The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1871-04-15
VSaY Dog i'm Church.

Our Dog i'm Church.
He was little fustered on first entering the
chapel-so many people there, and all sitting so
quiet. In this there something awesome for
Our Dog, and when out of this unnatural quiet
they rose suddenly to sing Our Dog was fright
ened, and would have run out of doors, only the
doors were closed. He soon recovered himself
They were only folks after all--snch as he saw
every day il street and house
He began to recognize one after another. He
tried to get up little sociability with them, but
they took little notice of him. Every body
seemed strangely constrained and altered. Our
Dog is pet and this cut him. But his is self
reliant, recaperative nature so he threw himself
on his own resources for amusement He was
delightfully."- ignorant of the propretes of church
| or church service. The choir is separated from
the congregation only by slightly raised plat
form. On this walked Our Dog Again there
was singing. He smelt first of the organ; he
then smelt Of the orgauist, and wagged his tail
at him. The organist looked with an amused
and kindly eye, but he could not stop. Our Dog
then smelt of the basso.profundo: he smelt of the
tenor he smelt them on side aud then on
the other. Then he went back and re-smelt them
all over again, also the organ That was u little
curious. There might be a chorus Of dogs in
side, and THAI man at the keys tormenting tnsm.
10 him. at any rate it was not melody. He
walked around it and smelt at every crack and
corner, to get at the mystery. He tried 70 coax
little Familiarity out of that choir They seem.
ed to be having good time of course he wanted
hand or paw in it himself. 1t was of no use.
He stood and looked and wagged his white
bushy tail az tbs n as hard as he could. But sci.
fishly, they kept their pleasure to themselves
SO he left the choir, and came down again among
the congregation. There, sure enough. were
two little girls on the back seat. He knew them !;
he had enjoyed many roInp with them. just
the thing Uphe jumped with his paws on that
back seat; yet even they were in no humor for
play They pushed him away, and looked at
each other, as If to say, Did you ever see such
conduct in church 7"
1t was rebuff everywhere. Our Dog would
look closer into this matter. The congregation
were all standing up. So he walked to the open
end OF pew, jumped on it and behind the peo-
pies backs, and walked to get in front of the lit.
tie girls, that he might have an explanation
with them. just then the hymn ceased. Every
body sat down with the subdued crash Of elk
and broadcloth. Every body ON that bench .rne
near sitting on Our Dog. 1t was a terrible
scramble to get out.
Still he kept me employed. There was line
of chairs in the aisle In one of these deliberate
ly sat Our Dog. If every body would do nothing
but sit still and look at the man in the pulpit,
leg inadvertently. 1t slipped over the chairs
edge. Our Dog slipped over with it, and came
Us near tumbling being with four legs can
All this made noise, and attracted attention
Little boys and girls and big boys and girls
| sniekered, and snOr.ed and strained as only PEG.
pie can smoker, snort and strain where they
ought not to- Even some of the elders made
| queer faces. The sexton then tried to put Our
Dog out. But he had no idea of going. He had
come with our folks, and he Was not going until
they went. The strange man grabbed for him,
| and he lodged him time and again with all his
native grace and agility. This was something
like; it WAS indeed fun. The sexton gave up
| the chase; it was running the sermon. Our Dog
was sorry to see him 90 and sit down he stood
At distance and looked at him as if 10 saw.
"Well, amt you going to try it again ~
No. No more Of that. Nobody was doing
anything save that man in the pulpit Our Dog
would 20 up and see what all that was about So
he marched up the main aisle, and as he did so
he waived, in a ma estic and patronizng sort of
way his tall II seemed to say, "Well, you can sit
here glum and silent, if you've mind to.
do no such thing, I'm dog; I need none of
your preaching; I'm superior to all that Things
90 easy enough with me, without coming here
once week to sit silent, sad, melancholy and
stupid, and be scolded by man whom you pay
for H."
Then, in an innocent and touching Ignorance
that he was violating all the propretes of time
and place, Oar Dog went boldly up on the pulpit
stairs while our minister was preaching, and
stood and surveyed the congregation. Indeed,
he appropriated much of that congregation, at.
tention TO himself He stood there sud surveyed
that audience with a confidence and assurance
which, TO a nervous and inexperienced speaker,
would be better than gold or diamonds. He didn't
care. He smelt of the minister. He ,aouyht
he'd try and see If tho latter were in IL mood for
sociability. No; he was buster than any of the
rest. The stupidity and silence of all this crowd
of people, who sat there and looked, puzzled Our
Dog.
He could see no sense in it. Some lutte bows
and girls did smile as he stood there, seemingly
those smiles were for him. But 50 soon as he re.
ciprocated the apparent attention, NO seon AS he
made for them, the smiles would vanish, the
faces become solemn. And 80, At last, with n
yawn. Our Dog flung himself on the aisle floor,
laid his head on his fore paws and counted over
tho beef bones he had buried during tho last
week. Not word of the sermon touched
him it went clear over his head.-LippiacoNs
MonMly