The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1871-03-04
Our DOG in Church.

! hHOhDllC AuA ShA ASNt5t N@AS
when out OF this unnatural quiet they
rose suddenly TO sing, Our Dog was
frightened, and would have run out O
doors, only the doors were closed. He
soon recovered himself. They were only
folks after all-such as he saw every day
in street and house. ... ..
He began to recognize one after an
other. He tried to get up little socia'
bility with them, but they took little OF
no notice of him. Everybody seemed
strangely constrained and altered. OuI
Dog Is 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."- igno'
rant Ofthe prophecies Of church or church
service. The choir Is separated from the
congregation only by q slightly raised
platform On this walked Our Dog.
Again there was singing. He smelt first
of the organ; hethen smelt OF the organ
ist, and wagged his tail at him. The
organist looked with m amused and
kindly eye, but he could not stop,
Our dog then smelt Of the bas'
so.profundO; he smclt Of the tenor;
he smelt them on one side and then on
the other. Then he went back and smelt
them all over again; also the organ. That
was little curious. There might be
chorus Of dogs inside, and that man at the
keys tormenting them. To him, at any
rate, It was not melody. Hc walked
around it and smeIt at every crack and
corner, to get at the mystery. He tried
to coax little familiarity out OF that
choir. They seemed to be having 0 good
time; of course he wanted hand, or a
paw in it himself. Itwas Of no use. He
stood and looked, and wagged his white
bushy tail at them as hard as he could.
But, selfishly, they kept oil their pleasure
to themselves. So he left the choir, and
came down among the congregation.
There, sure enough, were two little girls
on the back seat He knew them; he Ind
enjoyed many romp with them. just
tho thing! Up ho jumped with bis paws
on that back seat; yet even they were in
no humor for play. THEY pushed him
away, and looked at each other, as il Ia
say, ibid you ever see such conduct in
church p =. .r....
1t was rebuff everywhere. Our Dog
would look closer In this matter. The
congregation were all standing up. So
he walked to tho open end OfH pow,
Jumped on it and behind tho peoples
backs, and walked to get in front of the
little girls, that no might have an cxpla-
nation with them. Just then the hymn
ceased. Everybody sat down with the
subducd crash Of silk and broadClotll.
Everybody on TINT bench came near sit
ting on Our Dog. 1t was q terrible scram-
bic to get out.
Still he kept mo employed. There was
line Of chairs in the aisle. In one Of
these deliberately sat Our Dog. II every
body would do nothing but sit still and
look at that 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 rs u being
with four lCgc can. All this made noise,
and attracted attention. Little boys and
girls and big boys and girls sniCkered
and snorted and strained as only people
can snickcr snort and strain, where they
ought not IT, Even some Of tho 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 some.
thing like; it was indeed fun. Tho sex.
ton gave up the chase; 1t was running the
sermon. Our Dog wNs sorry to sec him
90 and sit down; he stood 1T distance
and looked ut him, as Ill to say, well,
amt you going 10 try 1t again"
No. No more of that Nobody was
doing anything save that man in tho pull
pit. Our Dog would 60 up and sec what
all that was about. SO he marched uI
the main aisle, and us he did so no waved
In II majestic and patrOniaing sort OF way
his bushy tail, and il seemed to say, swell
you can sit here, glum and silent, il you've
u mind TO- l do no such thing. I'm d
dog | need none Of your preaching; I'm
superior to all that. Things go easy
enough with me, without coming here
once week to sit silent, sad, melancholy
and stupid, and be scoldCd by man
whom you pay for it."
Then, in an innocent and touching is
nOrauce that he was violating all the pro
prieties Of place and time, Our Dog went
boldly up on the pulpit stairs while oul
minister was preaching, and stood and
surveyed the congregation. Indeed, he
appropriated much Of that congregations
attention to himself He stood there and
surveyed that audience with confidence
and assurance which, to u nervous ant
inexperienced speaker would he better
than gold or diamonds. He didn't care
He smelt of the minister. He thought
he'd try and sec II the latter were in {
mood for any sOCiability. No; he wa
buster than any Of the rest, The stupid
ty and silence of all this crowd OF people
who sat there aud looked at him puzzled
Our Dog. . ..-...
He could see no sense in it. Some littlC
boys and girls did smile us he stood there
seemingly those smiles were for him
But so soon US he reciprocated the appar
ent attention, so soon as he made for them
the smiles would vanish, the faces become
solemn. And so at last, with yawn
Our Dog flung himself on the aisle floor
laid his head on his fore paws and count
ed over the beef bones he had buried dur
ing the last week. Not u word Of the ser
mon touched him; it went clean over hi
head.-LippiaeOtfS Mdgd=inC.