"Only fools and newcomers predict the weather in Texas" (1910)

[Scot LaFaive]

I did a search for "fool" + "weather" + "newcomer" on Historical ProQuest
(includes APS Online, Historical Chicago Tribune, Historical LA Times, and
Historical New York Times) but found nothing before 8-20-1910. Our
university's Historical ProQuest doesn't have many papers though.
Scot


>From: Bapopik at AOL.COM
>Reply-To: American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
>To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
>Subject: "Only fools and newcomers predict the weather in Texas" (1910)
>Date: Fri, 5 Jan 2007 21:37:58 EST
>
>---------------------- Information from the mail header
>-----------------------
>Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
>Poster:       Bapopik at AOL.COM
>Subject:      "Only fools and newcomers predict the weather in Texas"
>(1910)
>-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>Maybe someone with ProQuest or America's Historical Newspapers (which has
>=20
>both Texas Siftings and the Dallas Morning News) can knock this
>Americanism=20=
>out =20
>of the park. It sucks not having all the databases.
>...
>A search for "newcomers"+"fools"+"weather"+ "Texas" should bring it  up.
>...
>...\...
>_http://www.barrypopik.com/index.php/texas/entry/only_newcomers_and_fools_pr=
>ed
>ict_the_weather_in_texas/_=20
>(http://www.barrypopik.com/index.php/texas/entry/only_newcomers_and_fools_pr=
>edict_the_weather_in_texas/)=20
>...
>=20
>=E2=80=9COnly newcomers and fools predict the weather in Texas=E2=80=9D
>=20
>The old Texas weather saying (dating from at least the early 1900s) is:
>=E2=
>=80=9COnly=20
>  newcomers and fools predict the weather in Texas.=E2=80=9D=20
>
>It=E2=80=99s alleged that a  newcomer once responded that that=E2=80=99s
>bec=
>ause there are=20
>only two kinds of people  in Texas.=20
>
>
>_Google  Books_=20
>(http://books.google.com/books?vid=3DISBN1417992204&id=3DWxd7J7jOy5EC&pg=3DP=
>P1&lpg=3DPP1&ots=3DHLcNCII3CK&dq=3Dboyce+house&ie=3DISO-8859-1&sig=3DUz4Tj4q=
>GJUT
>xLR0TjiO81EM-aug#PPA6,M1) =20
>I Give You Texas: 500 Jokes of the Lone Star State=20
>by  Boyce House=20
>San Antonio, TX: The Naylor Co.=20
>1943=20
>Kessinger  Publishing=20
>2004 (reprint)=20
>Pg. 6:=20
>=E2=80=9CNobody but fools and newcomers  predict the weather in Texas.=E2=
>=80=9D=20
>...=20
>Someone=E2=80=94having rashly prophesied the  weather=E2=80=94was reminded
>o=
>f the fools=E2=80=99
>-and-newcomers=E2=80=99 saying. Replied he: =20
>
>=E2=80=9CCome to think of it, they=E2=80=99re the only two classes of
>people=
>  I=E2=80=99ve seen  in=20
>the State.=E2=80=9D=20
>
>_Google  Books_=20
>(http://books.google.com/books?vid=3DISBN1560009845&id=3DyhAhkYAHuiwC&pg=3DP=
>A184&lpg=3DPA184&ots=3DrNfiIjuVJ0&dq=3Dfools+newcomers+texas+weather&ie=3DIS=
>O-
>8859-1&sig=3DFYHqOy3ARd2RCdPnGu12qmmDpk0) =20
>The American People: Stories, Legends, Tales, Traditions and  Songs=20
>by Benjamin Albert Botkin=20
>New York Historical Association =20
>1946=20
>New Brunswick, NJ: Transaction Publishers=20
>1998 (reprint) =20
>Pg. 184:=20
>It has been said that George B. Erath, the famous German  pioneer and
>Indian=
>=20
>fighter, was the author of the expression: =E2=80=9CNobody prophesies
>about=
>  Texas=20
>weather except newcomers and damn fools.=E2=80=9D=20
>
>For many years  this has been a favourite gag in Texas social life. It
>was=20
>one of the sells in  the old saloon days, and the unfortunate tenderfoot
>who=
>=20
>fell for it always had  to set up the drinks to the crowd.=20
>
>One dull, slow evening when things  were at an absolute standstill in
>the=20
>saloon, a fresh young guy with a derby hat  and store-bought clothes
>breezed=
>  into=20
>the place, walked up to the bar ,and  ordered a drink. The usual crowd
>of=20
>loafers looked on disapprovingly but said  nothing. Leisurely finishing
>his=20=
>drink=20
>and wiping his mouth with a bright silk  handerkerchief, the newcomer
>said,=20=
>=E2=80=9C
>Well, I believe it=E2=80=99s going to rain.=E2=80=9D =20
>
>The golden opportunity had arrived; the whole crowd was alert and
>watchful.=
>=20
>Then the old nester, the leader in all the local wars of wits, said
>very=20
>fatherly, =E2=80=9CMy friend, did you know that there were only two kinds
>of=
>  people  who=20
>prophesy about Texas weather?=E2=80=9D=20
>
>=E2=80=9CTwo kinds of people who prophesy on  Texas weather?=E2=80=9D
>mused=20=
>the stranger. =E2=80=9C
>That=E2=80=99s very queer. Who are they?=E2=80=9D =20
>
>Then the old nester, with all the contempt and sarcasm in his power, =20
>sneered, =E2=80=9CNewcomers and damn fools.=E2=80=9D=20
>
>The crowd rose with a mighty shout  and gathered around the newcomer=20
>shouting, =E2=80=9CHaw, haw, haw.=E2=80=9D =E2=80=9CHe got you that  time.=
>=E2=80=9D =E2=80=9CYou are it.=E2=80=9D =E2=80=9CHe got you good.=E2=80=9D
>  =E2=80=9CSet um up. Set um up.=E2=80=9D =E2=80=9CYou owe drinks  to the
>hou=
>se.=E2=80=9D =E2=80=9CCome on, set em=20
>up.=E2=80=9D=20
>
>The young fellow stood smiling at  all their hurrah. He was not the
>least=20
>troubled about their demands for the  drinks. When the hubbub had died
>down=20=
>and=20
>they were all properly up against the  bar, he said very calmly and
>slowly,=20=
>=E2=80=9C
>"You say there are only two kinds of  people who prophesy about Texas
>weathe=
>r=E2=80=94
>newcomers and damn fools. You are right.  Those ar the only two kinds in
>Tex=
>as.=E2=80=9D=20
>
>20 August 1910, Galveston (TX)  Daily News, pg. 6, col. 3:=20
>While we do not mean to offend either the  fools or the newcomers, we
>ventur=
>e=20
>to suggest that those who thought Governor  Campbell wouldn=E2=80=99t call
>a=
>nother=20
>session of the legislature are kin to the kinds  of people who predict
>the=20
>weather in Texas.=20
>
>29 April 1932, Florence (SC)  Morning News, =E2=80=9CTexas Hen Turns
>Weather=
>=20
>Forecaster,=E2=80=9D pg. 5, col. 5: =20
>CUERO, Tex., April 28 (UP)=E2=80=94A hardworking hen in the barnyard
>family=20=
>of Sid =20
>Smith, farmer near here, laid an egg bearing the words, =E2=80=9CNo rain.=
>=E2=80=9D Raised =20
>surfaces on the perfectly formed egg made the words easily discernible, =20
>according to witnesses.=20
>
>The axiom that weather prophets in Texas are  either fools or newcomers,
>has=
>=20
>become a tradition. But no rain had fallen in the  vicinity of Cuero 22
>days=
>=20
>after the egg was found. =20
>
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