A Boy’s Pockets and a Girl’s Pockets.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume X, Issue 1029, 28 January 1882, Page 3

A Boy’s Pockets and a Girl’s Pockets.

Tommy is twelve years old. His sister Mary is sweet sixteen. The other morning Mary accosted her mother with :— “ Ma, see what a lot of rubbish I found in Tommy’s pockets.” And she deposited on the table the following articles, to wit : —• Eight marbles, one top, a brokenbladed knife, a leather strap, a buckle, a bunch of keys, a fishing line, a piece of lead, a smooth stone, four pieces of slate pencil, a worn-out pocket book, an oyster shell, a wounded jew’s-harp, a piece of blue glass, a lump of chalk, two dried fish-worms, a piece of Indiarubber, two corks, a fractured comb, a piece of liquorice root, a song-book, two medals, and a juvenile land tortoise. Tommy looked thoughtfully as the contents of his pockets were deposited before the eyes of his mother, and sullenly remarked that “ It was none of her business and he just wanted her to let his trousers alone.” Next day Tommy captured the outside pocket of his sister’s dress, and carrying the contents to his mother, sarcastically observed, in the presence of Mary : —“ Ma, just see what a lot of trash I found in Mary’s pocket !” And he produced from his hat the following knicknacks, viz. : —

Three hair-pins, a soiled glove, piece of chocolate, a broken locket, i elastic garter, piece of ribbon, a loveletter, a photograph, a broken toothbrush, a skein of silk, a thimble, an ivory ornament belonging to a parasol handle, handkerchief perfumed with jockey-club, a glove buttoner, withered geranium leaves, a powder-puff, ivoryhandle penknife with broken blade, a fan, five visiting cards, belt buek’e, box of rouge, piece of butterscotch, fragment of looking glass, a peach stone, a cigar holder (stolen from “George”) a piece of damask silk, of the pattern of her friend Lucy’s new dress, an artificial flower, horsehair ring, a long brown hair entangled in jujubes, and a slip of paper containing directions for handerchief flirtations. Tommy placed the last article on the table and slid from the room with a grin of triumph on his roguish face. His sister made an ineffectual grab for him, and, as he passed into the street he heard her voice calling “ You nasty little brat 1 If you get at my pockets again I’ll slap your face.” Tommy thinks honors are easy.