Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1908-12-24
a Shepherds Christmas.

DARK mountain pdtu W tue HtVie
church. Soon other lanterns joined
his. and now and then the Pickering
lights played on the bright dress of 8
girl or the eager face Of child, bu'
for the most part the shsdowy figures
gave no hint of race or degree, unit
ut last the little crowd gathered into a
poorly lighted room, where the flare
of an oil lamp showed motley gath
ering of country people.
As the boy slouched toward a seat
girl stopped him. She wore pink
knitted hood, and her cheeks rlValed
the col of her head covering.
merry Chris mue, she said, and
gave him coquettish glance from her
bright eyes as he returned her greet
Ing.
The boy walked By her side little
awkwardly, but unafraid. He was ls,
and he lived on the mills. 1t was the
time for love, and the girl was his
chosen mate. After the festivities
they would go up the dark path to-
gether, and he would kiss her at the
door of her fathers cabin, and that
would be their betrothal.
They sat together on the front
bench and read from the same hymn
book. The boy sang softly. He
would not let cut his voice in the lit
tie room it was only on the mountain
top that the deep tones rang like a
bell as he chanted wild song to his
sheep.
Tue thought of the sheep brought
uneasiness. Up there on the noun.
tain his flock lay waiting tor him to
come and open to them the shelter OF
their shed, but the temptation to go
a-pleasurlng had been great, and the
smile of the pink-cheeked girl, the
music, the lights, the companionship,
had lured him from the lonely watch
under the stars.
Then the girl whispered to him, and
he forgot care, until little later an
outer door opened, and man stepped
in, his shoulders white with glistening
fakes.
"Its snowin', said the boy.
The girl nodded, but kept her eyes
on the stage, where tonr small girls
recited a Christmas poem in unison.
Again the boys thoughts flew to
the mountain, where the snow was
blowing and curling and drifting
against a closed door and where the
patient flock, nose to nose and body
to body for warmth, bleated for the
shepherd who did not come.
At last he moved restlessly. "I've
got to Co." he said.
mo, you hain't," her voice pleaded
Its fearful Storm he whispered
Hear the wind, an the sheep are
out
They hain't a-goin' to hurt, she
whispered back, IAN you got to go
home with me-
Your pap's here, he said.
"If you don't stay" and now she
threatened querulously, "if you don't
stay, I'll go home with Jed"
The boy looked at her, at her rose
red cheeks, at her blue eyes, at the
thin line of her scarlet lips. "But the
sheep he said, uncertainty.
The new minister was speaking en-
Enthusiastically, yearning to move this
lethargio people. The boy listened
with face slight. Through the long
hours of his childhood be had sat in
the sunshine and dreamed OF great
deeds. With the awakened impulses
of youth, he had trsmped the forests
and wondered what life meant to the
men who were not of the mountains
And now he knew, for the minister
was voicing the doctrine of endeavor.
1t was not emotion that made the
world better, but energy; one must
not only dream, but one nust do. The
great men were those who were faith
ful in the little things.
Remember that tonight We make
merry, he said finally, "but in the
year to come we must work-work for
the souls that are within the fold aud
as the shepherd cares for his sheep. so
must we care for those who go astrsy."
"As the shepherd cares for his
sheep The words struck the boy
with the force Of a blow. He halt
rose in his seat, but the girl reached