Mustard

Two men, John and Jim, traveling through the country in America, stopped at a small inn for dinner. On the table there was a large cup of mustard. Thinking the contents were custard or a sweet of some kind, Jim took a spoonful of it and put it in his mouth. Tears ran down his cheeks, but wishing to have his friend John caught in the same trap, he said nothing of the mistake he had made. The other man, seeing that his friend was crying, said: "Listen, Jim, what are crying about?" "I was thinking of my father who was hanged twenty years ago," Jim replied. Soon after, John took a spoonful of the mustard, and as the tears started down his cheeks, Jim in his turn said "What are you crying about?" "To think you were not hanged the same day your father was." came the answer.