The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1862-05-03
About Pockets.

Rockets are a marked feature of civil.
ized live. Their history is the history of
| humanity, and catalouge of their sue
cessive contents would furnish a condens-.
ed biography. There We're no pockets in,
the fig leaf aprons of Eden. Our first
parents had no need to hoard or appro-
pirate, for the trees and herbage OF the
garden offered them freely all their SIM
pie wealth. There were no pockets in,
Adams first blouse of skins, for as yet he
had no knife wherewith to cut tobacco,
and was innocently ignorant of the poten-
cy of the marvellous weed, But when life.
grew hard and human interests conflict
/ ing, then the pocket became a developed
! institution, receptacle for the means Of
daily solacc amenity and convenience.
/ 1t Is a social, not selfish institution. 1t
! contains supplies not hoards. The treas.
| ures OF the miser are buried in q voult !;
while the subsidies OF the pocket are ap.
| propriately known as change. From its.
| warInest corner comes the penny for the
steeet sweeper, the toys for the pet of tho
fire side, and the weekly gratuity for the
charities of every kindly name.
But the most characteristic deposits arc
not in money. Children prefer the con-
crete to the abstract, the end to the
means. While the little man wears the
dress of his sister, his pocket, like hers.
is filled with cakes and candies. But
very soon he seeks q wider range of 40.
tivities, and the sweetmeats, not yet
ignored, dispute possession inch by inch
with jews harps, fish hooks, tops, kite
strings and knives. If he is mecha1ical
the knife gains companion in an ivory
rule; if studious, in pencils and paper
Then comes the beligerant period, when
the country boy makes investments in
powder and shot, and the young citizen L.
in amateur in pistols and percussion caps.
And as war aiternates with peace, tha.
tomahawk with the calumet, SO about.
this PERIOD if at all, is developed pref.
erence for cigars and fine CUT" but
these are anxious weeds that are liable to
choke out all healthful growth. Just a.
rats leave sinking ship. when these
fragrant treasures find their way to the
pocket, indignant moths leave the young
mans wardrobe in disgust. 1t will be-
we'll if tine odor does uot servo to expel
more desirable visitants than these. Then
follows the youth latest pocket compan-
ion, the watch pointing with Its golden
finger the silent moral of the time.
For the girl, her early sugar plums give-
place to the cheap luxury of paper dolls,
soon followed by that familiar implement
the thimble. Hard upon this come the
scribbling stage. when the pocket finds
room for poncil and paper, for notes Of
many pages duly CROSSED, and filled with.
the fancies and foilies, the friendships
and fashions of sixteen. 1T is but slight
change from these romantic missives -
those of warmer hue the billet doux Of
bovish admirers, to be followed we trust
BY the firm lines that bear the frank
avowal Of q manly love. Yet these last
will not long remain in the pocket; they
are too precious guests for snch familier.
treatment, and shall retire to some inner.
sanctuary, set apart for the holiest of all
With love comes sorrow, with sorrow re-.
lig'on; SO when our crowned women has
hidden away her hearts treasures, holr
lowed ny kisses if not by tears amid .
shower Of fallen rose-leaves perhaps pro-
phetic Of their fate, she receives new
friend, pocket Bible. in their place.
Consecrated to labor. love and duty, tAe
pocket thus meets the whole round Of
human need.-Sprinqfetd RepubGeam