A certain famous preacher when preaching one Sunday in the summer time
observed that many among the congregation ware drowsing. Suddenly, then,
he paused, and afterward continued in a loud voice, relating an incident
that had no connection whatever with his sermon. This was to the
following effect:
"I was once riding along a country road. I came to the house of a
farmer, and halted to observe one of the most remarkable sights I have
ever seen. There was a sow with a litter of ten little pigs. This sow
and each of her offspring had a long curved horn growing out of the
forehead between the ears."
The clergyman again paused, and ran his eye over the congregation.
Everybody was now wide-awake. He thereupon remarked:
"Behold how strange! A few minutes since, when I was telling you the
truth, you went to sleep. But now when you have heard a whopping lie,
you are all wide-awake."