WIST Quotations

Hubbard, Kin -- “Abe Martin” comic, San Francisco Call (1912-02-07)

Dave — Fri, 08 Dec 2023 04:41:14 +0000

Some folks pay a compliment like they expected a receipt.

Frank McKinney "Kin" Hubbard (1868-1930) American caricaturist and humorist
“Abe Martin” comic, San Francisco Call (1912-02-07)
(Source)

Through his Abe Martin character, Hubbard used this phrase in a variety of forms, popularizing (though not originating) it. More discussion about this: “Some people pay a compliment as if they expected a receipt” - The Big Apple - Barry Popik.

Hubbard, Kin -- (Attributed)

Dave — Sun, 01 Feb 2004 16:00:00 +0000

Live so that you can at least get the benefit of the doubt.

Frank McKinney "Kin" Hubbard (1868-1930) American caricaturist and humorist
(Attributed)

Hubbard, Kin -- (Attributed)

Dave — Sun, 01 Feb 2004 16:00:00 +0000

Honesty pays, but it don’t seem to pay enough to suit some people.

Frank McKinney "Kin" Hubbard (1868-1930) American caricaturist and humorist
(Attributed)

Quoted in Time (2 Jul 1973) Also given as "It pays t'be honest, but it don't pay enough t'suit some fellers."

Hubbard, Kin -- (Attributed)

Dave — Sun, 01 Feb 2004 16:00:00 +0000

Don’t knock the weather; nine-tenths of the people couldn’t start a conversation if it didn’t change once in a while.

Frank McKinney "Kin" Hubbard (1868-1930) American caricaturist and humorist
(Attributed)

Variant: "'Don't knock the weather. If it didn't change once in a while, nine out of ten people couldn't start a conversation."

Hubbard, Kin -- (Attributed)

Dave — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 15:27:58 +0000

Some folks can look so busy doin’ nothin’ that they seem indispensable.

Frank McKinney "Kin" Hubbard (1868-1930) American caricaturist and humorist
(Attributed)

Hubbard, Kin -- (Attributed)

Dave — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 14:28:06 +0000

Some fellows get credit for being conservative when they are only stupid.

Frank McKinney "Kin" Hubbard (1868-1930) American caricaturist and humorist
(Attributed)

Hubbard, Kin -- (Attributed)

Dave — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 13:36:42 +0000

Being an optimist after you’ve got everything you want doesn’t count.

Frank McKinney "Kin" Hubbard (1868-1930) American caricaturist and humorist
(Attributed)

Hubbard, Kin -- (Attributed)

Dave — Wed, 03 Dec 2014 15:53:39 +0000

Beauty is only skin deep, but it is a valuable asset if you are poor or have not any sense.

Frank McKinney "Kin" Hubbard (1868-1930) American caricaturist and humorist
(Attributed)

See Thomas Adams.

Hubbard, Kin -- (Attributed)

Dave — Fri, 20 Nov 2015 13:46:24 +0000

If there’s anything a public servant hates to do it’s something for the public.

Frank McKinney "Kin" Hubbard (1868-1930) American caricaturist and humorist
(Attributed)

Hubbard, Kin -- Abe Martin: Hoss Sense and Nonsense (1926)

Dave — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 14:48:40 +0000

Th’ only absolutely safe way t’ double your money is t’ fold it once an’ put it in your hip pocket.

Frank McKinney "Kin" Hubbard (1868-1930) American caricaturist and humorist
Abe Martin: Hoss Sense and Nonsense (1926)

Hubbard, Kin -- Abe Martin: Hoss Sense and Nonsense (1926)

Dave — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 14:14:34 +0000

Few things make us feel finer than havin’ our judgment vindicated.

Frank McKinney "Kin" Hubbard (1868-1930) American caricaturist and humorist
Abe Martin: Hoss Sense and Nonsense (1926)

Hubbard, Kin -- Abe Martin: Hoss Sense and Nonsense (1926)

Dave — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 12:13:10 +0000

Boys’ll be boys, an’ so’ll a lot o’ middle-aged men.

Frank McKinney "Kin" Hubbard (1868-1930) American caricaturist and humorist
Abe Martin: Hoss Sense and Nonsense (1926)

Hubbard, Kin -- Abe Martin: Hoss Sense and Nonsense (1926)

Dave — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 13:07:30 +0000

Nobuddy ever listened t’ reason on a’ empty stomach.

[Nobody ever listened to reason on an empty stomach.]

Frank McKinney "Kin" Hubbard (1868-1930) American caricaturist and humorist
Abe Martin: Hoss Sense and Nonsense (1926)

Hubbard, Kin -- Abe Martin’s Almanack

Dave — Wed, 11 May 2011 12:51:44 +0000

Ever’ once in a while we meet a feller that’s too proud t’ beg, an’ too honest t’ steal, an’ too lazy t’ work.

Frank McKinney "Kin" Hubbard (1868-1930) American caricaturist and humorist
Abe Martin’s Almanack

Full text.

Hubbard, Kin -- Abe Martin’s Almanack, “January” (1908)

Dave — Thu, 02 Oct 2014 12:37:09 +0000

If everbuddy thought before they spoke ther wouldn’t be enough noise in this world t’ scare a jaybird.

[If everybody thought before they spoke there wouldn’t be enough noise in this world to scare a jaybird.]

Frank McKinney "Kin" Hubbard (1868-1930) American caricaturist and humorist
Abe Martin’s Almanack, “January” (1908)

Hubbard, Kin -- Abe Martin’s Back Country Sayings (1917)

Dave — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 09:53:09 +0000

If there’s anything mean in a feller, a little authority will bring it out.

Frank McKinney "Kin" Hubbard (1868-1930) American caricaturist and humorist
Abe Martin’s Back Country Sayings (1917)

Hubbard, Kin -- Abe Martin’s Back Country Sayings (1917)

Dave — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 12:35:39 +0000

Ther’s few things in this life that equal th’ sensation o’ bein’ paid up.

Frank McKinney "Kin" Hubbard (1868-1930) American caricaturist and humorist
Abe Martin’s Back Country Sayings (1917)

Hubbard, Kin -- Abe Martin’s Back Country Sayings (1917)

Dave — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 14:09:27 +0000

If others could only see us as we think we are.

Frank McKinney "Kin" Hubbard (1868-1930) American caricaturist and humorist
Abe Martin’s Back Country Sayings (1917)

Hubbard, Kin -- Abe Martin’s Back Country Sayings (1917)

Dave — Wed, 26 Jun 2013 21:35:28 +0000

We’re all mighty unselfish when it comes t’ handin’ out advice we could use ourselves.

Frank McKinney "Kin" Hubbard (1868-1930) American caricaturist and humorist
Abe Martin’s Back Country Sayings (1917)

Hubbard, Kin -- Abe Martin’s Back Country Sayings, ch. 7 (1917)

Dave — Mon, 27 Dec 2021 18:49:34 +0000

Next t’ a circus ther haint nothin’ that packs up an’ tears out any quicker’n th’ Christmus spirit.

[Next to a circus, there ain’t nothing that packs up and tears out any quicker than the Christmas spirit.]

Frank McKinney "Kin" Hubbard (1868-1930) American caricaturist and humorist
Abe Martin’s Back Country Sayings, ch. 7 (1917)
(Source)

Often misquoted as "tears out faster than".

Hubbard, Kin -- Abe Martin’s Primer (1914)

Dave — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 19:02:25 +0000

We all run in debt for things we wouldna’ think o’ payin’ perfectly good money for.

Frank McKinney "Kin" Hubbard (1868-1930) American caricaturist and humorist
Abe Martin’s Primer (1914)

Hubbard, Kin -- Abe Martin’s Primer (1914)

Dave — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 12:29:53 +0000

We’d all like t’vote fer th’best man, but he’s never a candidate.

Frank McKinney "Kin" Hubbard (1868-1930) American caricaturist and humorist
Abe Martin’s Primer (1914)

Hubbard, Kin -- Abe Martin’s Primer (1914)

Dave — Thu, 19 Sep 2013 12:43:10 +0000

Let’s all join th’ good roads movement an’ mend our own ways.

Frank McKinney "Kin" Hubbard (1868-1930) American caricaturist and humorist
Abe Martin’s Primer (1914)

Hubbard, Kin -- Abe Martin’s Sayings and Wisecracks, ch. 1 [ed. D. Hawes (1984)]

Dave — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 12:39:35 +0000

Th’ feller that agrees with ever’thing you say is either a fool er he is gettin’ ready t’skin you.

Frank McKinney "Kin" Hubbard (1868-1930) American caricaturist and humorist
Abe Martin’s Sayings and Wisecracks, ch. 1 [ed. D. Hawes (1984)]

Hubbard, Kin -- Abe Martin’s Almanac for 1909 (1908)

Dave — Wed, 06 Jun 2012 11:46:00 +0000

A bad fittin’ suit never wears out.

Frank McKinney "Kin" Hubbard (1868-1930) American caricaturist and humorist
Abe Martin’s Almanac for 1909 (1908)

Full text.

Hubbard, Kin -- Back Country Folks (1913)

Dave — Mon, 14 Oct 2013 13:11:33 +0000

Th’ feller that agrees with ever’thing you say is either a fool er he is gettin’ ready t’skin you.

[The fellow that agrees with everything you say is either a fool or he is getting ready to skin you.]

Frank McKinney "Kin" Hubbard (1868-1930) American caricaturist and humorist
Back Country Folks (1913)

Hubbard, Kin -- Hoss Sense and Nonsense (1926)

Dave — Sun, 01 Feb 2004 16:00:00 +0000

When a feller says, “It hain’t th’ money, but th’ principle o’ th’ thing,” it’s th’ money.

[When a fellow says, “It ain’t the money, but the principle of the thing,” it’s the money.]

Frank McKinney "Kin" Hubbard (1868-1930) American caricaturist and humorist
Hoss Sense and Nonsense (1926)

Hubbard, Kin -- Hoss Sense and Nonsense (1926)

Dave — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 14:03:11 +0000

Th’ only way t’ entertain some folks is t’ listen t’ em.

Frank McKinney "Kin" Hubbard (1868-1930) American caricaturist and humorist
Hoss Sense and Nonsense (1926)

Hubbard, Kin -- Short Furrows (1913)

Dave — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 14:15:11 +0000

Flattery won’t hurt you if you don’t swallow it.

Frank McKinney "Kin" Hubbard (1868-1930) American caricaturist and humorist
Short Furrows (1913)