Jones, come hunpin' down
the trail from Big Find to AZ II thar
was any law In this kentry and to
h0ller fur jestice. He had q wife up
thar at Big Find. He went home one
evenin' to ind that she had skipped
with another man. The name Of that
man was Abe Skinner, and that's him
over thar with the broken nose.
What g1nerally happens out yego in
this land o. gold and hard times when
our wife runs away7 II we amt
mighty glad of 1t, which we mostly be,
we git on to her tracks and foller EN-
till we Overtake her. II she's alone
we take her by the a and lead her
back. II she's with a critter we pop
him over. Thar amt no law in the
case, but the custom is purity well
known. The man who steals another
mans wife expects to be popped by
the injoored husband, and be likewise
expects to pop that same injoored hus-
band If he gifts the chance.
"Tom Jones didn't pursoo. Thar was
the broad trail before him, and he had
guns and knives and a boss, but he
hadn't the sand. He jest comes a
humpin' down yere to boiler fur the
law and shrek fur jestice and to git
all men, includin' this court, down on
him fur his doggoneness. His wife,
who ar that female over thar with a
mouth as big as a bar'l, had gone OF
with Abe Skinner as aforesaid and
had him headed for 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 n eye
gone. Jim he stops 'em and z
"'Abe Skinner, what you got tharT
IA female
"'Who is sheT'
atom Jones' wife
"'And what you a-doin' with herr
"'A-runnin' away to Sandy Bend
"'Then you needn't go no further.
I've been wantin' a wife fur the last
six months, and I reckon I'll take her
OF your hands!
WAL" 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 rarn that the woman OBJ
jected to the change. On the contrary.
thar is evidence that she didn't keer a
continental, as Jim Hope is 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 fellers
yellin' fur jestice and q 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. l was jest goin' out to
hunt fur one.'
"'What you meanT
81 want q female woman fur a 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 Earn 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 EN-
a-wantin', and SO l tells the constable
to arrest Joe and the woman. Yere's
four men and one woman, and the Law
pears to be purity badly tangled up.
Fustly, Tom Jones. is this woman your
wifeT"
"Sartin she is," answered Tom.
"Hev you got the dockyments to
prove 1T"
mo, but I married her in the Injun
Territory a var ago."
"Waal. this court has nothin' to do
with the Injun Territory, and that mar
rage won't stand yere unless the WON
an wants It to. Mrs. Jones, 40 I will
call you. what made ye run away from
TOm2"
"Got tired Of him." replied the wo-
man.
do you prefer Jim Hope or Joe
ScOtt?"
II amt pertickler."
THAT makes the case easier. Hank
Williams, stand up"
Hank stood up and proved to be 3
middle aged man Of decent appearance.
Flank. dye want a wife7" asked the
court.
II dew" was the reply.
Then III marry ye to this woman"
flank Williams, will ye take this de-
Iuded woman to be yer lawful wife2"
"You bet"
And will ye cherish and defend her
and keep all the other critters Off,
Il WILL"
Mrs. Jones, ye hear what the critter
sez. Ye may be married, and ye may
not be, but this court amt a1goin' to run
any chances Of any future rows and
killin's. VII ye take Hank for better
or wuss?"
"ReckOn So"
"And will do yer best3"