The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1879-12-19

| huttering, and twisting of heads amongst the
rustic bellies ceases for q short time. The min
lister reads his text, begins his sermon, proceeds
for awhile without a single sound TO disturb the
attention, while every eye is fixed upon the
speaker. Alas it is only "thc calm before the
storm; )" the real business of the day now be-
gins, and 1 now discover why the moro note
worthy part of the congregation have taken
seats near the pulrit.
Just in front of me sets bevy Of young
misses, with mraculously trimmsd hats, who,
collectively and separately, stare at me with
| unwinking eyes, and when they arc not staring
| at me are staring at somebody else,t and max
| ing comments, in whispers, upon their neigh
bors. baby in the forward part of the church
| now awakes to the necessity of immediate &C.
| ton, and uttcrs o dismal wall, premonitory of
| "good things to come" We are not long kept
| waiting, for a succession Of shrill screams,
WHICH the mother endeavors, in vain, 10 stihe,
salute our ears and drown the minister's voice.
The mother trots vigorously upon her knee the
dissatisfied infant this makes matters much worse
-exasperates the baby in the highest degree
and the mother gets up at last in despair and
carries the contumacious youngster out of
doors.
There is now lull in the storm and the min
ister edges in few words but pointer dog,
| which had followed its master to church, does
not think SO favorable an opportunity ought to
be lost. There is nothing particular going on,
so gathering his four legs and his tail under his
body, as compactly as possible, TO signify that
he "has no wish to intrude," trots up the aisle,
his nails clicking on.hc floor at every step,
and finds his master seatcd.ah3.asal.SssS -
" -. 49, uaster frowffs afid gesticulates
violently, whispering loudly "go out sir, go out
sir" but the dog does not stir, and answers
with an imploring look a mau seated or the
next bench behind, scandallzed at such n breach
Of dccorum, of the proprctcs of the place,
and luckily possessor of cane, reaches over
and gives the dog resounding "whack. -
The poor fellow, with q yclp of mingled pain
and astonishment; hastily retreats to tho back
door and runs down the steps. The minister
again is heard, nobly doing his duty in the face
of obstacles. But the mother with the baby,
who had gone out before the dog came in, now
returns the placid infant is munching a bis
cult, and holding to the mothers skirt is II small
boy dressed in a bright yellow calico jacket.
very short in the waist, and bright rose colored
calico pantaloons, which reach to his little bare
feet. lie has a shock of white hair, pink face,
and small pale blue eyes They all go up the
aisle, the mother sits down, with baby in her
lap, and reaches over and gets the boy by
the arm pits, and sets him down with bump on
the bench beside her. The minister is getting
on bravely meanwhile. The "boy," however,
now jumps down from the bench, runs down
the aisle, looking for his father, and finding him
pushes by half dozen pairs of knees and is
taken up by the fond parent, who is fac -sliniIe,
IN large, Of the boy. The pointer dog now trots
in, in the same compact way the man with
the stick hands it to the man next behind him,
who shakes it at the dog, and the dog retreats,
but seats himself on the threshold at the back
door, where he watches the man with the stick,
and the man with the stick watches him through
the remainder Of the services.
Things would now become rather monot onous,
and the minister would have a clear field were
it not fer the journeys from father TO mother
and back again, of the small boy in red and yell
low; and the occasional "tramr, tramp, tramp"
down the aisle, Of some youth with his Sunday
shoes on; who has become badly bored and so
leaves without ceremony.
The minister, who is thus forced to play the
hero and the martyr every two weeks, now
draws the services to close. We leave the
church, cross the green before the door and Gu
ter the solemn beautiful woods.
"The text ?" "Wel, declare s., what was
the text ?" NJ