The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1897-11-19


pungent odor and a tInkling Of little
bells. Over the crest Of an adjacent hill
appeared the flock browsing on the
rank sage.
''Tbey do look some like mules" he
soliloquizcd, "ancI I'll bet I'm the only I
irishman in AIMED ever owned a
herd of sheep"
Winter came and passed, and the |
only Irishmap prospered. BY roofing
in a cut with brush he had commodious
sheds. and cross-sections OF poles d.
ylded the broad ditch into as many
corals as he chose. The sheep were fat
and carried heavy heeces.
Whalen had for help two boys who
had wandered there and asked for
work. He had proposed 10 hire one OF
them, but the boys protested that they
had never been separated, and that II
they got Jobs at different ranches 1.-The
other one wouldn't know where the
other one was contingency which
they could not abide. SO Whalen offer
ed to take the two at the price OF one,
and on that basis they shared with him
the shack, herded the flock, and cooked
the grub. They soon knew as much.
or as little, about sheep as Brick him
self; and the proprietor found opportu-
nifty to break the monotony of camp
! life by occasional trips to the railroad
and once to San Francisco.
I'm going TO see my friend Martin
he told the boys. "Now tend to bust
ness and don't lei any get away" And
the boys gave their word that not one
should escape.
During Whalen's absence In the city
he went out Of the sheep business even
more abruptly than he went into It the
previous autumn. The instruction to
the boys was fulfilled to the letter
not any got away.
1t happened on hot day In June
when, contrary to usual custom. the
boys brought the flock to camp and the
shade OF sheds at noontime. 1t never
rains In that arid region. but sometimes
pours. This was one OF those times.
Charged with Ice ard water, n great
black cloud came drifting down the
wind. and emptied out its load upon
the camp and the hillside above 1t.
The canal, curving around Its base,
formed an eave-trough for the whole
mountain and poured several thousand
inches OF water into Whalen's impro-
ysed sheep-sheds. The flood very soon
subsidized, but when the cloud had pass
ed and the sun again shone forth, there
were no living sheep. Not many min
utes are required to drown rat In a
hole.
Meanwhile the boys, greatly fright
ened by the sudden storm, and with no
thought for the safety of the flock.
were in the shack. The hail pounded
and the wind shook IT, Water covered
the floor
Pray, Billy" said the one on the
barrel.
mo, you do it, he answered from
the tabletop.
The shack had no window. and, with
the door closed, 1t was pretty dark In
there. When Whalen reached home
two hours later. the floor was still wet
and the boys We're yet roosting on
table and barrel, but outside, in the
bright sunlight. the ground appeared
already almost dry. A solitary goat
stood upon the shed roof; he had beeu
among the sheep In the pen.
You can't keep good man down
any more than you can a goat" was
Bricks comment on the catastrophe.
While Whalen was working the boys
double time at pulling the wool from
the dead sheep, he had the happy
thought OF stocking his ranch with
bees. Having money enough from the
proceeds of his wool sale to buy hun
bred stands, he promptly carried the
thought into effect.
Again he sat down In the door OF his
shack to double his money"
, "Thls is better than sheep" said he
! for they herds themselves. And they
, are like mules in one thing-you ART
liable to get hurt If You fool with 'em.
This wave of prosperity broke up as
: soon as former ones had done, for he
had imported a bad case of foul brood
/, and within year the hundred swarm:
had petered out. When we went dow
I there last summer In the interest of d
new company which has taken up tn,
r work of completing the canal, Whaler
: gathered the bones out of the old shet
in the cut and hauled them to the rail
n road, where he sold them for fertilizer
. realizing enough to buy two more
a mules. With his four-mule team he Il
at work in the ditch for days wages
+ Somewhat grizzled now. and not s,
: brick-red OF hair and whlsker as for
@ merly. he is happy as ever. and san
n guine that he Will double his money.
. Here's hoping" that he may.-Sal
: Francisco Argonaut.
Title of Admiral.
Ii should here be explained that tn