"Ploughing the sands" has been shown, in a letter to the _Times_, to be, in some cases, a productive operation. If the sands are well ploughed, and well sown, then may a fine crop be expected. When "Ploughing the sands" is no longer remunerative, then let all hands be summoned aboard, and the Government vessel in search of General Election Island may "Plough the sea," and come safely into port. What is successful "ploughing" to them will be "harrowing" to the Opposition. * * * * * "O SUCH A DAY WAS NEVER SEEN!"--Mr. Justice DAY is always a bright, never a dull DAY. His judicial utterances are like the sea around the Isle of Man, clear and profound. Rarely does he miss a good point; yet so it was the other day when, in a trial of "_Legge_ v." a heap of people (not involving any question of "Legge bail"), Mr. Justice DAY observed, "I find now very high rank held by doctors in the Army. There are Captain-surgeons, Colonel-surgeons, and I am not sure there are not Generals. (_Laughter._)" "Not sure," Mr. Justice! Why 'tis as clear as Day! There is another and a higher grade, viz., "General-Practitioner." * * * * * [Illustration: HARCOURT THE HEADSMAN.] * * * * * [Illustration: 'HOPE YOU BACKED THE WINNER?' "MY DEAR FELLOW, ONLY TOO DELIGHTED. BUT YOU NEVER _TOLD_ ME!"] * * * * * A REALLY BIG PURCHASE BY A PRIVATE INDIVIDUAL, AT A VERY MODERATE FIGURE.--For 260 guineas Mr. W. AGNEW purchased "_Lambeth Palace--in the distance_." It is no "distance" to speak of, as twopence more will take the purchaser by steam-boat from almost any landing-stage across the river to Lambeth. It should perhaps be added, so as not to frighten the Archbishop of CANTERBURY, that in the purchase were included "_Old Westminster Bridge (a view of), with State Barges and Boats_." The whole Thames-water-colour having been painted in oil by SCOTT. This lot, by Great SCOTT, went as above-mentioned. * * * MUSICAL EXERCISE FOR BICYCLISTS.--Try WAGNER'S "'CYCLE." * * * "WANTS TO KNOW."--"Dear Sir,--I saw a paragraph in the _Times_ quite recently headed '_A Confirmed Pickpocket_.' I am all for the religious improvement of the dangerous classes, and what I want to know is _Firstly_, Was the lad a pickpocket before he was confirmed? _Secondly_, Or, did he become a pickpocket after confirmation? _Thirdly_, What bishop or curate was responsible for his confirmation? Other questions arise out of this case, but these are enough for the present. Yours, A FEMALE SEARCHER." * * * FROM OUR OWN SMALL SCHOLAR.--"That's where I should like to be," sighed SAM SUCKER minimus, as in his geography lesson he read the name of Orange Free State. "Fancy, oranges free!!" * * * * *