THE following advertisement was some years ago posted up at North
Shields:
"Whereas several idle and disorderly persons have lately made a practice
of riding on an ass belonging to Mr. ----, the head of the Ropery
stairs; now, lest any accident should happen, he takes this method of
informing the public, that he has determined _to shoot his said ass_,
and cautions any person who may be riding on it at the time, to take
care of himself, lest by some unfortunate mistake he should shoot the
_wrong one_."