Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1872-07-31
LAUGHING IN MEETlN'.
BY MRS. II. B. STOWE

LAUGHING IN MEETIN'.
BY MRS. Fl. B. STOWE. @ 8
We were in disgrace, we boys, and
the reason of 1t was this: we had
laughed out in meeting timel To be
sure the occasion was a trying one,
even to more disciplined nerves. Par
son Lothrop had exchanged pulpits with
Parson Summeral, OF North Wearem.
Now, Parson Summeral was a man in
the very outset likely to provoke the
risibles of unspiritualized juveniles.
He was a thin, wiry, frisky little man,
in powdered white wig, black tights,
and silk stockings, and bright knee
buckles, and shoe-buckles, with round,
dark, swapping eyes, and a curious,
high, cracked, squeak1ng voice, the
very first tones of which made all the
children stare and giggle. The news
that Parson Summeral was going to
preach in our village spread abroad
among us as q prelude to something
lunny. It had a flavor like the charm
of circus acting and on the Sunday
morning of our story we went to the
house OF God in very hilarious state,
all ready to set off in a laugh on the
slightest prOvOcatlon. =
The occasion was not long wanting.
Parson Lothrop had a favorite dog
yclept Trip, whose behavior in meeting
was notoriously far from that edlfying
pattern which BELTS a ministers dog on
Sundays. Trip was a nervous dog, and
dog that Dever could be taught 30
conceal his emotions or to respect con-
ventlonalites. If 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 loud creak of
his Jaws as would arouse everybOdy's
attention. If the flies disturbed his
afternoons nap he would give sudden
snarls or snaps; or, II anything troubled
his dreams he would bark out in
his sleep in manner not only to dis
pei his slumbers, but those of certain
worthy deacons and old ladies, whose
sanctuary repOse was thereby sOrely
broken and troubled. For all these
reasons, Madam Lothrop had been
forced, as a general thing, to deny Trip
the usual sanctuary privileges of fami-
Iy dogs in that age, and shut him up
on Sundays to private meditation.
Trip, of course, was only the more set
on attendance, and would hide behind
doors, Jump out of windows, sneak
through byways and alleys, and lie hid
till the second bell had done tolling,
when suddenly he would appear in the
broad aisle, innocent and happy, and
take his seat as composedly as a mem
Der of the congregation.
Imagine US youngsters on the qui
UiUe with excitement at seeing Parson
Summeral frisk up into the pulpit with
all the vivacity of a black grasshopper.
We looked at each other and giggled
very cautiously, with due respect to
Aunt Lois sharp observation.
At first there was only a mild, quiet
simmerlng of a giggle, compressed de-
corously within the bounds Of fprOprietY,
and we pursed our muscles up with
stringent resolution whenever we
caught the apprehenslye eye of our
elders.
But when. directly after the closing
notes of the tolling second bell, Mas
ter Trip walk gravely up to 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 Trip wore an alert, atten-
tive air, beftting sound, orthodox dog,
who smells, a possible heresy, and
deems it his duty to watch the per-
fJrmances narrowly
Evidently he felt called upon to see
who and what were to occupy that pull
pit in his masters absence.
Up rose Parson Summeral, and UP
went Trips nose, vibrating with intense
attention.
The parson began in his high, cracked
voice to intone the hymn:
"Sing t. the Lord aloud"
when Trip broke into a 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 as follows:
'"Sing to the Lord aloud,'"
"Pleasc to turn out that dog)-
"'And make joyful noise.'''
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 hysterical giggle, from which
neither winks nor frowns from Aunt
Lois could silence us.
Every tything IN the subsequent exercls
ss took 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 out of meeting and march
ed home by Aunt Lois, as a convicted
criminal What especially moved her
indignation was, the n ore she rebuked
and upbraided, the more / laughed,
till the tears rolled down my cheeks,
which Amt Lois construed into .willful
disrespect to her authority, and resent
ed accordingly. :
By Sunday evening, as we gathered
around the fire, the reaction. from IN
due gayety to sobriety had taken place,
and We were III pensive and penitent
state. grandmother was gracious and
forgiven, but Aunt Lois still preserved
that frosty air Of reprobation which
She held to be n salutary means Of
qmckenmg orw cousciences for the
future 1t was, therefore, with unusual
delight that We saw our friend Sam
come III and sit himself quietly down