Quotes from Owen Wister

But no earthly foot can step between a man and his destiny.

With a gun against my belly I... I always smile.

When you can't have what you choose, you just choose what you have.

In the United States 'First' and 'Second' class can't be painted on railroad cars, for all passengers, being Americans, are equal and it would be 'unAmerican.' But paint 'Pullman' on a car and everyone is satisfied.

When a man ain't got no ideas of his own, he'd ought to be kind o' careful who he borrows 'em from.

It was neither preaching nor praying that made a better man of me, but one or two people who believed in me better than I deserved, and I hated to disappoint them.

Forgive my asking you to use your mind. It is a thing which no novelist should expect of his reader...

When a man ain't got no ideas of his own, he'd ought to be kind o' careful who he borrows 'em from.

It was neither preaching nor praying that made a better man of me, but one or two people who believed in me better than I deserved, and I hated to disappoint them.

When a man is kind to dumb animals, I always say he has got some good in him.

Here in flesh and blood was a truth which I had long believed in words, but never met before. The creature we call a gentleman lies deep in the heart of thousands that are born without chance to master the outward graces of the type.

I thought there should in truth be heavy damages for malpractice on human souls.

When you call me that, smile.

The cowboy has now gone to worlds invisible; the wind has blown away the white ashes of his campfires; but the empty sardine box lies rusting over the face of the Western earth.

All America is divided into two classes - the quality and the equality. The latter will always recognize the former when mistaken for it.

I reckon some parsons have a right to tell you to be good. The bishop of this hyeh territory has a right. But I'll tell yu' this: a middlin' doctor is a pore thing, and a middlin' lawyer is a pore thing; but keep me from a middlin' man of God.

But no earthly foot can step between a man and his destiny.

For out of the eyes of every stranger looks either a friend or an enemy, waiting to be known.

Science! He [Dr. MacBride] doesn't know what Christianity is yet. I've entertained many guests, but none - The whole secret, broke off Judge Henry, Lies in the way you treat people. As soon as you treat men as your brothers, they are ready to acknowledge you - if you deserve it - as their superior. That's the whole bottom of Christianity, and that's what our missionary will never know.

Ah, me, she sighed. If marriage were as simple as love!

Providence makes use of instruments I'd not touch with a ten-foot pole.

the letter means nothing until the spirit gives it life

I don't think I like you, said she. That's all square enough. You're goin' to love me before we get through

When a man ain't got no ideas of his own, said Scipio, he'd ought to be kind o' careful who he borrows 'em from.