A Suicidal Donkey.

Feilding Star, Volume IV, Issue 68, 10 November 1883, Page 3

A Suicidal Donkey.

It has always heen tin ug-ht, tbat man possesses one point of superiority, if it can be so called, over the lower animals in that he alone is capable of - committing suiciue. Men's soie claim to this sad privilege is now a.-sailc.d from -a quite unexpected quarter ot the kingdom. The f'aris Prix, of the •I.Bth iiji«-t., gives particulars of the nuclide of a donkey which was witnessed recently by a dozen persons, who are one and all convinced that the-animal's death was premeditated aud intentional. The unfortunate quadruped, which was reduced to a condition.' of skin and bone from eating too little and working too much, managed to escape frem his stables in the Hue du Churdouneret and made for the Seine, into wbich ho entered near th* Pout d' Austurlitz. A man who happened to be giving a Newfoundland dov a bone close by, perceiving that the donkey made no eff" rt. to swim, and was ai the point of n row ing, despatched the dog -to his assistance. Seizing the drowning animal's ear in his mouth, the dog managed to bring bim to land. But to no puroose. The donkey looked round with his large sad eyes and quietly walked hack into the water. The dog was again tent after him, but thi- time the. donkey kicked out so vigorously that his preserver could not approach. ''he donkey, once heyopd : his depth, resigned himself to the action of the current, made no movement to sustain himself/, and was "speedily drown ed. — St. James's Gazette. .. ' ... .