Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-02-22

OUR DOG IN CHURCH.-He was a little fius-
tered on first entering the chapel-so many peo-
pie there, and all sitting so quiet. In this there
was something awsome for our dog, and when
out of this unnatural quiet they rose suddenly
to sing, our dog was frightened, and would have
run out of doors, only the doors were closed.
He soon recovered himself. They were only
folks, after all-Such as he saw every day in the
street and house.
He began to recognize one after another. He
tried TO get up little sociabiIty with them, but
they took little or no notice of him. Everybody
seemed strangely constrained and altered Our
dog is Il pet, and this cut him. But his is self.
reliant, recuperative nature, so he threw himself
on his own resources for amusement. He was
delightfully."- ignorant Of the proprieties 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 organist, and wagged his tail
at him. The Organlst 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 first on one side and
tnen on the other. Then he went back and re-
smelt them all over again; also the organ.
That was little curious. There might be 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, to get at the mystery.
choir. They seemed to be having good time;
of course, he wanted hand or paw in it him
self. 1t was of no use. He stood and looked,
and wagged his white bushy tail at them as
hard as he could. But, selfsnly, they kept all
their pleasure to themselves. So he left the
choir and came down again among the cOngre-
cation. There, sure enough, were two little
girls on the back seat. He knew them; he had
enjoyed many rOmp with them. Just the
thingl Up he 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 churchp
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 a pew, jumped on it,, and behind the peo-
pies backs, and walked to get in front of the
little girls, that he might have an explanation
with them. just then the hymn ceased. Every
body sat down with the subdued crash of silk
and hroadCoth. Everybody on that bench came
near sitting on our dog. 1t was a terrible scram-
bic TO get out.
Still he kept employed. There was line of
chairs in the aisle. In one of these deliberately
sat our dog. If everybody would do nothing
but sit still and look at the man in the pulpit
so would he. But somehow he moved one hind
leg inadvertently. 1t slipped over the chairs
edge. Our dog slipped over with it, and came
as near tumbling as being with four legs can.
All this made noise, and attracted attention.
Little boys and girls and big boys and girls
snickered and snorted and strained as only peO-
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 fun. The sexton gave up the chase;
it was running the sermon. Our dog was sorry
to see him go and sit down; he stood at dis
tance and looked at him. as if to say, "Well,
amt you going to try it again p
No. No more of that Nobody was doing
anything save that man in the pulpit. Our dog
would 90 up and see what all that was about
So he marched up the main aisle, and as he did
so he W yed, in a majestic and patrOnizlng sort
of way, his busy tail, and seemed to say, "Well
you can sit here, glum and silent, if you've
mind to. | do no such thing. Pm a dog;
need none of your preaching; Pm superior to
all that. Things go easy enough with me, with
out coming here once week to SIT silent, sad
melancholy and stupid, and be scolded at by a
man whom you pay for II.
Then, in an innocent and touching ignorance
that he was violating all the prophecies OF time
and place, our 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 congregations at
tentlon 10 nmselt. Tic stoOu lleTe duu sur
veyed that audience with a confidence and as
surance which, to a nervous and inexperienced
speaker, would be better than gold or diamonds
He didn't care. He smet of the minister. He
thought he'd try and see IL the latter were in
mood for any 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 at him puzzled cur dog.
lie could see no sense in 1t. Some little boys
and girls did smile as he stood there; seeming
ly, those smiles were for him. But so soon as
he reciprocated the apparent attention, so soon
as he .,,,ade for them, the smiles would vanish,
the faces become solemn, Aud 80 at last, with