Year: 1872

LAUGHING IN MEETING.


We were in disgrace, we boys, ant
the reason of it was this: We hat
laughed out in meeting time! To b.
sure the occasion was trying one
even to more disciplined nerves Par
son Lathrop had exchanged pulpit
with Parson Smmmeral who was a MAJ
in the outset likely to provoke the rise
ables of unspiritalized juveniles. HI
was thin, wiry, friskey little man, il
a powdered white wig, black tights
and silk stockings, with bright kne,
buckles, and shoe buckles, with rount
dark swapping eyes, and a curious, high
cracked, squeaking voice, the very frs
tones Of which made all the children
stare and giggle. The news that Par
son Summeral was going to preach il
our village spread abroad among us al
prelude to something funny. 1t had ;
flavor like the charm Of circus acting
and on Sunday morning Of our story
we went to the house of God in a very
hilarious state, all ready to set off in {
laugh on the slightest proyocation.


The occasion was not long wanting
Parson Lathrop had a favorite dog
yclept Trip, whose behavior in meet
ing was notoriously far from that edi
flying pattern which BELTS a ministers
dog on Sundays. Trip was a nervous
dog, and a dog that never could be
taught to conceal his emotions or tc
respect conventionalties. If anything
about the performance in the singers
seat did not please him, he was apt tc
express himself in u lugubrious howl
If the sermon was longer than suited
him, he would cape with such a loud
creak of his jaws as would arouse
everybody's attention. If the flies dis
turbcd his afternoons nap he would
give sudden snarls or snaps; OF if any.
thing troubled his dreams, he would
bark out in his sleep in manner not
only to dispel his own slumbers but
those Of certain worthy deacons and
old ladies, whose sanctuary repose was
there by sorely broken and troubled.
For all these reasons, Madam Lothor
had been forced, as a general thing, to
deny Trip the usual sanctuary privileg-
es Of good family dogs in that age,
and shut him up on Sundays to prevent
meditation. Trip, Of course, was only
the more set on attendance, and would
hide behind doors, jump out Of win
dows, sneak through by-ways and al
leys, and lie hid till the second bell
had done tolling, when suddenly he
would appear in the broad aisle, inno-
cent and happy, and take his seat as
composedly as any member of the con-
gregation.


Imagine our youngsters on the quiv-
er with excitement at seeing Parson
Summeral frisk up into the pulpit with
all the vivacity of black grasshopper.
We looked at each other and giggled
very cautiously, with due respect to
Aunt Lois's sharp observation.


AT first, there was only mild, quiet
simmering Of giggle, compressed de
corously within the bounds Of proprie-
ty, and we pursed our muscles up with
stringentresolution whenever we caught
the apprehersive eye of our elders


But when directly after the closing
notes Of the tolling second bell, Master
Trip walked up the front aisle, and
seating himself squarely in front of
the pulpit, raised his nose with a criti-
cal air toward the scene of the forth
coming performance, it was too much
for us-the repression was almost con-
vulsive. Trip wore an alert, attentive
air, BETTING sound, orthodox dog,
whosmells possible heresy, and deems
it his duty to watch the performances
narrowly.


Evidently he felt called upon to see
who and what were to occupy the pull
pit in his masters absence.


Up rose Parson Summeral, and up
went Tips nose vibrating with intense
attention.


The Parson began in his high-crack-
ed voice to intone the hyme:


Sing to the Lord aloud


please turn that dog ouD-


And make joyful sound.


The dog was turned out, and the
choir did their best to make a joyful
sound, but we boys were upset for the
day, delivered over to the temptations
of Satan, and plunged in waves and
pillows ofhysterical giggle, from which
neither winks nor fiowns from Aunt
Lois, nor the awful fear of the tithing
man, nor the comforting bits of fennel
and orange peel, passed us by grand.