The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1919-08-21
THE VALUE OF "A
SHEPHERD

realize, mostly by remarks from
the British shepherd; and as years
rolled by and it became my part to
join in the work on low land and high
land, on the deep, strong soil of a
Merse farm, on the purple sweeps of
Lammermoor, or the green hillsides
of Cheviot, there came an apprecia-
ton of the Border shepherd; and then
as l grew older and went farther
afield, learned that in the far north
ern areas of Scotland, in deep valley
and on mountain fell, the silent watch
ers and their faithful collies were in
their way unique, silent but skillful, a
bit cunning, but honest to their en-
or Hampshire downs it was the same.
The brand may be justly called perfec-
ton. so far as human nature can
/ touch that point. In the Border land,
my calf country, among the peasantry,
a slendid class of laborers, big brawny,
capable and well hefted (attached) to
the soil, the shepherd easily stood out
as first in the class. Away amidst the
hills where the wild foxes wander, they
were especially intelligent They led
for the most part of the year an easy,
philosophical life, trained from in
fancy to observe keenly, with sharp
eyes, that ranged far and near over
the landscape. They lived with ma
ture and in a somewhat solitary life
they had time for reading and re-
Fiction One of them, James Hogg,
pave US "The Skylark" and Bonnie
Kilmeny," two gems of poetic fancy,
and any number of them dabbled with
the Muse. On the other hand, they
were intensely suspicious, reticent, yet
with long ears for gossip.
Numbers of them have come to this
country and have been successful.
And yet, the germ they brought from
English meadowlands and Scottish
dales has not spread. 1t is dormant,
no fruition, no bread cast on waters to
be gathered many days after. We
have lots of good sheepmen; very few +
good shepherds, men like Bradburn, !
Noel Gibson, Kleinheinz, Andy Little
or Tom Turnbull. The average farm
err is duffer with sheep and no lee
turing or pounding can put into his
head the superlative merit of few
sheep on every farm which leads on
to intensive husbandry, fertilizes his
soil and checks weeds, that prolific
crop that costs this country endless
millions of dollars 1t is impossible
to tell in figures what poor farming
costs this country and how far ahead
,ur British cousins gain upon US by in
,ensive farming and the great atten-
ion given to the flock. The sheep is
he most gentle and kindly of our
arm animals and while the most inno-
.ent being, more or less foolish in its
absolute dependence on its leader, it
ends itself to companionship. How
delightful it is to watch it nibble the
,rass in field or front yard, or away
Up on mountain sides as it follows
he verdure of melting SHOWS. The
,oet throws round it mystic part,
Weaving love stories into the scenes
hat charm the eye and mellow your
cart as you walk amid green fields or
'Ander by sparkling streams.
But we do not appreciate this side
f farm life. The instructive earnest
ess of the shepherd is almost I'M
nown in our makeup and as a prac-
cal result we have two kinds of
neep herders, including these small
wners There are of course excep-
ions, but as a rule in our central
,ates the sheep is more or less of
nisance, kept for scavenger pur-
oses. Then out West we have the
obo sheep herder, or the dormant
eutral Mexican herder who does his
est and in a way performs his duty.
ut as rule his mind is just about
vacant as that of his charges. This
estern sheep business has few fine
,ints about it The methods are
ugh and ready, any sentimental
uches being sent promptly to the
background. The British shepherd is
e result of Unborn earnestness, hon
ty and instinct for centuries. Sons
low fathers in their vocation and by