The smoke ascended to the clouds, and, extending itself along the sea and upon the shore, formed a great mist, which we may well imagine did mightily astonish the Fisherman. When the smoke was all out of the vessel, it slowly took shape, and became a solid-seeming body, of which there was formed a Genius twice as high and broad as any giant with which the Fisherman had been aforetime familiar. At the sight of a monster of such unsizeable bulk, and from which issued, in as yet unintelligible accents, a Voice which seemed strangely familiar to his ears, the Fisherman----Here SHEEVERREADY perceiving day, broke off her story--for the time. * * * * * [Illustration: THE FISHERMAN AND THE GENIUS. (_Vide "Arabian Nights."_)] * * * * * [Illustration: VERY CONSIDERATE. _Mr. Phunkie._ "DEAW ME!--NEW RAILS, I DECLARE! NOW IF THERE IS A THING WHICH IS ANNOYING TO THE AGRICULTURIST, IN THE PRESENT STATE OF DEPRESSION, IT IS FOR PEOPLE TO GO RECKLESSLY SMASHING THINGS OF THAT SORT. I SHALL CERTAINLY PUT MYSELF TO THE INCONVENIENCE OF GOING _ROUND_--AHEM!--AS AN EXAMPLE!"] * * * * * "THE TICKET-OF-LEAVE MAN" AT CAMBRIDGE. [Illustration] Well done, the A. D. C.! Their performance of TOM TAYLOR'S romantic, pathetic, melodramatic, crib-cracking, head- (though not always side-) splitting play, was an admirable one, carefully rehearsed, well stage-managed, and played with a fine feeling for the capital situations in which the piece abounds. Especially good was Mr. BROMLEY-DAVENPORT'S _Jem Dalton_, a finished and truculent presentment of which any young amateur and many an old professional might be proud. _Hawkshaw_ (Mr. DICKINSON), too, was excellent, and the _Bob Brierly_ of Mr. THORNTON, the _Sam Willoughby_ of Mr. THEOBALD, the _Green Jones_ of Mr. NORMAN, and the _Maltby_ of Mr. MARTINEAU, were all good in their several ways. As for the ladies--but who does not know the A. D. C. ladies, those visions of female loveliness, with big hands bass voices, and projecting knees? Mr. AGAR, whose waist cannot have really measured more than twenty inches round, was refined and charming as _Emily St. Evremond_, while Mr. CORNISH, though taller than most of his male associates, played _May Edwards_ quietly, and sympathetically. _Mrs. Willoughby_, the stage realisation of ARTHUR SKETCHLEY'S _Mrs. Brown_, had full justice rendered to her garrulous good-nature by Mr. STONE. But enough. It was a good performance. Memories came floating back of a notable performance of this same play by the A. D. C. far back in the remote ages between '70 and '80. The _Bob Brierly_ of those days has been Under-Secretary of State for India, _Hawkshaw_, the Detective, occupies a thorny throne as Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland, while _Jem Dalton_ has become the Burglar at the Court Theatre--a very natural transition. Very great was Mr.