The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1893-12-27

CdGoSCIOJu0S.
Martin was a good and careful shep-
herd, and in spite of his failing was
never known to neglect the safety of his
sheep.
But on this morning as he crossed the
moors in the face Of that binding storm
he recognized the fact that it would take
him all his time to prevent many of
them from perishing in this storm. The
other shepherds were off, also, in differ
ent directions, but the district under
Martins special charge was the most re-
mote and the one soonest in danger,
because it lay in situation that exposed
it to the inclemency of the weather.
The snow came down in that fine,
powdery, impalpable sort of fashion
which denotes protracted and heavy
fall, and it was all that Martin could do
to keep to the track. Had he not been
the most experienced and weatherwise
Of pedestrians he must have inevitably
been lost at once.
The snow glued his eyelids together,
penetrated his clothing and froze upon
his face Even his dog Rover, a collie of
great sagacity and experience, required
some encouragement to induce him to
face the storm, and every now and again
he whined and drew closer to his mas
ter's heels, as though protesting against
the cruelty of nature.
Long before they reached the place
where the last flock of sheep were hud-
died helplessly together awaiting in stu
pid resignation their doom both man
and dog were about spent.
But at sight of the silly, frightened
sheep Rover gave joyous bark and
bounded forward at once, true to his in
stinct and training. With the stupidity
of their kind the creatures had chosen
the very worst spot they could have
selected wherein to abide during the
severity of the storm.
The wind whirled and eddied up a
narrow gorge and laid great wreaths of
snow all about their woolly sides.
Martin knew that if they could be
once driven around to the other side of
the hill, where the wind would keep the
ground comparatively free from snow,
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to be obtained from a hemel and a
roughly constructed foldyard, fenced
round with stone walls, there would be
little to dread, and they could be looked
after and fed, until the severity of the
storm was passed.
But it required considerable deter
mination to make the creatures move at
all, and still more to do so in tho teeth
of the cutting wind. The cold had
benumbed them and rendered them
almost torpid.
Rover's approach, however, reused
them to faint display Of animation,
and he began proceedings at once by
running around and biting, or pretend
ing to bite, the laggards, barking all the
while as loudly as his strength would al
low.
After minute or two they began to
move in the direction indicated to the
dog by his master, and very slowly, but
surely, they were gradually led away
from their dangerous situation into
safety. 1t took long time for them to
reach the other side Of the hill and to
find the part fenced in by the roughly
built and mortarless stone walls and
the hurdles, stuffed with ragged furze,
but the difficult task was accomplished
at length, and every sheep and yearling
lamb was folded safe.
Martin, the shepherd, gave great sigh
of relief as the last bleating straggler
passed through the gap, and he placed a