"'No dogs shall be allowed in church; let me not see one of them in
future!'"

"The mastiff was present, and seemed to listen with attention. Nor
without effect; for on the ensuing Sunday he rose early, and ran round
the village, barking at all the dogs. He then took his station near the
door of the church; and when a dog came up, unmindful of his
prohibition, he instantly killed him. Ever after he took on him this
post of sentinel before the church, but not once was he known to enter
it."

"What a queer dog!" exclaimed Minnie, "and how strange that he should
have known what the magistrate said!"

Mr. Lee laughed. "Do you remember," he asked, turning to his wife, "the
story we heard long ago of that old gentleman in Portsmouth, New
Hampshire, who had such a knowing dog?"

"Yes, I remember. Minnie will be interested to hear that."

"O, yes, father!"

"It seems his dog was so intelligent that he could do almost every thing
but talk. Among other things, he was in the constant habit of attending
church with his master. The old gentleman wore a wig, and having
purchased a new one, donned it for the first time on Sunday morning,
leaving the old one hanging on a chair in his bed room.

"It happened that Bose had been taking a nap that morning in the garden,
and did not awake in time to accompany his master to church. He entered
the house, and perceived at once that he was late; but on seeing the
wig, he imagined it had been forgotten, and catching it in his teeth,
before he could be stopped, disappeared with it into the street.

"The old gentleman's feelings may be imagined, when, in the commencement
of the sermon, he saw Bose quietly trotting along the aisle, in full
view of all the congregation, with the wig in his mouth, not stopping
till he reached the familiar pew."

"I fancy the good man wished his dog had remained at home," said Mrs.
Lee, laughing heartily; while Minnie, who did not seem exactly to
understand, exclaimed,--

"I thought, mamma, that wigs were fastened on like hair. I'm sure aunt
Mary never takes hers off."

Mr. Lee suddenly started up. "This is not doing my business," he
exclaimed. "If I don't look out sharp, I shall miss an appointment.
Run, Minnie, to the barn, and tell John to put the black mare into the
buggy as quickly as possible."

Before he had put on his boots, she came back, out of breath, calling
out,--

"John has harnessed, father; so you can go at once."

Soon after he had