The church aisle was separated from the vestibule only by two
green baize doors. These Billy and Betty pushed open with their
noses and while the organ was playing and the priests were
kneeling, Billy and Betty walked the whole length of the middle
aisle, side by side, as if they were a bridal couple. When they
arrived at the altar, Billy stopped and commenced to eat some
roses that were in a vase on the altar steps.
The congregation sat stupefied with horror to see these animals
in church and directly behind the kneeling priest and choir boys.
The music made Betty lonesome and she threw up her head and let
out such a loud, mule-like bray that it frightened the kneeling
priest and he jumped up as if shot for he thought he had heard
Balaam's ass bray; but when he turned and saw standing behind him
a live burro and a goat, his astonishment knew no bounds and he
stood gazing at them with open mouth, while the choir boys
laughed and giggled and thought it a good joke.
Soon the ushers and deacons came to their senses enough to come
forward and try to drive the beasts out.
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