Johnstown High School - Spectator Yearbook (Johnstown, PA)

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28 SPECTATOR The Greedy Shepherd Once upon a time there lived in the South two brothers whose business it was to keep sheep on a green, grassy plain, which was bounded on one side by a forest, and on the other by high hills. No one lived on that plain but shepherds, who dwelt in low cottages, and watched their sheep so carefully that no lamb was ever lost. Not one of these shepherds had ever traveled beyond the foot of the forest. There were none among them more careful than these two brothers, one of whom was called Covetous, and the other Kind. Although these two men were brothers, there could not be two more unlike in disposition. Covetous thought of nothing but to snatch and keep some profit for himself, while Kind would share his last morsel with any one. The greedy mind of Covetous made him keep all his father’s sheep, after the old man was dead, because he was the eld- est brother, allowing Kind nothing but the place of a servant to help him to look after them. About twice a year traders would come to this far off land to trade their goods and money for the wool clipped from the backs of the sheep. One time near Christmas a trading party came to get some wool from Covetous and Kind. They praised the wool of Covetous’ flocks above all they had seen on the plain, and gave them the highest price for it. This was an unlucky day for Covetous’ flock, because ever after that he would clip the sheep as bare as if they had been shaven, and as soon as the wool grew long enough to keep them warm he was ready with the shears again. Kind didn’t want his brother to do this and they had many a quarrel over it, but Covetous tried to persuade him that close clipping was good for the sheep. Covetous sold the wool and stored up his profits, and as one year passed after another, the shepherds began to think him a very rich man. It was summer again and the wool had grown well. Covetous had taken two crops off his sheep, and was think- ing of taking the third, although the days were now begin-

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SPECTATOR 27 You say that even though these things are true, the nat- ural trees furnish more enjoyment for the children than do the artificial trees. Granted. But are not the beauties and necessities of nature of more importance than a week’s pleas- ure? At the end of the week the tree is taken down and we pay to have it hauled away. I think it is an acknowledged fact that it does not seem so much like Christmas if we do not have a Christmas tree, but generally speaking, it is not so much the kind of tree we have as the mere idea that we are celebrating the old Christmas custom. So why not deny ourselves the little pleasure of having evergreen trees at the expense of nature and in their stead buy artificial Christmas trees, which can be made to give just as much pleasure and to express as truly the spirit of the season.

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SPECTATOR 29 ning to be chilly. One day before Covetous had clipped the sheep, first the lambs, and then the ewes began to stray away; and search where the brothers would, none of them were ever found again. Covetous blamed Kind with being careless, although he knew it was not his fault. The flocks grew smaller and smaller every day, and all the brothers could find out was that the closest clipped were the first to go. The other shepherds, to whom he had boasted of his wool, were not sorry to see pride having a fall. Most of the shepherds pitied Kind, but still the flocks strayed away until there were only three old ewes left. One glorious midsummer evening while the two broth- ers were watching their sheep, Covetous said, “Brother, there is wool to be had on their backs.” Kind was grieved to see his brother so greedy, and to divert his mind, looked up at the great hills, while his brother went for the shears. The hills seemed to comfort Kind. The far ofif heights were growing crimson, and as he looked, three creatures like sheep ran up one of the hills, as fleet as any deer. When Covetous returned, the two brothers were much surprised to find the three ewes gone. Covetous’ first ques- tion was what had become of them, and when Kind told him what he had seen he scolded him with might and main for lifting his eyes off them. Before the father of Kind and Covetous had died, he told them there were great shepherds living beyond the hills. The next morning the brothers resolved to go beyond the hills to see if they could be taken as shepherd boys. They took the direction the sheep had taken and by noon reached the cleft where they sat down to rest. Their feet were sore and their hearts heavy; but as they sat there, a sound of music floated down the hills, as if a thousand shepherds were playing music on their summits. They foll- owed the sound up the cleft, and at sunset they came to the hill top. Here thousands of sheep were feeding, while an old man sat in the midst of them playing his flute. “Good father,” said Kind, “tell us what land this is, and where we can find service; for my brother and I are good shepherds.”