70 A Walk from 



the infinitesimally human spirits of domestic animals 

 in another world, if another be in reserve for them. 

 Let them remember that their softly-cushioned dogs, 

 and horses so delicately clad, and fed, and fondled, 

 have had a pretty good time of it in this life, and that 

 in another the poor, despised, abused donkey, going 

 about begging, with such a long and melancholy face, 

 for withered cabbage leaves and woody-grained turnips 

 cast out and trodden under feet of happier animals, 

 that this meek little creature, kicked, cuffed, and club- 

 beaten all the way from hopeless youth to an igno- 

 minious grave, will carry into another world merits 

 and mementoes of his earthly lot that will obtain, if 

 not entitle him to, some compensation in the award of 

 a future condition. It is treading on delicate ground 

 even to set one foot within the pale of their unscriptural 

 theory ; but as many of them hold the Christian faith 

 in pureness of living and doctrine, let me remind them 

 of that parable which shows so impressively how the 

 disparities in human condition here are reversed in the 

 destinies of the great hereafter. 



But, to return to the earthly lot and position of this 

 poor, libelled animal. Among all the four-footed crea- 

 tures domesticated to the service of man, this has always 

 been the veriest scapegoat and victim of the cruelist 

 and crabbedest of human dispositions. Truly, it has 



