Speaking of similar embarrassments, surely no occupant of a pulpit passed 

 through a more trying half -hour than did a certain popular Bishop who, visiting 

 a friend, rector of a church on the Coast, accepted an invitation to preach the 

 morning sermon. It was a fine warm, Spring day and through the open windows 

 and doors were wafted the mingled odors of roses, eucalyptus, pittosporuij 

 acacia, sweet alyssum and other fragrant flowers. Even the Sexton's dog, a 

 big mongrel — half Newfoundland, half bull — had settled himself for a peace- 

 ful nap, when Satan in the shape of a large mastiff walked leisurely into the 

 church and wandered about as if he owned the place. Perhaps he might have 

 got safely and quietly a^?ay if two or three worshippers had not tried to 

 drive him out by subdued "hists" and "get outs". These sotto v oce_ commands 

 were just loud enough to wake up the home dog who, probably feeling that he 

 was being called in an emergency., made one rush at the intruding stranger, and 

 the fight was on. Up and down the aisles, in and out of pews, to the very steps 

 of the alter these about equally matched brutes rolled, tumbled bit and growl- 

 ed. 



For a short time the Bishop tried to ignore the incident, and proceeded 

 with the sermon; then he stopped and raited, hoping that the excited sexton 

 and a few volunteers might succeed in separating the contestants or be able to 

 drag them outside the building, At the hazard of being themselves badly bit- 

 ten, both methods were tried - and abandoned ; the dogs were great, powerful 

 animals enraged to the highest pitch of fury, and it would have been impossible 

 for a dozen men either to separate or remove them by ordinary means, Meanwhile 

 the thunders of the combat had reached the outside world, and to the rescue 

 came a man with two pails of water and a determined look in his face. Despite 

 the protests of some of the pew-holders in the immediate neighborhood, he 

 dashed the cold water on the heads of the fighters — with about as much effect 

 as if he had thrown it on the nearest lamp post. By this time the whole church 

 organization was disrupted; the organist descended from his lofty perch, the 

 choir boys and most of the other choristers, seated on the backs of pevra that 

 gave them an unobstructed view of the canine entertainment, could not resist 

 the temptation to lay bets on their favorite dog. Some of the irrepressible 

 smaller boys of the congregation even encouraged one or the other of the combat- 

 ants by expressions that proved that this was not the first dog fight they had 

 attended. Finally the Bishop and his assistants, removing their vestments, 

 added a semblance of order and respectability to the otherwise wild scene. Pro- 

 bably the duel would have continued until one or other of the dogs had been 

 killed or totally disabled, had not some expert thought of a large square car- 

 pet in a house nearby. This was at last harrowed, brought to the church and 

 with infinite difficulty and the combined efforts of several onlookers, the 

 half -crazed animals were env loped in it — much as one makes a bundle with a 

 bandana ^handkerchief . The two doga, struggling for breath, yet biting, howling 

 and half-suffocated, were at length dragged into the open, where they were fin- 

 ally torn apart. The visiting stranger limped off, and although the defender 

 dog was so exhausted that he could not stand on his feet for some time it was 

 found that he vras less damaged than his opponent, owing probably to his armor 

 of long, close, shaggy hair. 



On their way home, after an abbreviated sermon and prayer, the opiscopal 

 party met a lady who apologized at length for her inability to attend the 

 morning service. "Ohl the service," said the Bishop, " that did not amount 

 to much, but you missed the finest dog-fight that has ever been pulled off in 

 St. Paul's." 



-27- 



