The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-12-27

|
He returned and was getting fairly under
way again when there was a general
breaking loose of horses, caused by one
horse paving up yellow jackets nest,
and he, breaking loose, covered with yell
low Jackets, and running among the
other horses scattering the stingers as
| he went, caused nearly every horse the
| preachers with the rest, to break loose
and such running and kicking were never
| before witnessed in Chatham county.
! After long while the horses were caught
and order restored. The preacher said
| on resuming, sit looks like the devil is
working against me today. l came out
| here to try to harmonic and to restore
this church to its old time christian way
OF living, but twice l have been inter-
rupted." He warmed up to his work,
however, and getting under a full head
OF steam ne asked in the language of
the text Who is my neighbour" All
answer came back from just outside the
door, My name is Ezekiel Pendergrass,
| if you're talking about me-
Everybody turned to look, and there,
standing on the step, leaning against the
doorfacing, was a man in his shirt sleeves,
his pants rolled up and his old hat fop-
ped over his face. The preacher had to
laugh, and so did everyone except re
KEEL" he didn't, see anything to laugh
about. He thought the preacher spoke
to him, when he asked. 'Who is my
neighbour" and he told him the best he
knew now
Brethren" said the preacher, 81 came
out here to preach, and although it does
! look like the devil is against NE, / am
determined to finish up before l quit"
And for 10 h,, hox rT,,,1J
go through sure enough; but a q cat big
dog came to the door and planting his
fore feet on the top step and srowled
as he saw another great big dok lying in
front of the pulpit That dog raised up
on his forefeet and growled back. The
dog outside came in and growlee again.
The pulpit dog got up on all his feet and
growled back 1t was not q moment be-
fore the two big dogs hitched, and
they literally took the church. Men, 1o-
men and children went through the WIN
dows as if the house had been on fire;
and not until somebody threw bucket
of water on them did they stop fighting.
No, / don't blame that first North Caro-
lima Assembly for making a law against
throwing chicken and other bones down
under their oak.
Speaking of dogs, 1 will say what has
been on my mind for a long time, and it
is this: From the bottom of my heart
l am sorry for a woman who has TO lead,
or be led about by a pug deg. When
see woman and a pug dog pitched
together, it raises the question in my
mind whether the woman or the pug IS
honored by the association.
Way back years ago / was in church
and saw while the preacher was trying
to impress his audience with a gospel
message, that. over on the mems side.
there seemed to be some merriment
among the boys. l discovered It was
caused by fellow holding a dog in his
lap with an open book IN front of tie
dog as if he were reading. The preacher
discovered the merriment and took In the
situation. For a moment the preacher
stopped and fixed his gaze on The fellow
who held the dog in his lap, until every
eye in the house was turned In that di-
rection, when. in an authoritative voice
he said: Put that dog down! One dog
is enough for one pew!" The dog disap-
peared while the fellows face looked
as if the blood would pop out. Ii was
pretty rough on him. but he deserved
it. After preaching he said something
about calling the preacher to an account
lUT IHc lllSulI, Dul WITCH loiu nv" oSNSAS
the law was against disturbers of reli-
gious worship, and it was pointed out
to him how grossly he had sinned against
good behavior, he quieted down and went
home, feeling very much like a whipped
dog. Ever afterwards he behaved very
well at church. and often went TO hear
that same preacher
Now. l hope the reader will not con-
clude that I am opposed to dogs, or that
1 do not appreciate a dog that knows his
place and learns to do and be what a dog
ought to do and be. Thus far, in this
article have intimated a dislike to only
two classes of dogs, the dogs that go to
church and misbehave, and the pugs that
lead women around. Against the latter
class / ought not to be too harsh, as,
after all. the women and not the dogs
are to blame. And / have to admit also
that all church going dogs do not misbe-
have, as the following story, which
heard Methodist preacher tell. Will de-
monstrate.
In acertain town, a preacher said,
there was dog that for several years
went regularly, with the children OF
PRESBYTERIAN family, to Sunday school,
would so into the church, quietly and
orderly, take his place under the pew on
which the home children sat, and keep
perfectly quiet until the doxoIogy was
being sung, when he would come out
and stand in the aisle to be ready to
march out with the children when school
closed His good behavior must Of course,
be attributed to the fact that he was a
Presbyterian dog. He not only went to
the Sunday school but was regular at
tendant on church services. and went,
whether any of the family did or rot,
always occupying the same place. and
always remaining until the doxology was
sung But strange thing happened. On
certain occasion a Methodist bishop
went to that town and preached in the
Methodist church. and the Presbyterian
family who owned the dog went to the
Methodist church to hear the Bishop, and
50 did the dog. He followed his master
into the church and hid himself under
the seat where he could hear the whole
o. the service, especially the bishops SER
mon. AS, on other occasions, he stood
up during the doxology and went quietly
out, and TO his home after the benedic-
From that dav hp uiIit ropo m