South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1920-08-01

erow up. But Luke was struck with
that sort OF parental foolishness
that never could understand. AL
the way riding from the station back
70 the ranch, he kept pulling that
decree out OF his pocket and laying
his finger on the back OF IL and
reading OF 10 me the sum and sub
stance OF IL Custody OF the child.
Bud says he. Don't forget It
custody OF the child
But when we hits the ranch we
finds our decree of court obviated
nolle pressed. and remanded for
trial. Mrs. Summers and the kid
was gone. They tell US that an hour
after me and Luke had started for
San Antoine she had team hitched
and lit cut for the nearest station
with her trunk and the youngster.
Luke takes out HIS decree once
more and read off its emoluments.
1t amt possible, Bud says he.
for this 70 be. It's contrary 10 law
and order. It's wrote as plain as day
heRe-"Cus-to-dy Of the child
There is what you might call a
human leaning says l, toward
smashing EN- both-not 10 mention
the child
Judge Simmons goes on Luke,
is a incorporated officer of the law.
She can't take the boy away He
belongs 10 me by statutes passed and
approved by the state OF Texas
And he's removed from the jur-
isdiction Of mundane mandamuses'
says 1. by the unearthiy statutes OF
female Partially. Let US praise the
Lord and be thankful for whatever
small mercies-' I begins; but I see
Luke don't listen 10 me. Tired as
he was. he calls for a fresh horse
and starts back again for the sta
ton.
He come back two weeks after
ward, not saying much.
1--WE can't get the trail says he:
but we've done all the telegraphing
that the wires'll stand. and we've
got these city rangers they call de-
tectives on the lookout In the
meantime. Bud says he. well round
up them COWS on Brush Creek, and
wait for the law TO take its course "
And after that we never alluded
to illusions. as you might say.
skipping over much what hap
pened In the next Il years. Luke was
made sheriff OF Mojada county. He
made me his office deputy. Now,
don't get In your mind no wrong ap-
partitions of a office deputy doing
sums in q box or smashing letters in
a cider press. In them days his job
was TO watch the back windows so
nobody didn't plug the sheriff In
the rear while he was adding up
mileage at his desk in front. And
in them days I had qualifications
for the Job And there was law and
order in Mojada county, and school
books, and all the whisky you
wanted. and the government built
its own battleships instead of collect
ing nickels from the school children
TO do II with. And as I say, there
was law and order instead OF en-
actments and restrictions such as
disfgure our umpire state today. We
had our office at Bildad, the county
seat, from which we emerged forth
on necessary occasions 10 soothe
whatever fracases and unrest that
might occur in our jurisdiction.
Skipping over much what hap
pened while me and Luke was
sheriff, / want TO give you an idea
of how the law was respected in
them days. Luke was what you
would call one Of the most conscious
men in the world. He never knew
much book law. but he had the inner
emoluments OF justice and mercy in
culcated into his system. If a re-
spectacle citizen shot a Mexican or
held up q. train and cleaned out the