The Lafayette advertiser. [volume] (Vermilionville [i.e. Lafayette], La.) 1865-19??, 1909-12-17

&9na D NOw 01as -
One thousand nine hundred and
hine years ago, in the days OF the
mighty Herod, there lay upon a hill
.kide not far from Bethlehem, one Ben
Joseph. the shepherd. son OF Joseph
~ Jefa. Ben Joseph was almost IL
|Aow, and had been a shepherd nearly
|os aong as he could remember. Prac-
all his life he had strolled e
the hillsides with his charges through
cut the days, and when night had
|eome had laid himself down to sleep
them with a s~heepskin for his
and . sheepskin for his mantle.
And in those long years of loneliness
he had grown strong Of body and wild
|o3 spirit, knowing little of faith, hope
Tor charity and caring less; believing
lOnly in the law of recompense and
that an eye was fair exchange for an
ieye and . tooth for a tooth. For he
tWho tends sheep among the barren
(hills must Craze them seven days a
week, while as for the soul it can NJ
starve q little while longer and
fno harm done. So as time passed,
while his sheep grew plentiful and fat,
his soul grew small and lean and was
lseldom thought Of, for in his idle
hours by day he did nothing but play
upon his reed pipe. while in the early
hours Of night. after the sheep had
jbeen gathered together he lay upon
his back and looked up at the stars
until the principal ones were as ia
Imiliar to his eyes as we're the bell
.Wethers of his flock. True, he knew
almost nothing about the sparkling
bodies Of space and gave little thought
~ to how they came to be there, yet
iGor all that he could shut his eyes
ind picture the consultations before
his mind az most boys can the faces
~ their ~playmates. This was because
he could not read. had no n to talk
10 and ri hard pressed for means by
which to occupy his brain when the
darkness fell.
Now while Ben Joseph was Silent
and rather surly Of face, he wal only
fncliped to b wicked when aroused.
At those times. however, he was apt
70 be a. savage and merciless a. q
wolf. for It was then that the blood
lust burned hot In his throat. And It
happened that upon the day Of which
We are speaking he was nursing .
great rage, for while he had been
sleeping . few nights before some
enemy had crept into his flock and
cut the threats Of three Of his finest
ewes. And this deed meant that very
had times e in store for Ben 10
Deph indeed, for when his master
came to count the sheep and found
che three missing. Ben Joseph knew
chat he would be beaten with a star
until he could scarcely hobble. and
oven worse than that, he would be
charged with their value; . sum
which It would take him months Of
watching to repay. And, furthermore,
h knew who had committed the das-
hardly crime. 1t was none other than
Hadad. who herded his flock in
the hills to the westward and with
cWhom Ben Joseph had quarreled and
Sought q year before. and who now
Aad como prowling across hill and
valley In the dark Of the moon for his
.1evenge. and that Ben Joseph might
D soundly beaten in payment for the
whipping which he himself had re.
Oeaved. In his haste the marauder had
Nropped the red stone which he al.
ways o . . charm, and Ben 10.
oeph picking It up among the dead
aoAeep had instantly known to whom II
iOolonged. and ct that knowledge the
hot blood taste had arisen strong in
~ throat and hate for his enemy get
HI Blood on Are. Muttering he had
-;oworn to himself that he should have
In revenge.
And oA this night he was formulat.
1t his plans. II Ben Hadsa could
upon him IN the middle OF the
1lght md kin his sheep. then certain.
~ he COLD creep upon Ben Hadad
oaA Nm him FOR were not his feet a
Nit and his eaEs q keen ~ those Of
80 1aAf And having put his Toe out
~ tn way he could take three Of HID
tQWee and bring them back to his own
1907 - replace the dead ones. and IN
Sgh1D way Ct one stroke rid himself q
- dangerous enemy and escape the
a(1oating and loss Of wages that he
cneW Otherwise must b his. Clearly
k va he oAly thing 70 do. and arts.
~ q the early darAness he felt Of
- o0ge e his knife and finding II
1onfv kn0n m0ngh h naiRnA his