Lincoln County advocate. (Canton, Dakota Territory, [S.D.]) 1876-1877, 1877-01-03
No Pocket,
BY SARAH WINTER KELLOGG,

BY SARAH WINTER KELLOGG,
1t was at Katie McPnerson's Christ
mas party that the announcement was
made,-in the dining-room, where the
scores of bright children were assem-
bled to partake OF the good things
which Mrs. Mcpherson had beautifully
provided, Jimmy Johnson made the
announcement, and this it was:
Bushy Caruthers amt good no
pocket!"
Jimmy delivered this in such tones
and with such manner as he might
have used if he had said: "Bushy
Caruthers amt got no thumbs !" or
Bushy Caruthers amt got no nose 1"
HAS MT he?" said Bobby smedley,
with as much eager concern as Jimmy
Johnson, or, indeed, the most exactirg
news-bearer could have asked or de-
sired.
Has MT he?" said also Dickey
Simpkins.
"There was that in Dickey's tone
which added, "Tm glad Pm not in
Bushy's trousers"
Nellie Partridge, who Was one of
Jimmy Johnson's audience, opened
her eyes roundly and puckered her
mouth into perfect O, and then gave
vent to a long "W.h-y |" of astonisn-
ment.
No, he ain'tg got no pocket" Jimmy
repeated, with no abatement in bis
can-you-b elieve-it manner.
"That' cause he's little boy" said
Tommy Mayneer, who was large of his
age.
/ With this explanation, Tommy
thrust his hands into his trousers
pockets, drew himself up to the full
J canacitx Of his inehas and -z.aazehea
back and forth few PAGES with great
dignity.
Nellie Partridge, who, I must fear,
will in time grow to be a gossip, hur-
ried over to the group of children in
the next corner, and repeated, with
solemn eyes:
"Say Bushy Caruthers amt got no
pocket"
"Did you ever?" said one little
auditor. Its too bad" said another.
"Why!" exclaimed third, hurrying
away to carry the story to the next
group of children. Then the word
went to the company of little folks
collected at the window; thence to the
children outside the dining.room door
in the hall, and on, until everybody
knew that Bushy Caruthers was 80 un-
fortunate as to be at party where
candy and nuts and oranges and all
manners OF good things abounded, and
where there was a Christmas-tree, and
yet to have no pocket.
What made it worse was, that it was
Mrs. McPherson's way at her Katie's
Christmas parties always to insist upon
each little guest filling his or her peck.
cts with good things to take home"
Poor Bushy
After g while the word reach ed
Bushy himself. OF course he knew he
hadn't any pocket before the children
locked around him with their express
sions of coincidence and their eager
enquiries and exclamations of concern:
but until he had heard these, and seen
the CONSERVATION in the little faces. he
had no conception of the magnitude of
his misfortune. When this really
dawned upon Bushy, he thought he
ought to cry; but that seemed too much
like baby-conduct. So he perked up
his head with an heroic look in his
funny little face, and rolled his ewes
from one to another of his condolers,
as if he would say, "Well, if amt got
any pocket I'm going to bear nv
trouble like a man."
Well, Bushy," Barney Williamson
advised, "you eat all the candy and
jelly and nuts and cake and oranges
you can hold" ~ .'.ssa 80:
" What makes UNI call you Bushy,
anyhow" asked Henry Clay Martin.
+" You amt busby q bit; you're slick as
my black-and-tan terrier" and Henry
Clay looked the unfortunate over from
the crown Of his glossy black head to
the soles of his polished CATERS.
"My names Bushrod, and they call
me Bushy for short" was the explana.
ton; whereupon a dozen or more
children proceeded to tell. what their
right names were and what they were
called for short.
Meanwhile B'lshy, in accordance
with Barney Williamson's advice, was
engaged in storing away cakes and
candies, regardless of headaches and
doctors. At the end of fifteen minutes
he had probably discovered the limit
OF his capacity; for at this time he