The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1897-03-02
CoNsUMPTIVE SHEPHERDS.
Many Weak LunGed Men Follow the Oc.
cupatlon In California.


Many Weak Lunsed Mcn Follow the oc-
cupatlon 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 q world wide fame The reason
for it IS not hard to find. 1t Is be-
cause the men are different In al.
most every woy, particularly in dis
position. And, after all, the differ
cnce 10 to largo extent caused by
the animals they care for.
Tho villainous cowboy who would
rather fight than cat and thinks
that the noblest things iii the world
are forms Of dissipation can get no
satisfaction for his nature in caring
for such eontlo creatures as sheep.
He wants something that he can
swear at, like q 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
on pony as vicious as the gteer-or
himself, for that mattcr--and ride
through small settlements like
demon. The beasts in his care ore
not easily hurt, and ho can abuse
them as much as he feels like by
lassoing them, throwing them down
and branding them. There is nothing
that gives cowboy asmuch pleasure
as branding q bull that has given
him considerable trouble. IIo likes
to see the creature eluirm III agony
as ho presses the hot iron into its
flesh. TO kill ono that is demoraliz-
ing to the herd is the height of his
delight,
In marked contrast to this indi-
vidual is the. sheep hcrdor- that is,
tho majority of sheep horicrs. To
be sure, there are somo almost as
bad as tho cowboys, but they are
for the most part mon who are en-
ployel by ranchora for so much a
month and are delegated TO tho work
as they might be 10 any other work |
on tho ranch. But they don't like
it. Tho real sheep hcrder and he is
largely in the majority, is the man
who follows it in preference to any
thing clsc. A man who IS attached |
to tho work would rather watch
sheep on the hills than be the prosi-
dent of bank.
Another class Of men who watch
sheep arc 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
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, it
man has plenty of money he can get
these things without herding sheep,
but there ere many men who need
-hem badly who have no money,
md all who have taken advantage
Of this knowledge have surely been
benefited. A number of men who
have taken up sheep hcrding have
become so fascinated with it that
hey stuck to it long after they got
)vcr tho trouble.
OF course it is not an easy matter
% get employment Of this kind, bat
f tho owner Of the range knows tho
applicant ho will bc almost sure 20
give him work, as ho knows he is
likely to get good service. The pay
s small, about &25 month and pro
'isions, which the man must cook
except when the sheep are
lose to tho ranchhouso. But this
loes not happen often. 1t is no mat
er whether the sheep herlcr is an
Id or now hand, the work expected
# hi..l will bo the same under any
circumstances. {
Sheep ranges in California arc {
cattored ell over tho state, hut tho
reater number of them can bo
ound in the foothills of tho Sierras
II the way from Sisliiyou to Teha-
hapi and on tho other side OF In
Tho work of looking -,
fter them lasts all year, although
noro must 10 done at ono time than '
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