XX-XX-XX Howard's Inspection

Rush tells Vic and Sade how Mr. Gumpox's horse, Howard, faces an inspection.  Rush puts eye drops in Howard's eyes so they will sparkle and indeed, Howard passes the inspection.

This episode was remembered by a Friends of Vic and Sade alumnus.  The date is unknown and the title was provided by me, purely for identification purposes.

xx-xx-xx Howard Gets Married

Gimme a kiss....

Howard, Mr. Gumpox's horse, weds a girl horse down the block.  Mr. Gumpox performs the ceremony.

____________________

Clarence Hartzell remembered this episode in an interview he did in the 1970's. (((HEAR)))

The date is unknown. The title is one I gave the episode purely for identification purposes.

38-08-02 Howard and Gumpox Have New Fields to Conquer

STARRING: ART VAN HARVEY, BERNARDINE FLYNN  AND BILL IDELSON

Vic comes home from work and is entertained by a giddy Sade and Rush telling him about their earlier conversation with Mr. Gumpox.  He confided in them that he and Howard are thinking about moving out of town, because they've done all they can do for the community and have new heights to climb.

The title is one I have provided purely for identification purposes.

[The gist of this episode is revealed in the book, Vic and Sade on the Radio: A Cultural History of Paul Rhymer's Daytime Series] 

41-xx-xx Howard's Red, Woolen Blanket

Uncle Fletcher buys Howard a red, woolen blanket as a Christmas gift.

The title is one I have provided purely for identification purposes.

[The gist of this episode is revealed in the book,Vic and Sade on the Radio: A Cultural History of Paul Rhymer's Daytime Series] 

44-04-24 Howard, the Runaway

STARRING: BERNARDINE FLYNN AND RUSSELL MILLER

• In the alley behind Graham Street, Howard suddenly bolted – all the way to Seminary Avenue. 
• Russell: "…shrill screaming and high-pitched yells of wild-eyed people."
• Russell: "Howard lost a good many true friends by his rash action."  Mr. Gumpox cried at having been betrayed by his old friend.
• Smelly Clark thinks Howard did it out of boredom, Heine Call thinks he was startled out of an exciting dream. Oyster Krecker thinks he was just blowing off steam.
• Mis' Razorscum thinks he was probably bit by an insect (also Sade's idea).
• Russell resolves to stand by Howard unless and until "it's proven his action was deliberately malicious."
• Russell (about Howard): "He's innocent as the new-mown hay." - compiled by Barbara Schwarz, edited by Jimbo Mason

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Howard is a horse most everyone loves.  But at this point in his life, he was a bit of a dangerous creature.

Two months later, he would knock holes in two garbage boxes, perhaps the product of getting loose and creating helter skelter.

40-08-15 Garbage Box Awards

STARRING: ART VAN HARVEY, BERNARDINE FLYNN AND BILL IDELSON
 
Mr. Gumpox is giving away prizes for the prettiest garbage boxes. 

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The transcription disc for this episode survived but was either sold to Radio Spirits in the 1970's or was donated to the Library of Congress. (That might mean that we may never hear this episode.)

xx-xx-xx Howard Refuses to Work

Bernardine Flynn told a story about Mr. Gumpox and his horse, H
Howard.  The following is a paraphrase of Flynn's story:

Mr. Gumpox had two suits; one was for Sunday and the other was for everyday.
 
There came a time when the old working suit was no longer good enough to wear anyplace.  So then he bought a new one for Sunday (the former Sunday suit would be the work clothes.)

Gumpox showed up one day at the stall to get Howard.  Howard saw him wearing the old Sunday suit and refused to get up.  The horse thought it was Sunday.

(((HEAR)))

___________________

The date is unknown and the title is made up by me only for identification purposes.

44-xx-xx Garbage Box Mystery Solved

Sade had noticed a big chunk broken out of the garbage box. She had some theories and Vic and Russell too wondered what had happened to the box.

In the episode about the box, a resolution never came and we were left to wonder what happened.

Sometime after the episode above, this episode aired; Sade and Gumpox apparently talk about the garbage box and Gumpox apologizes. It seems that Howard was responsible for breaking the box and unbeknownst to the Gooks, he also broke the Razorscum's box.

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The actual title is unknown. I provided the title just for identification purposes. It's quite likely that this episode aired at the very end of July or the very first part of August (more than likely July 29 or 30th.)

44-02-10 Mr. Donahue's Grudge Against Mr. Gumpox

STARRING: ART VAN HARVEY, BERNARDINE FLYNN AND DAVID WHITEHOUSE

Russell explains to Vic and Sade that Mr. Gumpox, the garbage collector, feels that Mr. Donahue doesn't much care for him.

There's a bounty of evidence to back up this theory, including new allegations that the friendly man-next-door throws hot coal into Gumpox's window in the middle of the night, scaring the poor man to death (man, he's got it tough in that crazy hotel!)

SEE THE SCRIPT (part 1) (part 2)

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Sade, not knowing if 'Pa' Donahue is a coal chunker or not, does not accept the accusations.  After all, his wife and she are arms-around-
the-neck chummy.  However, prior incidents of blowing of kisses was misinterpreted and the fact that Donahue's lunch was once eaten by Howard (because of Donahue's own carelessness), can't really be blamed on Gumpox.  By all accounts, Gumpox is a nice, generous, sensitive (albeit somewhat narcissistic) man - that everyone likes - except Mr. Donahue and perhaps, Vic.

Trivia:

+ The family discuss the fellows in town who cry a lot.  Who cries the most?  The Brick Mush man, followed by Messrs Sludge, Gumpox and - a surprise - Erickson, the Gooks' landlord.  This is the first we have heard of Erickson's emotional outbursts.

+ This may be first time Leland Richards has been mentioned since he stayed with the Gooks and became 'homesick' about a year prior to this episode.  He appears to at least be an acquaintance of Russell.

+ Both 40-01-19 Gumpox's Horse Eats Donahue's Lunch and 40-06-24 Mr. Gumpox Blows Kisses were mentioned in this episode.

xx-xx-xx Howard Goes on Vacation

An audio story from Jean Shepard, which goes something like this:

Uncle Fletcher comes in the Gook house and he is kind of down in the dumps.

Vic: What's the trouble?

Fletcher:  Well, I was riding on the garbage wagon today with Gumpox...

Vic: So... What's the trouble?

Fletcher: Howard's on vacation.

Vic: Howard?

Fletcher: Yes, Mr. Gumpox' horse.  He's visiting relatives in Detroit. 

Vic: Oh go on.

Fletcher: So, there was a substitute horse today.

Vic: How did that go?

Fletcher: Well, his name is Chester.  He's not friendly.  [pause]  You know Vic, Howard is on a diet.

Vic: You don't say. Howard the horse is on a diet?

Fletcher: Lost 300 pounds last month.

{{{HEAR}}}

___________________

Jean Shepard tells a great story.  It's too bad we don't like a couple thousand more of these.

This seems like it might be one of the funnest stories ever.

The title was give by me only so that we could identify it.

45-11-20 Mis' Korkle, Strong Lady (The Return of Rush Gook)

STARRING: ART VAN HARVEY, BERNARDINE FLYNN, DAVID WHITEHOUSE AND CLARENCE HARTZELL

The Korkells travel 20 blocks by foot to borrow sugar but what is even more fascinating is the story of Mis' Korkell's mother, who is a professional football player!

________________________

Rush returns to the broadcast and we are introduced to a new family, the Korkells and her brother, Orville.

Trivia:

+ Rush is back! {{{HEAR}}}


+ Rush and Blue Tooth Johnson had a discussion about who was better looking. Rush has had a problem with conceit in the past.

+ The Gooks are in the front room and all 3 visitors enter at different times throughout the play through the back door -- and none of them knock.

+ Vernon Korkell and his wife Edith live on the 700 block of Mulberry Avenue (Mulberry Avenue has never been mentioned in the series but Mulberry Street was mentioned in the very first episode.)

+ Mr. Gumpox's horse Howard stepped on Vernon's foot, bruising it.

+ Mis' Korkell's brother, Orville Wheenie (according to Wikipedia, played by Johnny Coons) is obviously a half-wit. Among the half-wit things he does is tell Rush that (he guesses) his sister "must be close to 30 years old" and he also tries to quiet down his accidental pompadour haircut with unusual items.

+ Vernon is a gas meter reader. His wife affectionately calls him, "Mr. Husband."

+ Vic accidentally calls Rush, "Russell."

+ Despite going through World War II and a stint in the Navy, Rush is still only 14 years old.

+ Edith has enormous strength as she can easily pick up her husband, which amazes Rush. She claims she got her strength from her mother.

+ Mis' Korkell's mother plays professional football (probably for Peoria.) Their mascot seems to be the Wildcats. They were to play the Pittsburgh coal mining team (men) the next Saturday in Pittsburgh. {{{HEAR}}}

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44-08-08 Russell in Charge of Howard

STARRING: ART VAN HARVEY, BERNARDINE FLYNN AND DAVID WHITEHOUSE

Mr. Gumpox is traveling to St. Louis for a couple of days and has asked Russell to take care of his horse Howard while he's away.

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I can only imagine the excitement of being able to be 14 years old in 1944 and be asked to take care of a horse. Russell has plans to take advantage of the situation, including riding him around town, which Sade warns might get him bit.

Trivia:

+ Vic and Sade are playing Rummy; it takes more than a minute and a half for Sade to make her first play. She seems confused about the rules of the game, despite the fact she's played the game many times. She says she's afraid she has confused the rules with rules of other card games.

+ Sade says that the Thimble Club ladies sometimes play (the card game of) Flinch.

+ Mr. Gumpox has relations in St. Louis.

+ Howard has a sister named "Marie." Marie was not mentioned among Howard's other relatives in the earlier episode, 41-01-21 Demise of Bernice. This seems like a definite continuity issue. (However, it seems show writer Paul Rhymer threw continuity out the window of the show anyway after Bill Idelson went into the Navy.)

This error seems larger than the others though, since the earlier episode is probably one of the best-loved of all surviving episodes.

+ Marie pulls a coal wagon for the Herman Davis Company. The Herman Davis Company (first time mentioned) is obviously the name of the coal mine which was mentioned in 44-07-10 Collection of Personal Treasures.

+ We find out more about Howard in this episode: he's a very gentle horse, is very intelligent and has a delicate constitution. Vic called him a "noble animal."

+ Russell has plans on riding Howard to the coal mine to visit his sister, Marie and also plans on riding to Mildred Tisdel's house as Mildred wants to show off to the neighbors.

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44-07-28 Garbage Box Mystery

STARRING: ART VAN HARVEY, BERNARDINE FLYNN AND DAVID WHITEHOUSE

Sade notices a monstrous, big chunk of the garbage box is missing. She, Vic and Russell play detective to find out what happened.

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Average episode with few memorable moments but still fine listening fare.

Trivia:

+ Blue Tooth Johnson told Russell that some fellow swallowed an alarm clock and it still kept time. They know this because they x-rayed his stomach.

+ Russell (who obviously reads the newspaper a great deal) read in the news that a fellow trained his adam's apple to keep the beat of music!

+ While doing their detective work, Vic sits down on the grass six different times.

+ We're not sure where, but the Husher family lives very near the Gooks.

+ A four year old girl named Dorthy is mentioned as staying with her grandparents on University Avenue. According to Sade, she pulled up a handful of flowers from Sade's garden at one time and Sade considers her a suspect in the garbage box mystery.

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44-06-15 A Letter From Bess - Listen Please

STARRING: ART VAN HARVEY, BERNARDINE FLYNN, DAVID WHITEHOUSE AND CLARENCE HARTZELL

Sade gets another predictable letter from her sister Bess. She tries to force the family and Uncle Fletcher to listen to it but they have other ideas.

SEE THE SCRIPT (PART 1) (PART 2) 

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While this is your typical "letter from Bess" fare, this one is different because this is the first time we get to hear Russell try to sit through an Aunt Bess letter and Uncle Fletcher hasn't been around in the previous letter readings either (at least not in the surviving epsiodes).

Vic, on the other hand, is a trained veteran and can listen to the boring fare and knows where to fake a chuckle, otherwise, he'd get yelled at by Sade.

Trivia:

+ Uncle Fletcher speaks of Ray Feltcher, who invented the electric toothpick, which was a complete failure. He says people were apprehensive to use it because when you turned it on, it went "jab-jab-jab-jab." Feltcher passed away on February 14, 1902 before he could patent the device. Feltcher used to cut ice with Uncle Fletcher.

+ Bess says in the letter that Euncie is going around barefooted despite the fact that she's almost an adult.

+ In Carberry news, Bess says Fern Doonbelter got married (at last.) She married an older man who's been married previously.

+ Walter has promised Euncie that if she practices the piano for an hour everyday during the summer that he will give her five silver dollars when school starts back. She is trying to memorize the piano piece, The Great Colorado Train Robbery Scottish so that she can play it without the sheet music. Bess says the song is, "Full of sharps and flats and big notes and trash." [She began learning this piece in March of 1944].

+ Surprise! Euncie has a new piano teacher, Mis' Bahcol.

+ This episode does something only one of the surviving previous episodes do - it fades out.

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44-03-07 Hank Gutstop's Proposition

STARRING: ART VAN HARVEY, BERNARDINE FLYNN, DAVID WHITEHOUSE AND CLARENCE HARTZELL 

Hank Gutstop's job as a house detective is still intact - but Hank is finding it hard to keep the job for the simple fact there are no criminals or skalawags to apprehend.

He has an idea though: have Uncle Fletcher come in the hotel twice a day in disguises and then he can throw him out. This way he'll have something to write down on his daily worksheet.

When Uncle Fletcher tries to run this by Sade, she is totally against it and Uncle Fletcher meekly goes away.

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Hard to believe Hank still has a job!
 
Trivia:

+ Hank has had his job at the Butler House Hotel three weeks as of this episode.

+ B.B. Baugh and Uncle Fletcher own a peanut vending machine at the Interurban streetcar station, Recall that Uncle Fletcher is probably wealthy.

+ Uncle Fletcher sometimes works as the substitute ticket ticker at the Bijou.

+ We found out earlier that Uncle Fletcher also substitutes on a milk wagon route. We find that the name of the milk company is the "Snow and Palmer Dairy."

+ Uncle Fletcher sometimes holds the red flag for the street gangs around the neighborhood when they tear up the streets.

+ Uncle Fletcher says he substitutes for "Kelly Landis" at the gas station when he goes to lunch. I believe this may be a mistake as there is a Kelly Morse who runs the gas station that Uncle Fletcher has mentioned before. We'll assume "Landis" is Kelly's middle name.

+ In this episode, Uncle Fletcher says, "bridal suit" instead of "bridal suite" and also insists that he's Sade's niece.

+ Hank Gutstop had to throw William S. McFelters out of the Butler House Hotel lobby just so he could have something to write down on his daily worksheet. McFelters has been a resident of the hotel for 35 years. He was quite upset after the incident as it took the hotel management an hour and half to calm him down afterwards.  (edited): {{{HEAR}}}

At the end of the episode, Uncle Fletcher once again speaks about oiling his shoes.

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43-02-15 Dottie's Letter From Chuck

STARRING: BERNARDINE FLYNN, RUTH PEROTT AND CLARENCE HARTZELL
 
Dottie Brainfeeble is staying with Sade for a couple of weeks. She's an old school chum of hers from Dixon.

Dottie is a strange woman; she spends more time laughing at stuff that's not funny and talking loud than she does talking normal. It's obvious that she upsets Uncle Fletcher and he all but pries it out of Sade that she too isn't thrilled about Dottie.

Dottie spends the episode in another room reading a letter from her husband, Chuck. The kicker is, at the end of the letter, Dottie says Chuck may be transferred to the city the Gooks live in.

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This is the first episode where the Gooks begin being invaded with real people rather than just the stories about them.

You'll find that Dottie is by far the worst of the lot. She's so annoying that Uncle Fletcher seems afraid to talk. She's so annoying that her laugh (from another room) is so loud that it interrupts conversations.

There is a bright side. Firstly, there are only a few more episodes where Dottie shows up, all in the next few episodes - then she disappears.

Secondly, not all of the other "new" characters are quite so ridiculous and annoying. As a matter of fact, they are used as little as possible (for the most part) and are just there to help supplant the loss of Vic (who will return soon) and Rush (during this period of the show, Bill Idelson is in the Navy but will return to the series later.)

Get through this episode and it's all downhill. I don't think the avid Vic and Sade fan will tell you that he/she likes these episodes with the real characters but it's better than no episodes at all.

Trivia:

Ruth Perrott

+ Ruth Perrott plays Dottie. You may know her as Katy, the housekeeper in the old-time radio show, My Favorite Husband. You'd probably recognize her from many small character roles she played on television as well in the 1950's.

+ Uncle Fletcher calls Dottie, "Spottie."

+ Dottie calls Sade, "Kettle."

+ Uncle Fletcher tells the story of Oliver Hidesock who married one of the Gulling-Tawning sisters. Moved from Belvidere in 1909 to Cypress Chunk, Minnesota and went back into his regular business of barbering. At one time, he was considered the best barber in the county. He could cut a head of hair in 5 minutes and shave a man in 4 minutes.

+ Uncle Fletcher tells the story of Collarbone Gackwench from DeKalb. His real name was, "Up Gackwench." Married at 57 years old and insisted on having her father's consent. Her father was 82 and wasn't very bright. He didn't even remember having a daughter.

+ Someone calls and asks for "Fat Jackson." This seems to have happened several times in the prior missing episodes as well.

+ Uncle Fletcher secretly refers to Dottie as being 'fat.' He also says he knows she gets on Vic's nerves.

+ Dottie grew up in Dixon, with Sade.

The first Dottie Brainfeeble sounds we hear... {{{HEAR}}}

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41-05-16 Uncle Fletcher's Door Stop Plan

STARRING: ART VAN HARVEY, BERNARDINE FLYNN AND BILL IDELSON

Uncle Fletcher has an idea: use 4 foot pieces of railroad track as doorstops.

Though they will weigh 440 pounds each, they will be covered with velvet and have an embroidered saying on it:

I'm only a piece of heavy steel,
A product of the forge.
I'll hold your door either open or closed,
Step up and call me 'George.'

MIS' CROWE SAYS:
Uncle Fletcher has an idea for a unique one-of-a-kind gift and Sade wants to put a stop to it.
I love this episode, especially Sade’s horror, and Rush’s/Vic’s/Paul Rhymer’s bizarre idea of what constitutes a bright saying that might be embroidered on a pillow. It makes sense that Fletcher would have this notion, since he used to be a railroad worker and still spends quite a lot of time hanging around railroad stations. I wonder if he had permission to make off with these railroad tracks in the first place. 

I don’t have much else to say about this episode except that if I knew how to get four-foot lengths of railroad tracks, this would be a great handmade gag gift for some people in my family. I wonder if my Mazda can carry 440 pounds…

SEE THE SCRIPT (transcription by Lydia Crowe)

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Though Sade worries that such a gift would create a problem for the four families he plans on distributing the rails to, Vic seems to think it won't be a problem because there will be no way of him ever moving the 4 rails (a combined weight of 1760 pounds).

Though spoken of a lot in this episode, Uncle Fletcher isn't in the episode at all!

Trivia:

 + Rush mentions bright sayings found on pillows:

• Welcome to Galena, Illinois 
• Conductor, get off of my foot! 
• Stop making them goo-goo eyes 
• Every cloud has a silver lining 
• Ouch! Your dog-gone dog bit me on the leg again!

+ Vic mentions other witty sayings that perhaps could be embroidered on the door stops:

Your cousin is a halfwit,
Your brother is a slob.
I think I'll quit the section gang
And get another job. 

and

The night is dark and stormy,
The rain is comin' down.
I'll button up my....

+ Rush quotes Uncle Fletcher: {{{HEAR}}}

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41-01-21 Death of Bernice

STARRING: BERNARDINE FLYNN AND BILL IDELSON

Rush is very sad because Bernice has died. Who is Bernice? Bernice is the sister of Howard, the horse Mr. Gumpox uses to pull his trash wagon.

Sade thinks it's silly to care so much for a horse. But Uncle Fletcher, who talks to Rush on the telephone, is also sad.

MIS' CROWE SAYS:
The death of a horse sends a shock wave through a little community. 

Sade starts out pretty insensitive toward Rush, who is an adolescent and hasn’t learned not to feel everything yet. But do you notice how she lets up on him after the telephone conversation with Uncle Fletcher? It’s apparent that Fletcher is just as sad about this situation as Rush is. Sade still feels the whole thing is ridiculous, but has more respect for Uncle Fletcher’s feelings than Rush’s and decides to clam up after she sees that he’s feeling the same way as Rush.

A classic script that shows Rush’s sensitivity (or, maybe, if you’re feeling more cynical like Sade, Rush’s craving for the dramatic). Bill Idelson is very funny with the lugubrious tone he maintains throughout the episode. Not much more I can say except it’s one of my favorites.

SEE THE SCRIPT (transcribed by Lydia Crowe)

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Uncle Fletcher is especially fond of Howard - the brother of the deceased. Recall that it was probably Fletcher that bought Howard a brand new harness not too long ago.

Trivia:

+ The sad news about the demise of Bernice was distributed by Raymond Belcher Beirman, who was the milk wagon driver.

+ Bernice had been working for the Anderson-Carter Transit Company as a milk wagon horse.

+ Bernice died at 11:02 in the morning. According to Rush, Mr. Gumpox said that Howard stopped dead in his tracks at that moment, on the intersection of Evans Street (first time mentioned) and Kelsey Street.

+ Mr. Gumpox believes Howard will die soon.

+ Some interesting facts: Bernice was 16 years old. She was considered "good looking for a milk wagon horse" and had a "sunny disposition." She passed away quietly... Howard is currently 14 years old. Howard has a younger brother, Kenneth, who is grey like Howard. He is currently 9 years old and has a bad cough.

+ Uncle Fletcher's landlady is Mis' Keller. Her phone number is #5697-J.

+ At the Bijou, there's a Gloria Golden, Four-Fisted Frank Fuddleman feature: "I Am Distracted With Love For You, Assistant Umpire Williamson."

The sad phone call that Rush had with Uncle Fletcher: {{{HEAR}}}

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40-12-31 Howard has a New Harness

STARRING: ART VAN HARVEY, BERNARDINE FLYNN AND BILL IDELSON

Mr. Gumpox and his horse Howard received an anonymous gift of a fancy, new bridle. Sade thinks it cost around $1,000 and believes her Uncle Fletcher may have been the donor.

MIS' CROWE SAYS:
Howard is pulling the garbage wagon in style.

When I was little, my grandmother had an elderly friend she cared for who had dementia. He was always ordering all kinds of little gifts for Grandma and me out of catalogs. My parents were strict on A/V material entering the house (they preferred, rightly, that their kids not be in front of a screen all the time), but he provided me with an ample children’s video library, which was housed at Grandma’s until we finally got a VCR at home. He also sent me lots of beautiful children’s books and little figurines of animals. It wasn’t until I was a little older and the friend had passed away that I realized the extent of the situation. My grandmother showed me a whole closet full of gifts he’d sent — music boxes, figurines, knick-knacks, jewelry. I remember thinking how lonesome the poor fella must have been, and how out-of-control the buying must have been, and I felt sad about how much I’d enjoyed all the stuff he’d sent without quite understanding what he was going through. But if you lose your inhibitions as you get older, and what you do when you lose your inhibitions is to constantly buy gifts for everyone, that reveals a pretty beautiful character. Wish I would have known the guy better — rest in peace, Harry.

Anyway, not to get maudlin, or anything — it’s just that this episode always makes me think of him. Uncle Fletcher is not that far gone — he’s just getting older, he’s free, his living expenses are low, and he knows he has a certain amount of freedom to spend the money he’s saved over the years on other people. Why not give the garbage man a treat? But I think anybody with aging family can sympathize with what Sade is going through. Sure, Fletcher’s not that far gone yet — but how will she know when he is? How will she know when it’s time to step in? Learning to care for the people who once cared for you is one of the most difficult aspects of adulthood, and Sade can be forgiven for being a little anxious. Vic is supportive and does a good job reassuring her without making her feel like she’s being crazy. It’s a lighthearted episode, but it also contains a meaty bit of commentary about aging and family obligations that I imagine most listeners could (and can) relate to.

SEE THE SCRIPT (transcribed by Lydia Crowe)

________________________

Sade says she feels responsible for Uncle Fletcher. Vic makes the point that perhaps Uncle Fletcher is actually 'well off'.

There's not a lot going on in this episode. It's just talk of the new bridle and Sade feeling like Uncle Fletcher may be throwing away his money.

Trivia:

+ Harry Plink was mentioned for the first time. He works at the lumber company.

+ Rush reads generously from a Third Lieutenant Stanley book. You can hear him reading in the Third Lieutenant Stanley section of the blog.

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40-01-19 Gumpox's Horse Eats Donahue's Lunch

STARRING: ART VAN HARVEY, BERNARDINE FLYNN AND BILL IDELSON

Mr. Donahue gets totally upset when Howard, Mr. Gumpox's horse, eats his lunch! Seems Donahue forgot his pipe and tobacco... and when he went inside to get it, Howard did the deed.

Donahue was so upset, he hit poor Howard with a folded up newspaper!  

MIS' CROWE SAYS:

It’s human nature to take sides in a grievance, even if you weren’t there to see it to begin with. What I find interesting is how quickly Vic switches sides on poor Howard here:

VIC: Well, I’d say he was considerable at fault. Certainly not very smart to leave an unlatched dinner bucket fulla meat and stuff right under a horse’s chin.
SADE: That’s what Mr. Gumpox pointed out.

But later, Howard’s manliness as a horse is called into question:

RUSH: Folded-up newspaper wouldn’t hurt a horse, Mom.
SADE: No? Howard whinnied and screamed and leaped six feet in the air. 
VIC: Howard’s a sissy.

And Vic immediately switches sides:

VIC: My way of thinkin’, Pa Donahue had the real grievance.

Gumpox’s great affection and respect for Howard is touching, and shows that Gumpox is a good soul — so, of course, I’m siding with Gumpox here. You don’t leave a bunch of food unattended in front of an animal…and then you definitely don’t hit the animal because you’re mad at him. Especially a delicate animal like Howard.

 SEE THE SCRIPT (transcribed by Lydia Crowe)

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Ripley's Believe-it-or-Not! 1940

Trivia:

+ This episode runs short.

+ Rush says Charlie Razorscum can get "terrible mad."

+ Sade says the odd incident is like something you would find in the Believe-It-or-Not! section of the paper.

(Robert) Ripley's Believe-It-or-Not! was a common feature in most decent-sized newspapers across the U.S. in the late 1930's and early 1940's.  (It was also a popular radio show.) Many papers that didn't carry the Ripley's comic often carried one of the knock-off strips that were very much like it.

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