A New Kind of Pocket.

Manawatu Herald, 8 September 1900, Page 3

A New Kind of Pocket.

We have witnessed the odd fashion that has been adopted of pulling socks over the legs of trousers, a fashion which has, from the accompanying yarn, much in its favour for usefulness, if it has not much in its favour for appearances. The English prisoners at Pretoria appear to have been the inventors for the new style as the •■ Cape Times " reports: — When supplies of tea and coffee were very short, the Quartermaster became possessed of a single box of tea, which was much valued by him, of course. The box stood just outside the door where '• Tommy " drew his daily rations, and the Quartermaster, out of respect for " Tommy's " traits of shitting what was not too hot or too heavy to carry, placed a sentry thereoh, with strict injunctions to keep his eye on the box. Sometime afterwards the Quartermaster went to the tea-box, and to his horror discovered it was nearly empty. The burgher doing sentry-go swore no one had touched it, for the box stood close to the wall, and he had never moved from its front. He suggested " spooks," and was really much perturbed over the mysterious disappearance of the t.-agrant leaf.

It had gone this wise. The burghers in turn were collecting curios, and pai J such sums as _s to 5s each for regimental badges. A couple of Tommies, aware of this weakness for their metal decorations, worked upon that particular sentry's weakness. One of them kept him engaged bargaining for a badge while the* other paid his attentions to the tea. To carry a parcel would rouse suspicion, so he had pulled his socks over the bottom of his Trousers, and after purloining the tea, had dropped it inside the legs of his pants and then walked quietly away. That mess had a glorious time for weeks after, when other messes were reduced to water for a beverage.