The Candidate for Barkshire

A man stands with legs astride, a knife in one hand and a puppy in the other, terrified at being beset by the ghosts of dogs and by monsters. He exclaims to them: Spare me! Choose me & the Dog tax I’ll repeal. On the extreme left are the victims of a spring gun and two steel traps, a dog in each. Above, fantastic creatures, some with dog-like characteristics, spring from the gaping jaws of a monster towards the man. The foremost, a creature with great fanged jaws with a small dog on its back, says: -You stand for Barks! First strive you deeds to alter. A Mastiff on the ground with a rope round its neck says: Behold audacious Candidate this halter. A pack of dogs leaps furiously towards their enemy, barking Bow Wow. A big dog under the man’s legs collapses, saying, Behold the victim of your poison ball. A skeleton-dog which has lost a hind paw springs at the man from the right, saying, Your cursed bullets may poor Rover fall. Two headless dogs stand on their hind-legs saying respectively: We headless puppy-dogs will grant you votes. (and) We will buy G – – altho’ you’ve cut our throats.

A satire on William Hallett of Berks., a Burdettite candidate for Berkshire.
BM11863