Ralph Jones moved to Texas and purchased a donkey from an old farmer for $100. The farmer agreed to deliver the donkey the next day.

However, the following  morning, the farmer drove up and reported that the donkey had died.

'Well, then, give me my money back,' said Ralph Jones.

'Can't,' said the farmer, 'I already spent the money.'

'Okay' said Ralph, 'Just unload the donkey.'

'What ya going to do with him?' asked the farmer.

'Going to raffle him off,' came the reply.

'You can't do that!' said the farmer. 'You can't raffle off a dead donkey!'

Sure I can,' said Ralph, 'Just watch me! I won't tell anybody he's dead.'

A month goes by and the farmer meets up with Ralph and asks, 'what happened to the dead donkey?'

'I raffled him off,' Ralph answered. 'I sold 450 tickets at $2 a piece and made a profit of  $798'.

'Didn't anybody complain?' the farmer asked bewildered.
 
'Just the guy who actually won,' Ralph said. 'So I gave him his $2 back'.