The storm was raging through the night, I tossed upon my pillow, And pitied any luckless wight Who tossed upon the "_Billow_!" * * * * * A SLIGHT MUDDLE.--"I hear," said Mrs. R., "that the Cassocks are performing at the Buffalo Bill place--though not knowing the gentleman personally, I would prefer calling him BUFFALO WILLIAM or WILLIAM BUFFELLOW, which would be a less outlandish name--and I confess I was astonished, as I always thought that Cassocks were Clergymen, or had something to do with the Clergy. I suppose I had connected them with Hassocks, which are always in Church, and were, I believe, invented by Mr. HASSOCK, or Squire HASSOCK, who made all his money by keeping a gate on the old Brighton Coach Road. The station is still called Hassock's Gate, in his memory. HER MAJESTY had all the Cassocks sent down to her at Windsor. They must have been quite worn out by the end of the day." * * * * * [Illustration: ELECTION FEVER. A CANDIDATE'S DREAM.] * * * * * OPERATIC NOTES. _Monday.--Lohengrin._ House full to hear Brother JOHN and Madame MELBA. "Please, Sir, Mr. JOHNNIE DE RISKY ain't here," blurts out the pale and trembling call-boy. [Illustration: Cherubino takes the Chair at a small Meeting. A De Risky situation.] Sir AUGUSTUS calm, impassible. Crisis. If no one turned up, he would act the part himself, and, it being Wagnerian music, the orchestra would play what of the part had to be played. At that moment lounged in Monsieur VAN DYCK, just to see how things were going on without him. "I'm a little hoarse to-night," quoth VAN DYCK, pleasantly. "Nonsense!" cries Sir DRURIOLANUS, cheerily, "a '_Van_' can never be a little hoarse." Much merriment. "DYCK, my boy," continues Sir D., "you've come in the very nick of time--quite a Devil's Dyke, you are,"--the accomplished vocalist was in ecstasies at his Manager's joke,--"and you shall distinguish yourself to-night as _Lohengrin_!" Oh, what a surprise! No sooner said than done. Armour for one ordered immediately. ISAAC of York Street goes to work, and--presto!--VAN DYCK is "ready in case." "Now," asks DRURIOLANUS, "what are we waiting for?" "Please, Sir, Madame MELBA isn't here!" "MELBA not here to play _Elsa_!" exclaims Sir DRURIOLANUS, immediately adding, with that wit which is always, like the British Tar, 'Ready, aye ready!'--"then we must get somebody Else Sir!" and scarcely had the words escaped his lips, than Madame NORDICA, who happened to be passing by, sang out in an extempore recitative, "_Me voici!_" "_Bravissima!_" cried Sir DRURIOLANUS. "Saved! Saved!" General dance of joy. So the Curtain was rung up, and the Opera, with Madame NORDICA (_vice_ MELBA) as _Elsa_, and VAN DYCK (_vice_ Little JOHNNIE THE RISKY) as _Lohengrin_, made a big success. House crowded. All's well that ends as well as this. [Illustration: Sir Druriolanus, M.P.(ressario) for Covent Garden.]