The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1872-07-25
LAUGHING IN MEETIN.'
From the Christian Union.J
BY MRS Fl. B. STOWE.

4 0IOA " ao q u JILlsS one, CFGH W Ano1C oAoOL-
pllned nerves. Parson Lothrop had ex'
changed pull pits with Parson Summeral,
of North Wearem How, Parson Sum-
neral was man In the very outset likely
TO provoke the risibles of unspiritualized
juveniles. He was thin, wiry, frisky
little man, in a powdered white wig, black
tights, and silk stockings. with bright
knee. buckles an6 shoe. buckles, with round
dark, swapping eyes, and curious, high.
cracked squaking voice, the very first
tones CT which made all the children stare
and giggle. The news that Parson Sum
neral was going to preach in our village
spread abroad among US as a prelude to
, something funny It had flavor like
the charm of circus acting; and on the
Sunday morning of our story we went to
the house of God in a very hilarious state,
!, all ready to set off in laugh on the
slightest prOvocation.
The occasion was not long wanting.
Parson Lothrop had favorite dog yclept
Trip, whose behavior in meeting was no.
toriously far from that edifying pattern
which BELTS minister's dog on Sundays.
Trip was nervous dog, and dog that
never could be taught to conceal his emo
lions or to respect conventionalities. Ii
anything about the performance in the
singers seat did not please him, he was
apt to express himself in lugubrious
howl IF the sermon was longer than
suited him, he would cape with such q
loud creak Of his jaws as would arouse
everybody's attention.: If the flies dis
turbed his afternoons nap, he.would give
sudden snarls or snaps; or, if anything
troubled his dreams, he would bark out
in his sleep in manner not only to dis
pei his ewn slumbers but those Of GER
S tain worthy deacons and old ladies, whose
sanctuary repose was thereby sorely bro.
ken and troubled. For all, these reasons,
Madam Lothrop had been forced as a
general thing, to deny Trip the usual
sanctuary privileges OF good family dogs
in that age, and shut him up on Sundays
to private meditation. Trip, Of course
was only the more set on attendance, aud
would hide behind doors, jump out OF
windows, sneak through bywaYs and al
legs, and lie hid till the second bell had
done tolling, when suddenly he would APP.
pear IN the broad isle, innocent and happy
and take his seat as composediy as any
member ofthe congregation.
Imagine us youngsters on the qu5 0a06
with excitement at seeing Parson Sum
neral frisk up into the pulpit with all
the vivacity of black grasshopper. We
looked at each other and giggled very
cautiously, with due respect to aunt Lois
sharp observation.
At first, there was only mild, quiet
simmering of giggle, compressed decor
ously within the bounds Of propriety, and
we pursed our muscles up with stringent
resolution whenever we caught the appre
hensive eye of our elders.
But when directly after the closing
notes of tne tolling second bell Master
Trip walked gravely up the front aisle
and, seated himself squarely In front OF
the pulpit, raised his nose with a critical
air toward the scene Of the forthcoming
performance, it was too much for us-the
repression was almost convulsive. Trir
wore an alert, attentive air, BETTING q
sound orthodox dog who smells posi-
BILE heresy, and deems it his duty to watch
the performances narrowly.
Evidently he felt called upon to see
who and what were to occupy that pulpit
in his masters absence.
Up rose Parson Summcral, and up went
Trips nose, vibrating with intense atten
ton.
. The Parson began in his high cracked
voice to intone the hymn:
''Sing to the Lord aioud,'
when Trip broke IN with dismal howl
The Parson went on to give directions
to the deacon, in the same voice in which
he had been reading, SO that the whole
effect of the performance was somewhat
9 as follows: ...t
''Sing to the Lord aloud"
e ("Please to turn out that dog)-
''And make joyful sound,''
The dog was turned out, and the choir
did their best to make joyful noise, but
we boys were upset for the day, delivered
over to the temptations of Satan, and
plunged in waves and pillows of hysteri.
h cal giggle, from which neither winks nor
frown5 from Aunt Lois, nor the awful fear
!. Of the tithing man, nor the comforting
bits of fennel and anga.peel, passed us
by grandmother, could recover US.
Everybody felt, to be sure, that here
was a trial that called for some indul-
: gence. Hard faces even among the stoni-
est saints; betrayed transient culver of
the risible muscles, old ladies put up their
fans, youths and maidens in the singers
seat laughed outright, and for the mo.
ment general smoker among the chill.
dren was pardoned. But I was one of
that luckless kind whose nerves once set
IN vibration could not be composed When
the reign of gravity and decorum had re.
turned, Harry and | sat by each other,
shaking with suppressed laughter Every.
thing In the subsequent exercises took q
funny turn, and in the long prayer, when
everybody else was still and decorous. the
whole scene came over me with such
oVerpowering force that exploded with
laughter and had to be taken cut of meet
ing and marched home by aunt Lois, as
convicted criminal. What esneciallu