The Martyred Mule. The mule conclusively was bound To listen, stop, and look as well." This judgment was pronounced per cur.; No wonder that his honor should Anonynimity prefer Where justice was misunderstood.
Such was the court's idea of wit And law to animals applied; Humaner lawyers, hearing it, Its relevancy have denied. When men are walking on the track, The law presumes that they will heed The present danger, and step back, And so to stop the train no need. Mules have not men's intelligence, Are not forewarned by human fears; And so presumptive evidence Is not proportioned to their ears. The whistle might arouse a mule, And scare him out of danger's way, As well as any two-legged fool Who should in such dilemma stray. As well might engineer neglect A man of danger to apprize, By signals which he might suspect He was too deaf to recognize. •
If mules could read this bitter tale, They'd wave a sympathetic ear; With dismal bray the air assail, And drop a heavy muleteer.
In some horse-heaven, his rest well earned, This mule with Davies' donkey1 treads; Their shoes laid off, and collars turned To glorious halos round their heads. 1 See Davies
Man, 10 Mees. & Wels. 546.
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