The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-03-01
4 Dog I'm Cnurch-An A""S'NS
ScnnQ.

.,,.. a., cnurcn-An Amusing
Scene.
Ito was little clustered on first enteI'nS
Tho chapel---So many people there, auu "A
sitting SO auiet. In this there was sonte.
,h;n" swesome for Our Dog, and when out
If this unnatural quiet they rose suddenly
to sing. our rog was ir'snteheu, anu
aonrs We're closed. He soon recovered
h;mself Thev were only folks after all
smch as lie saw every day In street and
house.
Ilc began to recognize one after another.
he tried TO get I'D y little suitability with
them, but they took little or no notice OF
him. Everybody seemed tringely con
strained and altered. Our Dog1 Is apet'
aaa this cut him. But his Is a se h,-
lance. reeTperative nature, 80 e Nc ,rnem
himself on his own rksources tor Au IN .So
menf, He was deIlsh;n. Wy Ignorant OF Inc
prophecies of church OF Su ,ha c,ngreoa.
The choir is separated from 'ne eoms'eS ,n
ton only by slightly.raised p. a'iofm' oh
this walked Our Dog. melt first
of the organ; he then Snelt oil The o., ,miSt
and waeced his tail ut him. The oreA "., ~
looked with an amused and kindly eye, o,.'.
be could not stop. Our Dog then smeit "
the basso profundo he smelt oil the TENOR
he smelt them first on one side ana lheh on
the other. Then be went back ana re-
smelt them all over again also the orsai,.
That was little curious. Ihefe might NC
a chorus Of dogs inside, and that man at
the KEYS tormenting them. To him, at any
rate, it was not melody. He walked around
it. and smelt at every crack and corner 10
get at tue mystery. He tried 10 coa a: d
little familiarity out Of that choir. lhey
seemed to be having good time OF course
he wanted hand!or paw in IT h'mseh. IL
was of no use. He stood and looked, anu
wapged his white, bushv TAFT at item as
hard AS be could. But. scltshly, they kept
all their pleasure to themselves. SO he lett
the choir, and came down again among Inc
congregation. There, sure enough, were
two little girls on the back seat. lie knew
them; he had enjoyed many romp WIN
them. just the thing! up he jumped
with his paws on that back seat YET even
they were in no humor Tor piE A. t eneS
other as If to say, :: Did you ever see such
conduct in church,"
1t was rebuff everywhere. Our Dog
would look closer into this matter. Inc
congregation were all standing up. So we
walked to the open end of the pew, jumped
on 1t and behind the peoples backs, ana
walked to get in front Of the little girls tha1
he might have an explanation with them.
sat dow with the suUdued crash OF SIX anu
broadcloth. Everybody on that bench
came near sitting on our Dog. 1t WAS IL
terrible scramble TO get out.
Still he kept employed. There was
line of chairs in the aisle. IN one oil these
deliberately eat Our Dog. If everybody
would do nothing hut sit still and look at
that man in the pulpit, so would he. But
somehow he moved one hind leg lnadVeft-
emily. 1t sipped over the chairs edge.
Our Dog slipped over with it, and came as
near tumbling as a beng with four legs
can. All this made NOISE and attracted
attention. Little boys and girls and big
boys and girls snickered and snorted ana
strained, as only people can smoker, snort,
and strain where they ought not 10. Even r
some of the elders made queer faces. Inc
sexton then tried TO put Our Dog out. But
he had no idea of going. lie had come
with our folks, and he was not going untll
they went.
The strange man grabbed for him. and he
lodged him time aud again with all MS ma
tive grace and agility. This was something
like; it was lun. The sexton gave up tlie
chase; it was running the sermon. Our
Dog was sorry to see him 90 and sit down !;
he stood at y distance and looked at him,
IA If to say, "Well, Amt you going to try
it again"
No; no more of that. Nobody was doing
anything save that man In the pulpit. Cur
Dog would 10 and see what all that was
about. SO he marched up the man aisle,
and as he did SO he waved In majestic ana
patronizing sort Of way his buShy tail. and
It seemed to say, "Well, you can sit here,
glum and silent, il you've minu to. do
no such thing. Pm dog; need none OF
your preaching: Pm superior to all that.
Things 20 easy enough with me, without
coming here once week to sit silent, sad,
melancholy, and stupid, and be scolded ut
by Il man whom you pay Tor IT"
Then, in an innocent and touching IL
norance that he was violating all the pro.
prieties of time and place, Our Dog went
boldly up on the pulplt-Stalrs While our
minister was preaching, and stood anu
surveyed the congregation. Indeed, he
appropriated much OF that congregation
attention to himself. He stood there and
surveyed that audience with confidence
and assurance which, to 4 nervous and ill.,
experienced speaker, would be better than
gold or diamonds. He didn't care. He
smelt of the minister. He thought he'd
try and see if the latter were in mood ior
any sociability. No; he was buster than
any OF the rest. The stupidity and silence
Of all this crowd Of people who SIT there
and looked at him puzzled Our Dog.
He could see no sense in it. Some little
boys and girls did smile as he stood there
seemingly those smiles were TOR him. BUT
80 soon as he reciprocated the apparent at
tention, so soon rs he made for them, the
smiles would vanish, the faces become so.
lemn. And SO, at last, with yawn, Our
Dog flung himself on the aisle floor, laid bis
head on his fore paws, and counted over
the bsef bones he had buried during the
last weeS. Not a word Of the sermon
touched hnS; it went clear over his head
From Our MOI. thly Gossip IN Llppincott:
Magazine for Mo. On.