Horse for Sale?

[Father Kit Cool Gun Garth]

[Cactus Jack Calder]

You may have heard that New Englanders are known for their reticence. This habit of saying only what is needed to communicate a thought or answer a question is illustrated in the story I am about to relate. 

 

There once was a Connecticut farmer who had a mule sick with the colic. As he was on his way to see the veterinarian in town he passed along his neighbor Sy’s field. As turns out Sy was plowing the field behind a mule. Remembering that Sy’s mule had been sick with colic, he stopped and hailed Sy as he came around. “Say Sy, I remember your mule had been sick.” “What did you give him for the colic?” Sy replied, “Turpentine, gidap mule.” And Sy was gone on around.  Thinking this would save him the expense of a veterinarian bill, the farmer purchased some turpentine and dosed his mule with it. Well of course the mule promptly died. On his way to town to purchase a new mule the farmer again saw Sy plowing his field. Stopping along the fence he again hailed Sy. “Say Sy I gave my mule turpentine for his colic and he died.” Sy responded “So’d mine, gidap mule.”