Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1897-03-11
CONSERVATIVE SHEPHERDS.
Many Weak Lung~d Men Follow tho oo-
cupation In California

Many Weak Lungcd Men Follow tho oo-
cupation In California
The California shepherd is an in
dividual almost entirely unknown
to the rest of tho world. Even the
residents of the state hardly know
of his existence while the cowboy
has n world wide fame. Tho reason
for it Is not hard to find 1t il be-
cause the men are different i'll al
most every way, particularly in dis
position. And, after all, the differ
enCe il to IA large extent caused by
the animals they care for.
The villainous cowboy who would
rather fight than cat and thinks
that the noblcst things in the world
are forms of dissipation can get no
satisfaction for his nature in caring
for such gentle creatures as sheep.
He wants something that he can
swear at, like vicious steer, that
would be only too glad to gore him
to death if he would let it. He
wants to dash wildly over the range
himself, for that matter-and ride
through small settlements like a
demon. The beasts in his care are
not easily hurt, and he can abuse
them as much as he feels like by
lassoing them, throwing them down
and branding them. There is nothing
that gives II cowboy asmuch pleasure
as branding bull that has given
him considerable trouble. He likes
to see the creature squirm in agony
as he presses the hot iron into it's
flesh. To kill one that is demoraliz-
ing to the herd is the height of his
delight.
In marked contrast to this indi-
vidual is the sheep herder-that is,
the majority of sheep herdcrs. To
be sure, there are some almost as
bad as the cowboys, but they are
for the most part men who are en-
ployed by ranchers for SO much
month and are delegated to the work
as they might he to any other work
on the ranch But they don't like
it The real sheep hcrdcr, and he is
largely in the majority, is the man
who follows it i'll preference to any
thing else. A man who is attached
to the work would rather watch
sheep on the hills than be the presi-
dent of bank.
Another class of men who watch
sheep are those who do it for their
health. Dozens of men claim to
have been cured Of consumption
simply by putting in several months
at watching sheep. The work gives
what is most required in the deadly
disease-plenty of fresh air, moder-
ate exercise and employment that is
not wearing on the brain, but is still
enough to keep it occupied and pre-
vent nervousness. OF course, if q
man has plenty of money he can get
these things without herding sheep,
but there are many men who need
them badly who have no money,
and all who have taken advantage
of this knowledge have surely been
benefited A number of men who
have taken up sheep herding have
become SO fascinated with it that
they stuck to it long after they got
over the trouble.
OF course it Is not an easy matter
to get employment of this kind, but
If the owner of the range knows the
applicant he will he almost sure to
give him work, rs he knows he is
likely to get good service. The pay
is small, about $25 Il month and pro-
visions, which the man must cook
himself, except when the sheep arc
close to the runchhousc But this
does not happen often. 1t is no mat
ter whether the sheep herder is an
old or Il new hand, the work expected
of him will lie the same under any
circumstances
Sheep ranges in California are
scattered al over the state, but the
greater number of them can be
found i'll the foothills of the Sierras
all the way from Siskiyou to Teha-
chapi and ON the other side of the
mountains. The work of looking
after them lasts all year, although
| more must bc done at one time than
another. San Francisco Call