Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1895-05-20
A DOG IN CHURCH.
All the Congregation Interested In nm In
cident OF n Summer Day.

al the Congregation Interested In an In
cident OF n Summer Day.
fou might think, " said church ush.
or, that there was nothing to 10 in n
ohuruh but seat people; but, dear me,
strange things are happening all the time.
One summer day, when the church doors
were open, saw dog appear. ] stood at
tho back Of the pews just beyond tho end
OF the middle aisle, and the dog stood right
at tho end OF tho aisle, looking ut mo and
wagging his tail. Ho WINS nioo looking
DOG, sort OF red dog, shaggy and gentle
looking, but OF course church was no place
for him. But no WINS nearer the aisle than
was and he was bound 70 make tho tour
OF tho church, and was sure he would
start down tho middle aisle tho moment |
made any serious effort to put him out.
sun advanced toward him with friend.
" bearing and outstrotohed hnnd, hoping
that no would stand still until could get
between him and tho aisle. Ho waEged
his tail good humorcdly when he cav mo
approach, but before l could get near
enough to cut him OF he started down tho
aisle, so softly that nobody heard him, md
nobody saw him until no bad passed.
In one OF tho pews, about half way
down the aisle, sat littlo girl with ono
hand resting on the arm OF the pew. Tho
dog halted here, and with his nose gently
pushed the little girls hand of the pew.
She snatohed It away and looked around
wondcringly and saw for the first time tho
dog standing thoro, wugRing his tail and
looking at her. She laughed outright, and
then tho dog wagged his tail moro and
started on again. BY this time everybody
in tho church knew about the dog, and oy-
erybody was interested in him.
He kept on down the middle aisle, mast
the pulpit and around the end OF one OF the
blocks OF pews toward n side aisle md
started along the side alsle toward the rolr
Of the church again. Then the sexton start
ed up the sllo aisle from tho rear of tho
church, intending TO drive the dog out,
but when tho dog saw him coming he
waggcd his tail ard turned and started
back tho way he had come and around into
the middle aisle agnn. He stopped thoro
onco and turned toward the pulpit and
looked up at tho minister, wagging his tall
nll the time. He seemed to DO the best ma
turcd dog that ever lived.
"Thon he turned once more and started
back. He cAmo down to where he had
started and then trotted along the base OF
the pows and out Of the church by door
opposite to tho ono by which he hnd enter
ed. Tho instant he stepped through the
door weheard the most tremendous uproar
He had met another dog outside
GAS n matter Of fact, suppose our dog
Ind come into the church to escape tho
other dog. lIo didn't want to fight, and I
suppose he thought II the other dog saw
him go into church he'd feel kind OF
ashamed Of himself and go away. But no
didn't; he Just hung around outside and
waited. The peaceful dog was diplomatic,
you see, too. He went out by different
door from tho ono he came In nt, thinking
no doubt that the dog that wanted to fight
would wait for him where he came in, and
that hc would escape the other dog and get
away quietly by going out at the other
door, hut the other dog must have guessed
his intentions for he was waiting for him
there.
"Our dog didn't want to fight, but he
didn't run away. Good natured, shaggy
and gentle as he was, no pitched in and
fought like demon. Between them they
made more noise than an earthquake. 1t
pretty nearly broke up tho gravity of tho
entire congregation, and the sexton had to
20 out und drive them away; so We never
know how the fight came out, New
York sun.