The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1894-03-17
The Greatest Lack is Pockets.

Edith E Metcalf in The congresatIonallst
"a man without country is to be
pitied and perhaps scorned, for it is prob
ably his own fault But an object worthy
tenfold deeper sympathy is woman
without pocket. In our present state of
civilization man without a pocket is an
unimaginable being. When in some future
age you attend Worlds Fair that boasts
a mans building, where man as class ex-
hibits-though a strong minded few may
force their way into the other buildings
controlled by women-perhaps there you
may see pocketless man.
He start out of the front door in the
morning pinning his handkerchief under
his waisteoat clutching his small change,
bank bills and letters to mail in one hand,
his umbrella in the other, and trying to
invent some button or hook whereon to
hang his latch-key, and afterward, in the
street car, some safe place to lay the whole
conglomeration while he reads his news
paper +? He bury his watch in some in
nermost recess of his being, somewhere In
the Midway Plaisance of his person, and
twist its chain through bnttonhole, when
TO extricate it means an agonized wriggle
of from three to five minutes, so that he
generally prefers to forego knowing the
time of day TO undertaking the exploit, or
takes refuge in asking some woman who
sits beside him lie reduced in despera-
ton to carrying black silk bag dangling
by string from his arm Preposterous
How his whole career would be crippled
What Il vain and useless creature he would
become. Query Could he be man at
all without pocket?
Suppose the mandate of international
tailordom itself should decree that the in
coming styles of many apparel excluded
pockets, would that make any difference to
man? Even the very "pink of perfee-
ton, fashions pet, who cares more for the
cut of his coat than the salvation of his
soul, would only say, "Bothcr the tailor,
when it comes to that, it's my pocket or
his life. My sister women, reflect How
much would the life of any mans tailor be
worth who advocated the abolition of
pockets?
And the pitiful thing about it all, sisters,
is that we never had but one pocket to hold
everything. A man always has pocket
for each separate article, if he wanted it.
handy vest pockets, whence bills can be
pulled out neatly with thumb and fore
finger; oddly-shaped little ones in various
places, known only to the tailor and him
self, for car fares; big trouser ones for odds
and ends, and, luxury of luxuries, hand
kerchief pocket in the tail of his coat. In
just the twinkliug Of an eye he can reach
hither and thither all over himself and col
lect all his possessions, OF let highwayman
do it for him in half the time. Surely
from her that hath not shall be taken away
even that which she hath-our one and
only little eve lamb of pocket.
OF course there is the mans side to this
grumble. Brother JACK speaks up -
"What's all this hue and cry about pock-
cts? We men get the worst of it, after
all. I'd most rather have no pocket than
be converted into a walking storage build
ing for you women, as we're compelled to
be in these recent times. leave'it to you,
which is most aggravating, to be without
a pocket, or to have several and the use of
none, because they're all rented out free of
charge to the lady you're escorting? Her
keys fan, gloves, pocketbook and all that
are crowded into our pockets, till We can't
button our coats without looking like
pouter pigeon.
| listened lately to this conversation with
the dressmaker ''Is there any hope Of
pockets this season." this in a timid, de
precating tone.
''No, MADAM" this in determined.
cast-iron tone. "We all admit here the
little woman is very much ashamed of her
self for asking the question-athat the
pocket very scornful emphasis on the
word, as if thing too vile for mention
sis deformity to any artistically designed
gown, and a well-dressed woman could
never desire one"
And the questioner submitted, snubbed
by one made to serve, not to crush, her.
One woman said to me in confidence not
long since: I've been without husband
and children for years, but that is nothing
to me in comparison with being without a
pocket, having once known the luxury of
the latter, the former never
Women, arouse Think what we have
lost. Pockets before now have helped to
save life Whatever would Mrs. Kecks
and Mrs. Aleshine have done in the mid
die Of the sea without their pockets? As
important as the black stockings to protect
from sharks were those eapacious subma-
rine pockets of theirs. Is it not high time
to resist the high-handed tyranny of the
dressmaker and be free In this Worlds
year, who will invent a pretty gown with
capacious pockets conveniently placed all
over it ? She shall live and die honored
by all her country-women.
Let us offer prize! Or, better still,
let us call a woman's congress on the revi-
val of the pocket Much valuable breath
has been wasted on theosophy and kindred