Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1872-09-13

AN AMUSING SCENE.

He was little flustered on first entering
the chapel-so many people there, and ali
sitting SO quiet. II this there was some
thing 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 another.
He tried to get up little sociability with
them, but they took little or no notice of
him. Every body seemed strangely con-
strained and altered. Our Dog is pet,
and this cut him. But his is self-reliance,
recuperative nature, so he threw himself
On his own resources for amusement. He
was delightfully."- ignorant of The properties
of church or church service. The choir is
separated from the congregation only by a
slightly-raised platform. 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 organ;st
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 then first on one side and then 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 the mystery. He tried to
coax little familiarity out of that choir
They seemed to be having good time Of
course he wanted hand or a paw in it
himself. 1t was of no use. He stood and
looked, and wagge6 his white, bushy tail
at them as hard as he could. But, seltishly,
they kept all their pleasure to themselves
So he left the choir, and came down again
among the congregation. There, sure
enough, were two little girls on the back
seat. lie knew them ; he had enjoyed
many romp with them. Just the thing /!
Up he jumped with his paws on that back
| scat yet even they were in no humor for
play. They pushed him away, and looked
at each other as if to say, &c Did you ever
see such conduct in church 2"
1t was rebuff everywhere. Our Dog
would look closer into this matter The
congregation were all standing up. So we
walked to the open end of the pew, jumped
Oh it and behind the peoples backs, and
walked to get in front of the little girls that
AAO 1ldFC WIFI IL.
just then the hymn ceased. Everybody
on that bench came near sitting on Our
Dog. 1t was a terrible scramble to get
out.
Still he kept employed. There was a
line of chairs in the aisle. In one of these
deliberately sat Our Dog. If everybody
would do nothing but sit still and look al
that man in the pulpit, so would he. But
somehow he moved one hind leg mad
vertently. 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 people can snicker, snort
and strain where they ought rot to. Ever
some of the elders made queer faces. The
| sexton then tried to put Our Dog out. Bu
he had no idea of going. He had come
with our folks, and he was not going unit
they went.
The strange man grabbed for him, anG
he lodged him time and again with all his
native grace and agility. This was some
thing like; it was fun. The sexton gave
Up the chase; it was running the Sermon
Our Dog was sorry to see him go aud si
down; he stood at a distance and looked al
him, as if TO say, Well, aint you going tt
try it again -
No; no more of that. Nobody was do
ing anything save that man in the pulpit
Our Dog would go and see what all tha
| was about. So he marched up the mair
aisle, and as he did so he waved in q ma
jestic and patlonizing sort Cf way his bushy
tail, and it seemed TO say, "Well, you car
sit here, glum and silent, if you've minc
to. do no such thing. I'm dog; neee
none of your preaching; I'm superior to al
h4f 71cEh NIT II
without coming here once 81 week to s
silent, sad. melancholy, and stupid, anc
| be scoided ut by a man whom you pay fol
it,"
Then, in an innocent and touching ig
norance that he was violating all the pro,
prieties of time and place, Our Dog went
boldly up on the pulpit-stairs while oul
minister was preaching, and stood and sur
veyed the congregation. Indeed, he ap
propriated much of that congregations at
tention to himself. He stood there anC
surveyed that audience with a confidence
| and assurance which, to a nervous and i'll
experienced speaker, would be better thai
gold or diamonds. He didn't care. HI
smelt of the minister. He thought he'o
try and see if the latter were in mood fO
any sociability. No; ne was buster thar
any of the rest. The stupidity and silenct
of all this crowd of people who sat there
and looked at him puzzled Our Dog.
He could see no sense i'll it. Some little
boys and gir.s did smile as he stood there
seemingly those smiles were for him. Blu
so soon as he reciprocated the apparent at
tention, so soon as he made for them, tn,
smiles would vanish, the faces become sol
emn. And so, at last, with a yawn, Gu
Dog flung himself on the aisle floor, lai'
his head on his fore paws, and counte,
over the beef bones he had buried durin
the last week. Not a word of the sermon
touched him; it went clear over his head
From our Monthly Gossip IN Lippi,sestt
lLCa1.c1z 1z;xao fca. lfc.a.cL