code: def _read_file(path):
      '''
      Reads and returns the contents of a text file
      '''
      try:
          with salt.utils.files.flopen(path, 'rb') as contents:
              return [salt.utils.stringutils.to_str(line) for line in contents.readlines()]
      except (OSError, IOError):
          return 'f _read_file(path):
      '''
      Reads and returns the contents of a text file
      '''
      try:
          with salt.utils.files.flopen(path, 'rb') as contents:
              return [salt.utils.stringutils.to_str(line) for line in contents.readlines()]
      except (OSError, IOError):
          return ''
docs: Reads and returns the contents of a text file