The Sumter watchman. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1855-1881, 1871-04-05
DEVOTED TO LITERATURE MORALITY AND GENERAL lNTELGENC
4 DOG IN CHURCH--AN AMUSING
SCENE

a D0G IN CfaURCH-AN AMUSING
| SCENE.
He was q little Hustered On first en-.
teriug the chapel-so many people there,
and all sitting SO quiet. In this there
was something awesome 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 street and house.
He began to recognize one after an
other. He tried to get up little
sociability with them, but they took little
or NO notice Of him. Everybody seemed
strangely constrained and altered. Our
Dog IS u pet, and this cut him. But
his is self.reliance, recuperative ma
ture, so be threw himself on his own
resources for amusement. lie was
delightfully."- ignorant Of the proprieties
ofehurch or church service. The choir
Is separated from the congregation only
by slightly raised platform. On this
walked Our Dog.
| Again there was singing. He smelt
first of the organ 4; he then smelt of the
organist 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 profu ndo /;
he smels of the tenor; he smelt them
first on one side aud then on the other.
lhen he went back and resuelt them all
over again also the organ. That was
q little curious. There might be q
chorus of dogs inside, and that mau at
the keys tormentipg them. TO him, at
any rate, 1t was not melody. He walked
around it, and smels at every crack aud
corner to get at the mystery. He tried
to coax little familiarity out Of that
choir. They seemed to be having a
good time; Of course he wanted hand
or paw in it himself. 1t vac of no use.
He stood and looked, and wagged his
white, bushy tail at them as hard as be
could. But, sel6shly, they kept all
their pleasure to themselves. So he left
the choir, and came down again among
the congregation. There, sure enough,
we're two little girls on the back seat
lie knew them; he had enjoyed many
a romp with :hem. Just the thing Up
he Jumped with his paws on that back
seat; yet even they we're in NO humor
for play. They pushed him away, aud
looked at each other as if to say, "Did
YOU ever see such conduct in church :"
Il was rebuff everywhere. Our Dog
would look closer into this matter. The
congregation we're all standing up. So
he walked to the open end oil the pew,
jumped on it and behind the peoples
backs. and walked to get in front Of the
little girls that he might have an e1pla-
nation with them. just then the hymn
ceased. Everybody sat down With the
subduei crash of silk and broadclo.h
Everybody on that bench came near
sitting on Our Dog. 1t vas terrible
scramble to get out.
Still he kept employed. There was
| liue of chairs iu the aisle. In one of
these deliberately sat Our Dog. If
everybody 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 as a
being With four legs can. All this made
a noise and attracted attention. Little
boys aud girls and big boys and girls
suickereo and suorted and strained, as
only people can snicksr, snort, and
strain where they ought not to. Even
some Of the eidera 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 be was not
going until they went.
The strange man grabbed for him,
and he lodged him time and again with
all bis native grace and agility. This
was something like; it was fun. The
sexton gave up the chase; it was ruin
ing the sermon. Our Dog was sorry to
see him 90 aud sit down; be stood at Q
distance aud locked at him, as it to say,
"Well, amt you going to try it again y
No; no more Of that. Nobody was
doing anything save that man in the
pulpit. Our Deg would 60 and see
what all that was about. So he marched
up the main ais'e, and as he did SO he
waved iu s majestic and patronising
sort of way his bushy tail, and it seemed
to say, "WeIl you can sit here, glum
and silent, if you've mind to. lido nc
such thing. Tam dog; l need none
Of your preaching; Pam superior to al
that. Things 60 easy enough with me
vsthout coming here once week to 81!
silent, sad, melancholy, and stupid, and
be scolded at By man whom you pay
| for it."
Then, in an innoceet and touching
ignorance that he was violating all the
proprieties Of time aud place, Our Dog
vent boldly up on the pulpit.siairs while
our minister vas preaching, and stood
aud surveyed the congregation. Indeed
he appropriated much Of that eougre-.
cation's attention to himself. He stood
there aud surveyed that audience with
q confidence and assurance which, to Q
nervous aud inexperienced speaker